A book that shows even when the pain seems suffocating, hope can still be found.
A photograph of ‘The Color Purple’ – by Alice Walker.
“I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.”
TW: Rape
Set in the deep American South between the wars, The Color Purple is the tale of Celie, a young black girl born into poverty and segregation. Raped repeatedly by the man she calls ‘father’, she has two children taken away from her, is separated from her beloved sister Nettie and is trapped into an ugly marriage. But then she meets the glamorous Shug Avery - singer and magic-maker – a woman who has taken charge of her own destiny. Gradually, Celie discovers the power and joy of her own spirit, freeing her from her past and reuniting her with those she loves.
Before I get into this review, I’m going to tell you just how hard I found it to put my words for this book down onto paper. I’ll admit there's always a tiny part of my brain that gets ever so slightly intimidated whenever it comes to reviewing a classic, but I believe this may be the hardest review I’ve written yet. I read this book towards the end of last year not entirely sure what I was heading into. Was I aware how highly acclaimed it was? Yes. But that really is all I knew. So, if you’ve read this book, you can probably imagine just how much Alice Walker’s writing knocked the wind out of me.
First of all, Celie’s life is awful. I’m not quite sure how she managed to find the strength to endure the amount of suffering she faced in the span of the novel but just her awe-inspiring resilience alone is enough to make you fall in with this book. From the moment the story begins, Celie constantly has the things she loves ripped out from under her, leaving her to pick up the pieces and force to continue working for those that treat her badly.
The fact that the book is narrated by Celie herself through a series of letters to God and then eventually letters between herself and Nettie is one of my favourite things about the book. It gives another layer of depth which allows us to truly understand how she is feeling; from the moments where it can’t seem to get any worse but does, to the fleeting moments of joy (which though rare, are so heart-warming compared to the misery of the rest of the book). We get an insight like no other, as exactly how Celie grows and changes from a young teenager to a woman with unimaginable experiences.
In fact, Celie’s growth throughout the novel acts a vessel for many, if not all of the key themes, raised and explored thoroughly by Walker. From exploring sexuality, racism, sexism and even the disruption of traditional gender roles through the iconic Shug Avery, Walker attempts to break down societal stereotypes one by one. Not only, is Shug Avery an incredible character in her own right, it is her who teaches Celie what it is like to truly be in love and to be proud of her own body. Her purpose as a character is strong but also multi-layered – Walker is undoubtedly good at creating versatile characters to fit her narratives. Another example being Nettie, who’s time in the Olinka tribe as a missionary makes for a fascinating read as well as being a pivotal character in Celie’s tragic story.
Though it’s known mainly as a story of hurt and pain, I also like to believe that with pain comes inspiration, hope and eventually happiness. It’s a story I’ll appreciate for a long time to come and if you read it, I’m sure you will too.
You can purchase a copy of ‘The Color Purple’ for yourself here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Color-Purple-Alice-Walker/dp/1780228716