Set in the early 1920’s, Alice Walker depicts the life of a female African American “survivor” in her second novel The Color Purple. As a young African American woman living in the south, Walker was an avid civil rights activist before becoming an editor at Ms. magazine. Her passion for writing led her acceptance to Spelman College in Atlanta before transferring to Saint Lawrence College in New York. Published in 1982, Walker’s most famous novel won the Pulitzer Prize, a reward regarding the encouragement of public morals, and wowed people across the nation as Steven Spielberg turned the enlightening novel into a phenomenon on the big screen. Born and raised in Georgia, Walker’s firsthand knowledge of survival in south and similar lifelong struggles molded the all-too-real characters of The Color Purple.
Growing up in the deep American South, main character Celie is compelled to deal with the reality of being at the bottom of the social chain. Not a day older than fourteen, Celie’s life is more complicated than most grown Americans’. Her mother lays immobile on her death bed while her father continues to brutally abuse and rape her. Celie’s two children, from which her father had impregnated her with, were stolen away before she had a chance to raise them. Nettie, Celie’s younger sister and the only person she loves, becomes separated from her as well. With no knowledge if Nettie is alive or dead, Celie, who served as her protector and best friend, finds her entire world falling apart.
With no one else to turn to, Celie develops a strong relationship with God. Walker styles the book in a letter format, where each page is a new entry dedicated to God. Celie’s faith in God is the current pushing her through constant “hard times,” and the hope that life will be better eventually. Told from Celie’s perspective, the reader is able to have insight towards this young black woman’s feelings in daily life. The vernacular can be challenging to understand at first, yet the lack of correct spelling and grammar only adds to the intricate character of Celie. Never having a formal education, Celie writes exactly how she would talk; her accent practically jumps off each page. The tone of the novel is crucial in providing a constant reminder that Celie is an uneducated black woman who struggles just to stay alive. While the language may not be strong, the messages Celie tries to pass on are even more impressive and meaningful. A strong sense of compassion is felt almost immediately towards Celie for her continuous optimism despite the rudeness and cruelty she is subjected to.
As a teenager, Celie is forced to marry a man who does not love nor care for her. Celie’s primary job is caring for his children, who treat her awful, as well as working for hours on end under the harsh sun in the field. On a regular basis, Celie gets beaten and whipped for no reason at all. The constant abuse, both physically and mentally, nearly tears down every last bit of self-love she has inside. Her new life is not much different than that of her destroyed childhood. Reminded daily of her pointless self and unworthy being, Celie is degraded to the point where she wishes for death. Celie’s internal and external beauty, along with her religious views and fantasy of seeing Nettie are the only reasons she does not collapse on the spot.
Celie persistently prays for the health of her sister, for something inside her makes her believe Nettie is alive and well, probably living better than she is herself. The thought of ultimately seeing Nettie keeps Celie motivated to endure the life she lives until she can escape. As a reader, we pity Celie because of her “quiet as a mouse” and overly obedient persona. Too intimidated to establish a name for herself, Celie lands in dangerous situations by doing nothing at all. With an insight into the past, the novel forces us to ponder the growth of our country and our own lives. Nothing we deal with even comes close to the complex issues Celie must face. The constant discrimination Celie faces because of her race and sex told firsthand in a matter-of-fact sort of way is disgusting but not unimaginable. It makes the readers, especially the females, greatly appreciate everything Celie has had to overcome.
The Color Purple describes the harsh reality of the Deep South through the eyes of a woman at the center of it. Although it was written decades after the end of slavery, the lives of Celie and her relatives are in no way equal to those of their white counterparts. Walker offers a great deal of American history from a side many people are not aware of. Because of its simple and straightforward dialect, the novel leaves room for the readers to develop their own feelings and intuitions throughout the story. While some feel sympathetic for Celie, others may grow to dislike her passive nature and acceptance of the lowest quality of life. No matter which view one possesses, The Color Purple pushes racism aside to inspire every last one of us in Celie’s never ending quest for survival.
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