Color of Purple is a Novel by Alice Walker, published in 1982. It won a Pulitzer Prize in 1983. A feminist novel about an abused and uneducated black woman's struggle for empowerment, the novel was praised for the depth of its female characters and for its eloquent use of black English vernacular. African-American people have had to climb over many obstacles to get to their position today. First, was the selling of their people into slavery. Then, they endured slavery itself, being treated like an animal. After slavery was abolished, Colored people still had to deal with racial discrimination and hatred. If this sounds rough, black women had it worse. African-American women had to deal with all the previously mentioned things, but they …show more content…
And not only that, they serve the use of being beaten, when something troubles the men, or just because they are woman and their wives. "Harpo ast his daddy why he beat me. Mr._______ say, because she my wife. Plus, she stubborn." (pg. 23). Mr. _______, says this to convince his son that women serve no use in this planet other than to work, have babies, and be beaten. Harpo, following his father's example and Celie's advice for Harpo to make Sofia mind, goes on to beat Sofia. Sofia's response is unexpected. Harpo thought that Sofia was going to act as Celie did with Mr. _____. Yet this strong woman, beat Harpo, who is a weak character. Harpo continues to try to make Sofia mind about his superiority, but she does not want to undergo all these problems any more, and decides to leave Harpo and seek for a better life. This is a true and big example of her fight for equality, or superiority of the female gender in the world. As Harpo does not understand that a couple can live happily without violence, Sofia runs away. Another example of Sofia trying to overcome, and change the system of prosecution to the black race is her dispute with Miss Millie and the Mayor of the southern town of Georgia. This occurred, when Miss Millie, the Mayor's wife, asks Sofia to be her maid. Sofia, at first controlling herself, takes it as an insult, but when asked again, she felt even more insulted, and hit the Mayor. "All these children, say
Traditionally, African Americans were not even allowed an education. The racism of American citizens prevented that right. As civil rights were getting ratified, that fact change. However, it moved slower with African American women. Despite that, some great African American women were able to learn practical and technical skills that lead to the advancement of African Americans.
The harsh treatment towards blacks is explicit through the ease at which whites declare black crimes. Sophia, a black woman in the text, is put in jail merely for sassing Miss Millie, the mayor’s wife, after it is requested that she become her maid. The “sassing” that Sophia conducts is referencing her blunt reply of “hell no” to Miss Millie (Walker 68). Sophia is brutally beaten by the mayor and six policemen, terminating in imprisonment. When Celie visits Sophia in jail, she is surprised that she is still alive: “They crack her skull, they crack her ribs. They tear her nose loose on one side. They blind her in one eye” … “She can’t talk. And she just about the color of a eggplant” (Walker 86-87). The inhuman treatment of Sophia for the mere repetition of a two-word phrase and fighting back after she is slapped, clearly represents the racial tension thriving bare on the fields of Georgia. As described by literary critic Trudier Harris, “Sophia must eventually suppress most of the traits that make her an interesting character, turning from vibrancy to somnambulism” (Harris 64). Furthermore, the power and influence of white ideology on society is evident through its manipulation of the youth. One day, Sofia is instructed to watch Miss Millie’s children play ball. At one point during the game, the ball rolls across the yard until resting under Sofia’s foot. Miss Millie’s son demands that Sophia hand over the ball and continues to complain after she
Alice Walker grew up in rural Georgia in the mid 1900s as the daughter of two poor sharecroppers. Throughout her life, she has been forced to face and overcome arduous lessons of life. Once she managed to transfer the struggles of her life into a book, she instantaneously became a world-renowned author and Pulitzer Prize winner. The Color Purple is a riveting novel about the struggle between redemption and revenge according to Dinitia Smith. The novel takes place rural Georgia, starting in the early 1900s over a period of 30 years. Albert, also known as Mr._____, and his son Harpo must prevail over their evil acts towards other people, especially women. Albert and Harpo wrong many people
There was the Civil War, where they joined in the fight to earn their freedom. Furthermore, the African Americans were still suppressed and restricted to many rights. African Americans stood less of a chance against authorities, like in To Kill a Mockingbird. When a young African American man was accused of a terrible crime, he was found guilty even though the facts didn’t add up. Barely anyone stood up for the poor young man, and when someone stood up for the man, he was not enough help or that man was later influenced to say the convicted African American was guilty. Even though African Americans earned their freedom, they still face discrimination and handicaps put on them by other
Alice Walker in an American novelist, short-story writer, and poet known for her famous novel The Color Purple. She has won both the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award. Her writings focus on multi-generational periods and inter-connecting black women in the North and the South. Although she is widely known for his novels, her short stories are equally spectacular. Walker is known for incorporating symbolism, imagery, and tone in her writing.
