In rural georgia during the first half of the 20th century, celie whoopi goldberg is married off to an abusive. It is the touching and inspirational story of celie. The color purple won the american book award and the pulitzer prize in fiction in 1983. This novel displays the growth and development of an average africanamerican woman. An analysis of alice walkers the color purple 49 the color purple a more recent occurrence of this blackonblack criticism came up in charges made by some critics that alice walkers novel the color purple unfairly attacked black men. The unnamed main character, who is later revealed to be. Directed by steven spielberg based on the novel by alice walker released. It primarily talks about the story of celie, a poor, barely literate southern black woman who struggles to escape the brutality of her treatment by men. Walkers bestknown work, the color purple received widespread critical acclaim, though it was not without critics, many of whom objected to its. As result of the females who surround and help her, celie ends up being stronger and conquers the abuse she experienced. Literary analysis of the color purple essay the color purple is an epistolary novel written by alice walker. The color purple is a 1982 epistolary novel by american author alice walker which won the 1983 pulitzer prize for fiction and the national book award for fiction. The correspondence between celie and nettie is the novels most basic example. Explain the relationship between the color of purple and the feeling of beauty.
Jan 30, 2014 in her book anything we love can be saved walker expands on some of the ideas underlying the theology presented within the structure of the color purple. Washington square press, 1982 won a pulitzer prize in 1983 making the georgiaborn author and poet the. The color purple is a novel by alice walker that was first published in 1982. The color purple is most clearly about the transforming power of love. The story is set at the start of the twentieth century and celie is a young black girl living in the deep south. Aug 27, 2014 the narrative of the color purple employs literary devices to effectively bring out the thoughts, feelings, and ideas throughout.
Jan 28, 2018 the colour purple novel in tamilalice walker is the author the colour purple story in tamil duration. Celie, a nearly illiterate black georgia girl, writes a short note to god, confiding to him that shes only fourteen, but already she is burdened with cooking, cleaning, and caring for a multitude of brothers and sisters because of her mothers failing health. Analysis of the colour purple film the colour purple is a novel written by alice walker in 1982. See a complete list of the characters in the color purple and indepth analyses of celie, shug avery, mr. Becca villanueva, grace basset and haley rauch feminist criticism works cited canis, fatma koyuncu. The novel is about a lady, celie, who is trying to survive and find herself in the world.
Dec 18, 1985 sweetness and stridency exist side by side in alice walkers color purple, a book whose great virtue is the conversational immediacy that lets its characters spring to life on the page. Essays and criticism on alice walkers the color purple critical evaluation. Celie believes herself to be ugly in part because of her very dark skin. Language style and register the color purple study guide. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis. The color purple, by alice walker, is a very intense book to read. A careful analysis of the novel will reveal several themes, symbols and motifs. Alice walker s novel is unique in its preoccupation with spiritual survival and with exploring the. This gives the reader a sense that the book will be an example of how to achieve a way. The color purple by alice walker alice walker book the color purple is based on racism. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of the color purple and what it means. The color purple section 1 summary and analysis gradesaver.
A summary of the book, the color purple by alicve walker. By intense, it is a book touching very difficult and hard aspects of life of a poor, black oppressed woman in the early twentieth century. Literary analysis essay the color purple in the novel the color purple, alice walker creates an ambiance of hardship, selfdiscovery, and love through the descriptive journal entries of a young girl growing into a woman. The color purple represents all the good things in the world that god creates for men and women to enjoy. A literary analysis of alice walkersthe color purple 834 words 4 pages. Critical analysis of the novel the color purple name. The color purple movingly depicts the growing up and selfrealization of celie, who overcomes oppression and abuse to find fulfillment and independence.
