Alice Walker's The Color Purple

Alice Walker's novel, The Color Purple was published in 1982, amidst much controversy, subsequently garnering the 1983 Pulitzer prize for Fiction. In 1985, Steven Spielberg adapted the novel to film, creating even more controversy through the perception of  the black man as an abusive person. Film critics lauded the film, describing the movie as “the best picture of the year”. Although the film version of The Color Purple was nominated for eleven Academy Awards, it ultimately received none.

The Color Purple tells the story of  Celie, a young black girl growing up in the South in the early 1900's and follows Celie's life for the next thirty years. The central theme of the book portrays the plight of many black women at the time.

The story is told in the form of letters from Celie to God and her missionary sister, Nettie. As the novel opens, Celie is just fourteen and pregnant by her father. After giving birth to two children by the man she believes to be her father but who is eventually revealed to be her stepfather, she is sold to an abusive man known only as “Mister” who then marries her. The two children she bore are taken away from Celie, and she is left with only the cruel and uncaring “Mister”.

Nettie travels to Africa to work as a missionary and in the course of time, discovers her ethnic roots on her own life's journey. Celie writes Nettie, communicating her own steps towards self-realization as years pass.

“Mister”, while married to Celie, indulges himself with the pleasures of Shug Avery, a disreputable saloon girl. Ironically, it is Shug Avery who befriends Celie and is instrumental in showing Celie her worth as a human being. As Celie's self-esteem grows, she finally musters the courage to leave “Mister”.

“Mister”, now alone, is forced to face himself and he doesn't like what he sees. The experience triggers a catharsis within himself. For the first time, he sees Celie as an admirable person in her own right, and asks that she call him Albert.

The final chapter is powerful and sensitively delivered, causing many a reader to bawl like a baby.

In December of 2005, a musical adaptation of the novel, produced by Oprah Winfrey, opened at the Broadway Theatre in New York, with a stellar cast of undeniably talented performers. The Broadway production prompted mixed reviews, some critics panning the musical aspect as somewhat overdone. Perhaps those critics simply do not care for musicals. Other critics could not contain their unequivocal enthusiasm for this spectacular Broadway production of The Color Purple.

If you haven't already,  read the book The Color Purple is an outstanding example of life in black society during those unenlightened years. If you get the chance, go see the Broadway production as well.