Review 8: The Color Purple

Citation: Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1982. Print.

Annotation: Through self-doubt, rape, abuse, and the loss of her family Celie discovers herself and what it means to be loved. 

Justification for Nomination:

Alice Walker gives voice to Celie, a once voiceless and abused woman in The Color Purple. Walker's form mimics letters, addressed “Dear God” from Celie in her own vernacular. The tone set through Walker's writing style is at once believable, matter-of-fact and heart-wrenching. Walker's characters are authentic and interesting. All of the characters are developed fully through a series of letters written by Celie and then later to Celie from her sister, Nettie. The reader feels what Celie feels toward each character as the story progresses: disdain for “Mister” and “Pa”, a deep abiding love for Nettie and wonder and admiration for Shug. Aside from well-executed stylistic and formal elements, Walker makes a lasting statement on deeply meaningful social issues.

In one fell swoop, the first chapter of the book cracks open the issues of incest and abuse, as Celie writes to God the things she is too ashamed to speak aloud. Here, in Walker's work- “voice” becomes so much more than a stylistic element- it transforms into a tool for justice. Unfortunately, many girls, by their teenage years, have been the victim of some form of abuse, often sexual. To see these experiences play out in the pages of a novel may very likely become a “safe haven” for readers, a place to find solace, or simply answer questions. Walker addresses issues of sexuality ranging from same-sex desires to female masturbation that may never be addressed in the life of an adolescent reader anywhere other than the pages of this book. Walker presents strong, independent and willful female characters, which will not set well with all readers, but she makes no secret of her intentions. In The Color Purple, Alice Walker challenges established ideas of patriarchy, racism and religion. She does not merely shame these ideologies but she tears them down and rebuilds them from the ground up. Walker presents characters that are flawed, like any human, but that seek to build for themselves and their families, a life full of meaning and love. Walker's characters teach adolescent readers to think, to question and to fight for their beliefs. Such characters, even in their flawed human states, make for excellent teachers.

Genre: Search for Identity, Realistic/ Problem Novel, Multicultural, Censored/ Challenged