The Color Purple Discussion

I am not going to post a separate review for this book but I will share some of my thoughts.

I thought it was a well-written novel and discussed some very unpleasant subject matters and it pulled on your heart-strings. I enjoyed reading it and would recommend it to other people.

I enjoyed reading about Nettie's experiences in Africa and I liked the book more after Shug took an active role. The beginning parts kind of just blended together and I am having a hard time remembering how it began. Which may be why, it took me awhile to get my head wrapped around the 'true' story of Celie and Nettie's dad and how that all fit together and what not. It seemed a bit of a stretch but stranger things have happened. I think my favorite character was Shug, followed by Celie. Sofia was pretty darn funny and strong as well.

About: Celie is a poor black woman whose letters tell the story of 20 years of her life, beginning at age 14 when she is being abused and raped by her father and attempting to protect her sister from the same fate, and continuing over the course of her marriage to "Mister," a brutal man who terrorizes her. Celie eventually learns that her abusive husband has been keeping her sister's letters from her and the rage she feels, combined with an example of love and independence provided by her close friend Shug, pushes her finally toward an awakening of her creative and loving self. (From the publisher)

Questions
1. What is the effect of not knowing Albert’s last name? In early novels, it was not uncommon for authors to use a blank in place of a character’s name, to create the illusion that the character was someone the reader might know—someone whose identity had to be kept secret. What does it mean that Celie must call her husband Mr. ____? When does she at last begin calling him by his first name?

The leaving the last name blank, irritated me because I don't like blank lines in my reading. I would of course prefer a full name. So I made one up in my head. Mr. Asshat. ;) I think Celie used a blank because she didn't want to write down his real name in her letters to God and in case anyone found them. I believe she didn't call him by his first name until after she found out all the dirt on him and what a douchebag he was to her. Though, I will say reading this book was so hard for me because I could barely concentrate. It was a good book, but I am already having trouble recalling the beginning!

2. Why does Albert tell Harpo to begin beating his wife, Sofia? Why is it so important to Harpo that his wife have no will of her own? Is his relationship with Squeak (Mary Agnes) fulfilling? What do these scenes tell us about the nature of abusive cycles? Is cruelty something that is taught—something that is unnatural? In your opinion, what does it take for someone (male or female) to deserve true respect?

Albert wants him to beat Sofia so she knows she has to obey him. The conversations these guys have about having your wife obey you, make me just cringe and know that I'd kick their ass before I let a finger touch me. Go Sofia! Albert wants Sofia to be obedient and respect him just like he sees Celie doing to Albert. I think in Squeak he finds that person he can dominate and that makes it good for him. I think cruelty is taught, whether it is in person or more today, viewed through tv and video games. I think to have true respect you need to not be demanding, self-righteous and demanding of respect. To earn respect you must show it to other people. Do as you say.

3. Just as Celie grew up being told she was inferior, Shug Avery was always told she was evil. What are your impressions of Shug, from the photo Celie sees early on, to the end of the novel, when Celie and Albert have united in their devotion to Shug? What does Shug teach Celie about being loved, and about finding one’s true self? What price does Sofia pay for being her true self?

4. Why is it difficult for Shug to commit to the people who love her? In what ways does Shug bring both pleasure and heartache to them?

5. Nettie’s life with Corrine and Samuel gives her the first semblance of a healthy family life she has ever known, but Corrine’s jealousy taints this. Only the memory of that crucial early scene, when Celie lays eyes on her daughter at the store, absolves Nettie just before Corrine dies. The Color Purple brims with these intricate turns of plot. List the seemingly minor scenes that turn out to be pivotal in the lives of the characters.

Remember, those who participate and comment are entered to win a copy of the October Group Read which the voting (in the sidebar) will be finished tonight at 7pm. I will announce the winner of the copy of the book Wednesday to give everyone enough time to comment back and forth on here. (Every comment = an entry) If you would like to do a guest post about this book, contact me to win another entry. Thanks for particpating! I always enjoy talking books with you.

