The Color Purple

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Summary: The Journey of Celie in The Color Purple
Review: In The Color Purple, the author Alice Walker depicts the struggle of a poor black woman on a lifelong journey of self-discovery. Celie, the main character, writes letters to God in an attempt to find understanding in a world full of confusion. Walker's choice of narrator creates a different meaning for the struggle of woman in a society dominated by males. Celie is a woman in search of her place in this world. She is uneducated and far from graceful but the reader quickly falls in love with her and her struggle. The book starts out with a vivid account of the impersonal rape of Celie by her father. The story continues to document the struggles of the narrator and her plea to God asking, "give me a sign letting me know what is happening to me."(1) Her innocent reaction to the continuous abuse throughout her life stupefies the reader and makes the sympathy factor high. Her relationship with her sister Nettie serves as her inspiration to continue living until they are separated. At the point of their separation, the reader questions her survival for the first of several times throughout the book. After her struggle one can see a distinct change of her character under the influence of her husband's lover Shug Avery. Shug represents the vigorous and independent woman that Celie longs to but cannot find the strength to be. The relationship that forms between them is unusual but strangely fulfilling for Celie. Her empty marriage is suddenly not as important and she begins to stand up for herself more often. The docile narrator suddenly transforms into the powerful woman that she has always dreamt of being. She slowly gets stronger and stronger until she is independent enough to break free from her cage and finally begin to live her own life. This is the point when Celie finds her religion and the pieces of her life start to come together. As she blossoms, her language and thoughts become more clear. In the end, it is clear that Celie is finally happy and feels like she has found her peace and "happy median" in the world. Walker creates Celie as a realistic person that is easy to relate to. Celie's emotionally gripping journey makes this novel an incentive for one to live and most importantly to appreciate one's surroundings. Celie's final realization is that God created everything and "if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it"(203), you're missing the most important things in life.

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Summary: The Color Purple
Review: This is truly a powerful story of a young girl, Celie, forced by her stepfather to become a women, and the struggles she goes through during this transformation. All these tragic events connect Celie to God. She begins to write her feeligs, thoughts, and struggles to Him. The novel continues, alternating Celie's letters to God with heartfelt letters between two sisters, who are so far apart in distance and so close in heart. They read each other, and soon begin to put the pieces of their past together into shocking truths. Truths which formed their pasts and their futures. By writing this book, Alice Walker shows us that we should always know our place in life and always know what we deserve. At the beginning of the book there seems to be a mood of despair, but as the novel moves along Celie regains all her hope and expectations that she once lost. Celie is a symbol for what every women should be; a strong and bold woman. I would definently recommend this book. There is use of some "bad" language, and mature subjects, but is used only to describe the pain and suffering of a young girl.

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Summary: A Review of "The Color Purple"
Review: "The Color Purple", by Alice Walker, provides a disturbingly realistic look into the life of a poor black family of he 1920's through the eyes of Celie, a rather young married woman living with her children and her husband in the south. The book brings attention to the many problems of the time, like the racial injustice, and the indentured servants of the era. Also of the many forms of abuse, which took place back then, by family, the police, and the unruly crowds, which sometimes collect in the town. The story of one of survival, of Celie struggling to make it in her life, after being abused by her father and told she will never amount to anything. A singer who comes to preform at Harpo's, a small "jukejoint" owned by Harpo, one of Celie's relatives, befriends her. It is from her that Celie learns she can become something in her life, and that she doesn't have to take the abuse that her husband gives her. If you wish to find out if Celie finally overcomes her fears, or succumbs to them, you must read the book "A Color Purple".

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Summary: The Color Purple: A woman and self-discovery
Review: When I first started to read The Color Purple, I felt I couldn't read past the first few letters. The violence that Celie experiences as a child is almost too unbearable to read. In addition, I also felt uncomfortable reading many of the passages describing the sexual actions of many of the characters in the story. At times, I found myself wanting to put the book down and not read on until the end. However, as I continued to read the book, I realized that the plot and heart of the story had a much bigger impact on me. This book is not only about sexual intercourse and violence. It is a book that describes self-discovery and maturity. Celie takes the reader into her world and shows us her journey from innocence and naivety to maturity. When the story begins, Celie is young, inexperienced, and uneducated. She is naive with regard to men, children, and life in general. Celie is shy and quiet. She does what she is told to do and never questions it. As the book continues, Celie gradually breaks through her tough cocoon with the help of such characters as Shug Avery and Sofia. These strong female guides serve as both teachers and examples for Celie. Each helps Celie to gain self-confidence and strength. At the end of the story Celie has become a beautiful butterfly, free because she has finally discovered herself and has gained the courage necessary to live a life she desires to lead. This book touches on important issues with regard to oppression, as well. Not only does the book explore the oppression of blacks, but also women. As a female, I felt the strength that Celie mustered up inside herself when she told Mr.______ that she was leaving him. I felt the power Sqeak felt when she too left Harpo to discover herself. I also felt Sofia's strength when she reclaims her life after so much oppression and degradation. These women emerge at the end of the story as new women. They emerge powerful, strong, intelligent, and confident. After finishing this novel, I feel as though I too have more power as a female in this world. I feel proud to be a woman and to be who I am today, independent and confident in my abilities. At the close of the novel, Celie and her sister have a wonderfully touching reunion. I'll admit that I shed a few tears. The Color Purple, although initially tough to handle, is a realistic and touching piece of literature. I would highly recommend that anyone read it. If the descriptive scenes depicted at the beginning of the novel appear to be too difficult to read, I suggest that you continue to read on. The true meaning of this story can touch you just as it has touched me.

