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The Color Purple

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The Color Purple by Alice Walker: Overview

Alice Walker's most well known work, The Color Purple is a an examination of the female spirit and a study of the bonds of sisterhood within various contexts. Through the hardship and pain of the segregated American South of the early 1900s, the main character, Celie finds herself and true sisterhood through public trials and secret joys. Although her life is one that she did not choose, her hope and journey toward God help her to survive her often complicated relationships with people.

Strong Feminist Themes Are Controversial

Walker's depictions of males in The Color Purple always involve corruption. The only males who are shown in a truly positive light are the two preachers, Rev. Samuel and Shug's Father, and Celie's son, and their faults are illustrated as strongly as their positive qualities. The male presence in this novel is one shadowed with chauvenism and brute ignorance, with most male characters living as slaves to their own animal lusts and predatory instincts. Alice Walker's own childhood sexual trauma and her lesbian lifestyle choice seem to translate into a strong, arguably unfounded gender bias.

While the female characters also have faults, they possess more redeeming qualities and more opportunities to sympathize with them are written into the story.

Was Walker's Characterization of Men Unfair?

Do you think the unbalanced depictions of negtive male characters is gender biased and unfair?

What do you think?

Fetching blurbs now... please stand by

Yes, Alice Walker hates men.

No, it was fair and accurate.

andy says:

i think alice does this for a purpose. It is not to depict men as being thes horiffic vicious animals as she portrays them to be, but to make us see and realise the harsh reality that is happening in our world today. What u and me might not be witnessing but us happening around us!

Posted October 31, 2009

Sistalove says:

The film was acurate for the time. An amazing story!

Posted April 15, 2009

TessaGreen says:

I'm not sure I quite agree with the way you characterize the men. But something I found really remarkable was the change in Danny Glover's character, when he a) fell in love and b) fell in love with a strong-willed woman. But then he could have just been indifferent to, or irritable with Celie, if he was simply unfulfilled. Instead he was brutal and cruel.

Posted March 25, 2009

Margo_Arrowsmith says:

I don't believe that she hates men and that isn't what it was about. However, she painted a reality that existed at the time.

It was also a symbolic book, not really character driven at all and each person represented archetypes and as such would be skewed.

Posted October 06, 2008

says:

I think the depictions of the men are probably consistent with the times. Women in the United States weren't allowed to vote until 1928, putting them at a disadvantage that was even sanctioned by the government. (As a point of interest ~ women today, in 2008, are STILL not guaranteed equal rights in the United States...)

I also think that unless they become aware and make deliberate choices to be different, people tend to live as they were raised. Celie even says as much to her father-in-law in her great speech before leaving, that if "Mister" hadn't been his (her father-in-law's) boy, he might have made someone a decent man.

Posted August 17, 2008

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The Color Purple

by: Alice Walker

Amazon Price: $5.29 (as of 02/16/2012)

Who Was Your Favorite Character?

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Did You Read The Color Pruple? What Did YOU Think?

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Jane Austen took a keen interest in flower gardening more...0 points

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What Are Your Thoughts?

How do you feel about The Color Purple? Alice Walker? This lens? Share it here :-)

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Sistalove Apr 15, 2009 @ 8:29 am | delete

One of of my all time favourite fims. its a crime that it did not win an oscar!!

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TessaGreen Mar 25, 2009 @ 9:17 pm | delete

Color Purple is one of my most favorite films ever. Seen it loads of times. Would happily watch it now. But I have never been able to read the book. Fab lens, this. You and this lens are totally responsible for me losing sleep tonight!

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poutine Dec 8, 2008 @ 3:16 pm | delete

I read the book first and then saw the movie. I like the movie better.

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Margo_Arrowsmith Oct 6, 2008 @ 8:03 pm | delete

Amazing book.

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Aug 17, 2008 @ 6:09 pm | delete

I saw the movie many, many times before I read the book. So I'm biased toward the movie version. Still, it is one of my all-time favorites (I only own 14 movie DVDs, and this is one). I love it! I like to watch it when I'm feeling defeated by life... it brings me back.

Love this lens, too!