There are numerous works of literature that recount a story- a story from which inspiration flourishes, providing a source of liberating motivation to its audience, or a story that simply aspires to touch the hearts and souls of all of those who read it. One of the most prevalent themes in historical types of these kinds of literature is racism. In America specifically, African Americans endured racism heavily, especially in the South, and did not gain equal rights until the 1960s. In her renowned book The Color Purple, Alice Walker narrates the journey of an African American woman, Celie Johnson (Harris), who experiences racism, sexism, and enduring hardships throughout the course of her life; nonetheless, through the help of friends and
Best known for her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Color Purple, Alice Walker portrays black women struggling for sexual as well as racial equality and emerging as strong, creative individuals. Walker was born on February 9, 1944, in Eatonton, Georgia, the eighth child of Willie Lee and Minnie Grant Walker. When Walker was eight, her right eye was injured by one of her brothers, resulting in permanent damage to her eye and facial disfigurement that isolated her as a child. This is where her feminine point of view first emerged in a household where girls were forced to do the domestic chores unaided by the brothers. Throughout her writing career, Alice Walker has been involved in the black movement and displays strong feelings towards
African American women had a huge impact on impact of society. For many years African American women fought for their equal rights. These women fought for every woman to have a voice to prove that a woman can do anything a man can. They started by protesting for women's rights. They wore and held high in the sky to prove they mean it. We have women battling through breast cancer and they are not giving up. As long as you fight and never give up you shall reach your goal.
The African American experience is one that is quite different from other racial/ ethnic groups. The majority of the first African American came over, unwillingly, on ships from various African countries. They were brought to America by white, European settlers to be used as slaves in an order to plant and harvest their crops and make money for the white man. This racial group was treated as if they were property and not people. However, with the ending of the American Civil War, African Americans gained freedom, freedom that not all white American were quite ready to handle. After gaining their freedom came the need for education, jobs and suffrage rights. Now in America this racial group has come a long way, having elected its first African American present for two terms, yet still there are many issues that are very prevalent. This racial group has been fighting their way to equality since the birth of this nation. African Americans have experienced an array of conflict, violence, stereotypes, prejudice acts, and discrimination against them throughout their history in America.
The Color Purple, by Alice Walker is a epistolary novel which portrays the struggles of African American women for independence, self esteem, and identity. The effect of racism and sexism on the black community, especially black women is expressed throughout the book. This novel is told through letters which chronologically goes through 30 years of Celie’s life in South America. The 91 letters written by both Celie and her sister Nettie awakens Celie where she gains a spiritual encouragement from Nettie, Sofia, and Shug. The Color Purple is the sisterhood of Celie, Nettie, Shug and Sofia which contributes a lot to Celie’s escape from slavery.
The Color Purple written by Alice Walker is a novel that explores the issues of domestic violence and abuse. She conveys a number of themes to illustrate these issues such as vulnerability and a loss of control. Celie is a young African American girl who lives in a world full of abuse and racism. At a young age, she was mentally abused and sexually assaulted by her father which mentally scars her for years to come. It addresses many societal issues
“The Color Purple by Alice Walker. In 1982 Alice Walkers career as a writer took flight with the publication of her third novel, The Color Purple (Bio). The Color Purple is one of the most controversial and revolutionary black female-authored texts in the African- American experience. Alice Walker explores the themes of gender discriminations, racial discrimination, rape, and sexism in the book.
The novel The Color Purple was written by Alice Walker, a civil rights activist as well as a women’s rights activist. Walker was born February 9, 1944 in Eatonton, Georgia into a poor family. During her childhood, the South was segregated. Walker attended a segregated school and was the valedictorian of her high school class. She went on to study literature at Spelman College in Atlanta, then transferred to Sarah Lawrence College in New York where she studied abroad in Africa. Most known for her novel The Color Purple, it was awarded with the 1983 Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award for Fiction in 1983 (Bio.com).
Alice Walker 's second novel, The Color Purple (1982), is arguably her best known publication to date. The novel follows a young African-American woman named Celie, who is oppressed under a forced marriage with a abusive man named Mr.__. A film adaptation was directed in 1982 by famous Hollywood producer Steven Spielberg. While the book and film have both proved to be successes, there are some subtle and major differences between the two works.
The book I read was The Color Purple by Alice Walker. The story begins with 14-year-old Celie writing her first letter to God. She tells how her “father” rapes her when he mother refuses his advances in her sickened state. Soon after, her mother dies and she has a child. Not long after, she has another child by the man she calls her father and begins to be concerned for the safety of her little sister as well. Celie goes on to be married to a man chosen for her, Albert, even though his first choice is her sister Nettie. All she does is work, cook and clean, care for his children, and satisfy his “needs”. Nettie runs away from home and moves in with Celie and her husband. That is, until he kicks her out for not loving him back and forbids the