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Summary: An Interesting Book
Review: In Walker's novel, The Color Purple, I was brought into the world of a black woman named Celie living in the south in the early to mid 1900s. I was immediatly drawn into reading this book mostly because of the format Walker uses. The book is composed of a series of letters, mostly written by Celie. The style kept me reading and I was finished it quickly. Celie writes about her life in a shockingly straightforward way. It is so affective because it took me right into the mindset of Celie. Celie begins telling her story as a teenager while she is being abused by her stepfather. She has low self-esteem. Celie continues in her life to being abused by her husband until, in order to survive, she becomes a calous, unfeeling person. Eventually when Shug comes into Celie's life, I noticed how Celie begins to love herself and have self worth. She stands up for herself to men just because of the love of another woman. I enjoyed this book immensely. It helped me to get an inside look at discrimination against black people and women. Many parts are disturbing, yet they are needed to get the book's message against prejudices across. On a lighter note, there are sections scattered throughout the book where I found myself laughing out loud because of some of Celie's comments. There are more of them at the end of the book which reflects the positivly changing attitudes of Celie about herself. I would strongly recommend this book.

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Summary: The Color Purple
Review: 3158-HST Alice Walker's depictions of the role of black women was a revealation. It illustrated how an abused child gained the ability to stand up for herself.It allowes the reader to understand the struggles of a woman.I give it 4 stars.

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Summary: Forget about Harry Potter...
Review: As a high school junior in an IB English class, I am required to read specific books througout the tenure of the year. Anyone who remembers high school can relate to the fact that some of these books would be better used as head rests for nap-time. The Color Purple, however, is not where I look to rest my head for a mid-Algebra snooze--rather, it kept me up at night with anticipation of what the next page might hold. The story drew me within the first paragraph, first by the realistic dialect of the uneducated South and then by the immediate action that Celie relates to God in her journal entries. The fact that it is written in such a format provides a unique reading experience, lending a personal relationship to the characters and their individual trials. Perhaps the most intriguing part of the book lies not in a specific incident or entry (though the book is full of anecdotes ranging from quirkily funnny to deeply moving), but in the overall development of Celie as a person throughout the story. With the help of her friends, specifically She-pistols Shug Avery and Sofia, Celie slowly goes through a great transformation, starting as a depressed, abused caterpillar and emerging as a truly happy, life-loving butterfly. The Color Purple is an amazing book which chronicles one woman's life in the Deep South. With the help of friends, and through much laughter and tears, Celie overcomes her obstacles to see the beauty of what God has given her, and most importantly, to love herself.

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Summary: A Brilliant Book
Review: The Color Purple is a book that portrays the struggle of a black uneducated woman named Celie. This is a book that shades the dark side of life. The book started off with her father raping her. Even though the scene is strong, the reader senses the feeling that Alice Walker composed. Throughout the book Alice describes Celie's feelings, thoughts and all but not least her personality, through her letters that were written to God. The letters also contains events that Celie had. The letters are the most important features of the book. The letters also show how Celie's mind grows. How she discovers her feminine side. Even though Alice was very descriptive with the sexual actions and feelings from the characters, she made the reader realize that the sexual parts were important because Celie is learning more about herself, not just only her womanly parts but she was getting to know herself better. Celie meets knew people all throughout the book. She meets people that impact her life and she meets people that dont have any parts in her life. I think that any person can relate to this book. It may not be written as beatiful as Shakespeare's plays but it truly brings out the beauty of life and self-accomplishments.

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Summary: love from the same gender
Review: Hi,the Color Purple by "Alice Walker" was very inspirational to me in many ways.At first it had it's flaws but after reading it for the first two days it had a hook that kept me reading for more. One way that it inspired me was by opening my eyes to see how fortunate i am today to be ina society that people cares.Also when Celie was going through her difficulties with MR______ she kept he r faith in God.Most women would give up faith in God especiaaly Knowing that you won't see your kids again or your sister. The flaws that it had was it gave women a weak role in society ,which i cant't blame them for because that's how things were.As the book went on they start standing up for themselves especially Sofia and Shug Avery. Love starts to shine thruogh the dark clouds that was over Celie's head.Now she's given another chance to experience love from someone other than her siste. Shug loved Celie for who she wasrather than for what she can get from her. In conclusion other readers may think they were lesbians but it was uot of undrestanding eachother.As you can I'm a lover of the Color Purple.

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Summary: Good book
Review: I really enjoyed this book because it was very interesting. Because I'm in high school, I am required to read boring books. This book was not a strain for me to read because I was into it emotionally. The story makes you apreciate your freedom as a woman, and the hardships African-American woman endured years ago. I recommend everyone to read this book. It really is a good book.