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Book News, Guests | December 14, 2009

Amy Gray: IMG How to Be a Vampire

3 comments By Amy Gray

Oh, hi. I'm Amy Gray. I like smoking, carbs, and words. I live in the (currently) sleek humidity of Melbourne, Australia. When not lying... Continue »
  1. $10.49 Sale Hardcover add to wish list

    How to Be a Vampire: A Fangs-On Guide for the Newly Undead

    Amy Gray

The Color Purple

by Alice Walker

The Color Purple Cover

Awards

1983 Pulitzer Prize for fiction
1983 National Book Award for fiction
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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Celie is a poor black woman whose letters tell the story of 20 years of her life, beginning at age 14 when she is being abused and raped by her father and attempting to protect her sister from the same fate, and continuing over the course of her marriage to "Mister," a brutal man who terrorizes her. Celie eventually learns that her abusive husband has been keeping her sister's letters from her and the rage she feels, combined with an example of love and independence provided by her close friend Shug, pushes her finally toward an awakening of her creative and loving self.

Review:

"The cumulative effect is a novel that is convincing because of the authenticity of its folk voice....a striking and consummately well-written novel. Alice Walker's choice and effective handling of the epistolary style has enabled her to tell a poignant tale of women's struggle for equality and independence..." Mel Watkins, The New York Times

Review:

"[A] work to stand beside literature of any time and place." The San Francisco Chronicle

Review:

"Intense emotional impact....Indelibly affecting...Alice Walker is a lavishly gifted writer." The New York Times Book Review

Review:

"Places Walker in the company of Faulkner." The Nation

Synopsis:

Published to unprecedented acclaim, The Color Purple established Alice Walker as a major voice in modern fiction. This is the story of two sisters — one a missionary in Africa and the other a child wife living in the South — who sustain their loyalty to and trust in each other across time, distance, and silence. Beautifully imagined and deeply compassionate, this classic novel of American literature is rich with passion, pain, inspiration, and an indomitable love of life.
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About the Author

Alice Walker won the Pulitzer Prize and the American Book Award for her novel The Color Purple, which was preceded by The Third Life of Grange Copeland and Meridian. Her other bestselling novels include By the Light of My Father's Smile, Possessing the Secret of Joy and The Temple of My Familiar. She is also the author of two collections of short stories, three collections of essays, five volumes of poetry and several children's books. Her books have been translated into more than two dozen languages. Born in Eatonton, Georgia, Walker now lives in Northern California.
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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 4 comments:
Georgeann, April 30, 2009 (view all comments by Georgeann)
Alice Walker successfully conveys various social issues through a distinct style and point-of-view in her award winning novel, The Color Purple. Her novel is written in Epistolary form, meaning it is structured through letterforms. Walker’s use of vernacular dialect in the letters, which she coined as “Black Folk English,” gives the novel an informal style to seem less intimidating towards men and women. Alice Walker breaks a racial barrier by writing about less than perfect African Americans in The Color Purple.

There are parallels between Alice Walker’s background and the protagonist’s, Celie’s, experiences. She was born in Eatonton, Georgia on a rural farming community, which is similar to the setting of The Color Purple. At the age of eight Walker was accidentally blinded in one eye by her brothers. She resorted to writing and poetry to fight the loneliness and alienation she received from her family. By the age of 14, she had her cataract in her eye removed and regained much of the confidence she lost. Moreover her situation is much like Celie’s, in the fact that at a young age she struggled with family and alienation.

The Color Purple begins by introducing Celie and her abusive father. To escape the pain, she resorts to writing letters addressed to “Dear God.” These letters serve as her diary while God represents someone to talk to. She shares her traumatizing experiences with God. Her father rapes her and also forces her into a marriage with Albert, more so known as Mr. ______. To her dismay, he also abuses her. Celie begins to realize that all the men in her life only cause her pain. She even says, “I don’t even look at mens. That’s the truth. I look at women, tho, cause I’m not scared of them”(5). Just when she thinks life cannot get much worse, Shug, Mr._______ ex-girlfriend, arrives and becomes her best friend. Shug recognizes Celie’s weakness towards men and Mr.________. She says, “I won’t leave…until I know Albert won’t even think about beating you”(75). Shug provides Celie a support system, and teaches her about sex, God, and the power of love. Celie begins to question why she believes in God, why she puts up with her husband’s abuse, and why “it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don’t notice it”(196). Overall, Celie must learn to overcome her flaws of weakness by answering all the questions that cause her pain.

The Color Purple effectively suggests that woman have the power of a voice to make a difference in the world. Alice Walker uses her voice to break a racial barrier that exists between some whites and blacks. She did so by characterizing imperfect African Americans within her novel. Walker avoids stereotyping by conveying a larger statement about society: that everyone has flaws, but is able to overcome them with support and a positive self-esteem. Walker also specifically portrays that without an outlet to communicate with, the world is a harsh place to live in alone. The book achieved its goal by revealing that the “color purple” should not get overlooked. The color represents beauty and individuality, which should not be hidden amongst a wide range of green grass or the enormous blue sky. Walker successfully conveys Celie as this color; in the beginning of the novel she was unnoticed, and by the end of the novel she has a voice.

In all, Alice Walker shows a beautiful transformation of a young woman in The Color Purple. She does so through the distinct style, first person point-of-view, and various uses of literary devices. Walker’s presentations of social issues in the novel are significant in that they are commonly seen in society today.
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angel_dust_307, September 3, 2008 (view all comments by angel_dust_307)
This book was one of the best i have ever read. It was strong and meaningful and actually put thought into the readers head. A very powerful book.
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Rebecca Gomez, December 3, 2007 (view all comments by Rebecca Gomez)
I feel this book is one of the best books I have ever read ,I love that how celie becomes a strong person and finally gets back to her family she has showed me alot with the life she lived but in the long run if you are strong a nd believe in you self you"ll get there so thank you for letting me say alittle bit about how great this book is
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780156028356
Author:
Walker, Alice
Publisher:
Harvest Books
Editor:
Bernard, Andre
Location:
Orlando, Fla.
Subject:
General
Subject:
Literary
Subject:
Classics
Subject:
Abused wives
Subject:
Sagas
Subject:
Southern states
Subject:
Sisters
Subject:
Adult child sexual abuse victims
Subject:
Epistolary fiction
Subject:
Domestic fiction
Subject:
African-American women
Subject:
General Fiction
Subject:
General Fiction
Edition Number:
1st Harvest ed.
Edition Description:
Trade Paper
Series Volume:
v. 21, issue 26
Publication Date:
May 2003
Binding:
Paperback
Grade Level:
from 9 to 12
Language:
English
Pages:
300
Dimensions:
7.80x5.88x.74 in. .61 lbs.
Age Level:
from 14
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