In her early literary career, her focus was on the spiritual survival of the black people especially the black women. Walker does social criticism in her novel, mostly criticizing the way black women were treated in the. A critical analysis of alice walkers the color purple international. Blacks in heated debate over the color purple the new. The novel the color purple by alice walker is a groundbreaking work in american fiction. But after receiving many letters and positive reactions, walker realized that the film may not express her vision, but it. However, its deeper thematic elements offer an alternative approach to spirituality. Susan kim the authors style plot summary historical information about the period of publication characteristics of the genre in the color purple, celie tells her story through series of letters written to god. Critical analysis in alice walkers the color purple, celie leads a life filled with abuse at the hands of the most important men in her life as result of the women who surround and help her, celie becomes stronger and overcomes the abuse she experienced the three. Alice walkers the color purple follows the personal and spiritual growth of an impregnated and abused african american girl in the south.
They lived separated for quite some time but still their love was permanent and it prevailed against all odds. Pretty colors a literary analysis on alice walkers, the color purple alice walker was a writer who influenced many people in her time, and continues to influence a copious amount of people still today considering she is still living. The color purple a worked essay example essay question in what ways could the color purple be described as a womanist novel you are being assessed on your writing skills, therefore your essay must be well structured and include an introduction and a conclusion. Heres where youll find analysis about the book as a whole. Evaluation of the film adaptation by chelsey boutan english 1154 hen alice walker saw the premiere of her pulitzer prize winning novel the color purple on the big screen, she didnt like the movie at all. The color purple literature essays are academic essays for citation. Examine the effect of two arranged marriages celies to albert, and alberts to. The color purple notes, summary and analysis youtube. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical a.
Analysis of the colour purple film essay 3108 words bartleby. The color purple cliffsnotes study guides book summaries. In her renowned book the color purple, alice walker narrates the journey of an african american woman, celie johnson harris, who experiences racism. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of the color purple by alice walker. At the beginning of the book, you could say that celie has no sense of the color purple. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in the color purple, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. The color purple is alice walkers book and it talks about trials and challenges celie who is the main character goes through in her struggle to get united with nettie her sister. The color purple by alice walker in terms of feminist criticism. The colour purple novel in tamilalice walker is the authorthe colour purple story in tamil duration. This study can be an example of a work that principally focuses on the achievements of a. Literary techniques employed by alice walker to develop. Language style and register black english be and standard american english sae walker creates a remarkably expressive style for celies letters, which draw heavily upon dialect features of black english. In alice walkers the color purple, shug avery introduces the novels protagonist, celie, to the concept of religious embodiment.
The primary theme of the color purple, though, reflects walkers desire to project a positive outcome in life, even under the harshest conditions. Self she cant win over herself and that is why she doesnt have enough courage to stand up and be in command for her own life. As such, the work does function as a feminist novel. In alice walkers the color purple, celie leads a life filled with abuse at the hands of the most essential men in her life. Free essays on critical analysis of the color purple. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. Jan 27, 1986 blacks in heated debate over the color purple by e. The book begins about 30 years before world war ii. It covers the first half of the 20th century, as we follow celie through thirty or forty years of. The novel takes place in two distinct settingsrural georgia and a remote african villageboth suffused with problems of race and racism.
Celie nettie celies father mister albert johnson sofia shug. The color purple is an epistolary novel by alice walker. The author recalls how her parents and grandparents led an existence under the pretense that they must fix flaws that werent real because those flaws were defined by socalled men of. Literary analysis essay the color purple someonesdaughter93. The multiple literary devices used in the book form a broad understanding of female struggles and perseverance.
Her central character triumphs over adversity and forgives those who oppressed her. How family structure can build strong bonds in the color purple by alice walker. My first initial thought after reading the color purple was that it should be an awardwinning novel. It was later adapted into a film and musical of the same name. The color purple a worked essay example the color purple. This central theme of the triumph of good over evil is no doubt the source of the book s great success. Alice walkers stunning 1982 novel the color purplenew york. Petry states that walker has always had a small but enthusiastic following, while her many essays, published in black and feministoriented magazinespetry. In what ways could the color purple be described as a womanist novel. A summary of themes in alice walkers the color purple. Celie finds her voice and personal identity over the years.