[Questions and about source]

The Color Purple Check In..

For those who don't know The Color Purple by Alice Walker is our September Group Read selection. If you want to join along you are more than welcome! Those who participate in discussions and/or guest post get the opportunity to be entered into a free copy of October's Group Selection!

Who has started? I just got my copy from the library today. ::hangs head::: Whoops. The cover of the copy I have is beautiful. I am going to start it later this afternoon.

Taken from SparkNotes :::shhh::: here is some context to think about as you read..

Alice Walker was born on February 9, 1944, in the small rural town of Eatonton, Georgia. She was the eighth and last child of Willie Lee Walker and Minnie Tallulah Grant, two sharecroppers. Walker’s parents’ experiences with the oppressive sharecropping system and the racism of the American South deeply influenced Walker’s writing and life’s work. When Walker was eight, one of her brothers accidentally shot her, permanently blinding her in one eye. Ashamed of her facial disfigurement, Walker isolated herself from other children, reading and writing to pass the time.

I can't imagine having a sibling accidentally shoot me?? Yikes. The amount of guilt that her brother must have felt! And I can't imagine how it must have felt to have a facial disfigurement when you are already being singled out by the color of your skin!

In 1961, on a scholarship for disabled students, Walker enrolled in Spelman College in Atlanta, where she became active in the A-frican-American civil rights movement. Two years later, Walker transferred to Sarah Lawrence College in New York and eventually traveled to Uganda as an exchange student. When she returned for her senior year, Walker was shocked to learn that she was pregnant, and, afraid of her parents’ reaction, she considered suicide. However, a classmate helped Walker obtain a safe abortion, and she graduated from Sarah Lawrence in 1965. At this time, Walker composed two early landmark pieces: “To Hell with Dying,” her first published short story, and Once: Poems, her first volume of poetry.

Who says SparkNotes is bad. I did not know this before. Wow, I can really feel for her. It's hard to imagine being single and pregnant in modern times but pre Roe v. Wade I really have no idea how hard that must have been. The thought that if the abortion wasn't safe that you could die or never be able to have children must have been terrifying.

Upon its publication, The Color Purple unleashed a storm of controversy. It instigated heated debates about black cultural representation, as a number of male African-American critics complained that the novel reaffirmed old racist stereotypes about pathology in black communities and of black men in particular. Critics also charged Walker with focusing heavily on sexism at the expense of addressing notions of racism in America. Nonetheless, The Color Purple also had its ardent supporters, especially among black women and others who praised the novel as a feminist fable. The heated disputes surrounding The Color Purple are a testimony to the resounding effects the work has had on cultural and racial discourse in the United States.

For those of you who have started, what do you think of the way black males are portrayed? Do you think it re affirms stereotypes or does it hold true?

Do you think some people claim some things are stereotypes but in reality they are unpleasant truths about a certain group?

Let me know your thoughts!

September Group Read is...

Okay so we have another tie, but it is getting into the month and people want to get reading so I went to random.org and put in 1 - 2 and let random.org pick! So, thanks to random.org we are going to read The Color Purple by Alice Walker!

Description: Celie is a poor black woman whose letters tell the story of 20 years of her life, beginning at age 14 when she is being abused and raped by her father and attempting to protect her sister from the same fate, and continuing over the course of her marriage to "Mister," a brutal man who terrorizes her. Celie eventually learns that her abusive husband has been keeping her sister's letters from her and the rage she feels, combined with an example of love and independence provided by her close friend Shug, pushes her finally toward an awakening of her creative and loving self.

Remember for all that take part in this Group Read and in the comment section of the discussion will earn an entry into winning a copyof the October Group Read selection! And if you write a guest post you also get yourself an extra entry! So get reading!

You can get it off Amazoon here.

The summary and notes are here.

Who has read this before? I have never read it! I am excited to read this 'banned' book in honor of banned books week!