The Colour Purple by Alice Walker
This is a beautiful, entrancing novel, that takes place around the 12th century in rural Georgia. The book engages explicitly with complex situations and mature content, therefore, it is in no way light reading.
The Colour Purple depicts the life of Celie; a poor, Southern, yet resilient African American woman who endures abuse, degradation and mistreatment, it will make you weep for humanity. Yet, Celie is strong and persistent, she may suffer many injustices and continuous torment from those who should love her, but she becomes more than that, and the novel becomes a journey of faith, courage and self discovery.
The Colour Purple is a collection of letters that Celie writes to God and to her sister, both of which feel like distant entities that have no control or power over her situation. However, she has no one else, everyone around her is abusive or use her like an object, she can confide in no one. Celie is abused by her father and husband, she is forced through threat of violence to be submissive to all men, that is until she finds comfort and support in the strong women that she comes in contact with. Over the course of the novel Celie discovers that she not only admires but loves women and uses them as role models for her own empowerment. Through these women Celie finds confidence in the rebellion and strength of their character. These women help Celie recognise that she is mistreated and exploited. She then slowly gathers the courage and liberates herself, refusing to be controlled by any man.
Celie transforms from a prisoner to a successful, respected business woman who is free of shame and torment. She finds and creates her own family, finding ways to cope with her past in the process. Celie is a strong independent woman that is compassionate and loving to those around her, she is phenomenal and continues to be an inspiration to all women, be it those around her or the women that pick this book up for the first/hundredth time.
This novel is a heart wrenching and a fantastic read for anyone that is willing to give it a go, you will not be disappointed.
Let me know what you think of The Colour Purple in the comments below.
You can check out my 20 Books for 2020 and good reads to keep up to date with what I am reading next: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/108913955-graceless-living
Until next time.
20 books for 2020
- Philip Pullman – The Subtle Knife
- Patrick Ness – A Monster Calls
- Barney Norris – Five Rivers Met on a Wooded Plain
- Shirley Jackson – Life Among the Savages
- Madeline Miller – Circe
- Jenni Murray – A history of Britain in 21 Women
- Chris Kraus – I Love Dick
- Carrie Hope Fletcher – All that she can see
- Kathrine Arden – The Bear and the Nightingale
- William Golding –The Lord of the Flies
- E. M. Forster – Maurice
- Philip Pullman – The Amber Spyglass
- Alice Walker – The Colour Purple
- Zadie Smith – On Beauty
- Jennifer Worth – In the Midst of Life
- Tim Winton – The Turning
- Margaret Atwood – The Handmaid’s Tale
- Erin Morgenstern – The Night Circus
- Matt Haig – How to Stop Time
- Brandon Sanderson – Skyward
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