The Color Purple – Alice Walker

Plot Summary

The plot is set in early 1900 and is about a black African American girl Celie who is sexually and physically abused by the men around her. Her pa and then her husband abuse her and treat her very badly. She also meets other women who, like her, are also looked down upon. Celie silently accepts all of the injustice done to her, considering it as normal until she meets Shug Avery. Shug is different from her in every way and changes the way Celie perceives herself. Only then Celie is able to start her journey of self discovery and healing.

My Thoughts

One can immediately notice the language used for the narration. It is written from Celie’s perspective as she writes a letter to God and uses the language Celie is supposed to know. (African American Vernacular English). So we are already transported into Celie’s world from the get go.

Celie, through her letters, in a matter-of-fact manner, lets us know how she was continuously raped by her own pa and that he killed her two children. Moreover, we also get to know the general apathy that everyone show her, even though the signs of abuse are clear. Within those few pages we understand the times and the world Celie is living in.

As the plot progresses, we meet other such women who are also victims either because they are black, or a woman or worse – both. Sophia is my favorite character, loved her spunk even though it gets her into trouble. I remember only two male characters who treat women with respect and dignity. 

The parallel story of Nettie (Celie’s sister), through her letters to Celie, tells almost the same tale as she travels to Africa as a missionary; colonialism and slavery of native Africans is unfolding there. She recounts how the natives are driven away from their own land and forced to work in rubber plantations for the white owners. 

Celie truly starts to grow only after meeting Shug. She learns self awareness, self respect, self confidence and self reliance. Glad the author kept Shug as she was till the end…no remorse…no regrets…no change.

What I liked

Through Celie, Alice Walker adeptly brings to light racial discrimination, gender oppression, colonialism, slavery all together. The Color Purple does not give any outward social commentary and yet is able to convey all of them through the wonderful narration.

Celie does not use names for her pa, her husband, or other male characters, in her letters at the start. It’s like these people do not have any identity for her, they are all the same. This blanking of names to convey Celie’s trauma and hatred felt like a genius move. Honestly, at first I thought it was a printing error.

Some of my favorite lines

“I know white people never listen to colored, period. If they do, they only listen long enough to be able to tell you what to do.”

“You can’t curse nobody. Look at you. You black, you pore, you ugly, you a woman. Goddam, he say, you nothing at all.”

Things that did not work for me

It’s not a deal breaker for me, but the whole distraction with Nettie’s last letter felt unnecessary.

The relationship between Shug, Celie and her husband is complicated and I could somewhat, within the context of this story, get their connection. But I was not sure what connected the other three. Seems like everyone forgot the past to get a happily ever after.

There are some references that seemed to have some actual real life significance (like the mention of DuBoyce/ Du Bois) which were totally lost to me. Looked it up since the name was specifically brought up (in a book where we were consciously not naming people). As I have only a little understanding of the Black American history, I am not sure what other references I might have missed.

I skipped a little of Shug’s monologue on God and faith at the end. Even though I am neutral to the author’s viewpoint, it threw off the pace a bit at the end.

Do I recommend it

Yes, I do. The Color Purple is a grim, hard hitting story and the language might need some getting used to. But that is what makes it a unique reading experience.