The Color Purple By Alice Walker

Introduction

The Colour Purple, Alice Walker's third novel, was published in 1982. The novel brought fame and financial success to its author. It also won her considerable praise and much criticism for its controversial themes. Many reviewers were disturbed by her portrayal of black males, which they found unduly negative. When the novel was made into a film in 1985 by Steven Spielberg, Walker became even more successful and controversial. While she was criticized for negative portrayal of her male characters, Walker was admired for her powerful portraits of black women. Reviewers praised her for her use of the epistolary form, in which written correspondence between characters comprises the content of the book, and her ability to use black folk English. Reflecting her early political interests as a civil rights worker during the 1960s, many of her social views are expressed in the novel. In The Color Purple, as in her other writings, Walker focuses on the theme of double repression of black women in the American experience. Walker contends that black women suffer from discrimination by the white community and from a second repression from black males, who impose the double standard of white society on women. As the civil rights movement helped shape Ms. Walker's thinking regarding racial issues at home, it also shaped her interest in Africa (Abbandonato, 296).

Thesis Statement

The main theme of this paper is to analyze the relationship between race and gender that is best defined in the film “The color purple”.

Summary

The novel makes this symbol apparent through Celie's letters to Nettie about her new business, while the film shows Celie's pant store in one scene. All in all, the screen translation of The Color Purple does a commendable job of relaying the novel's central themes, characters, setting, plot and symbols through a faithful adaptation. Both film and novel may be mistaken as depressing tales of "abused women amidst racial bigotry and male dominance," but they are so much more than that (Litton). The film and novel dig into each of its characters, exposing their inner thoughts, while revealing the emotional courage they didn't think they had (Litton).

A memorable scene occurs at the dinner table when Albert finds out that Celie is leaving him to go with Shug to Memphis. Direct quotations from the book are used as Celie stands up at the table and calls Albert a “lowdown dog.” In a letter from the novel Celie wrote, "I'm pore, I'm black, I may be ugly and can't cook, a voice say to everything listening. But I'm here" (Walker 207). In contrast, during the movie Celie said this line directly to Albert's face. The film made this line a turning point for Celie, because it showed how she no longer is a passive, timid person.

The film reaffirms this belief through the appearance and actions of the characters. Sofia is a robust woman who is not subservient to Harpo; Shug wears flashy clothing and is dominant over Albert; and Harpo is a ...