The Color Purple By: Alice Walker

Alice Walker  Born in February 9,1944 in Eaton Georgia.  Civil Rights Activist, Women’s Rights Activist, Author  The Color Purple (1982)  Pulitzer Prize Winning  Banned Book

Foundation  Setting:  Rural Georgia  s  Travel to Memphis and Africa  Point of view: First person  Celie rights letters to God

Main Characters  Celie – protagonist/ narrator. She is an African American women who is abused by her “father” and later on her husband. She writes letters to God and then shifts to her sister.  Nettie- Celie’s younger sister who runs away from home refusing to be abused by her father. She then stays with a missionary couple and Celie’s two children. They end up traveling to Africa. She marries the man after his wife dies and takes care of Celie’s children.

Main Characters  Mr. _____ (Albert)- Celie’s husband that abuses her until Shug Avery his Ex-wife tells his that he needs to treat Celie better. He is a force that makes Celie weak. Celie leaves him and in the end they end up being friends.  Shug Avery- A blues singer, starts as Mr.___’s mistress. She ends up being a mentor, friend and lover to Celie. She is the character who has an influence on everyone.

Secondary Characters  Alphonso- Celie and Nettie’s Stepfather  Harpo- Albert’s eldest son  Sofia- Harpo’s wife  Mary Agnes (Squeak)- Harpo’s girlfriend  Miss Millie- Mayor’s wife  Samuel and Corrine- He is a Revend and they are the that adopt Celie’s children. They are also missonaries.  Kate- Mr. ____ sister who encourages Celie to stand up for herself.  Adam- Celie’s son  Olivia- Celie’s Daughter  Tashi- Adam’s Wife  Germaine- Shugs young boyfriend

Author’s Thoughts

Summary Overview  Celie is fourteen years old and is writing letters to God about her abuse and mistreatment  Her father uses Celie to fulfill his sexual wants because her mother is too sick and weak  Celie has her second child by her father  Alphonso (father) takes her children and gives them away  Mr. ___ ask for Nettie’s hand in marriage but Alphonso says that she is too young and will give him Celie instead  Celie is force into an abuse marriage with Mr. ____  Hapro marries Sofia who is very strong and independent  Shug Avery is sick and Mr. ____ gets her to come stay with them  Celie falls inlove with Shug Avery  Celie tells Harpo to beat Sofia to make her listen. Then Sofia confronts Celie about her advise  Sofia leaves Harpo

Summary Overview  Sofia punches the mayor and lands herself in prison  Harpo starts seeing Mary Agnes  Mary Agnes gets involved in a plan to get Sofia out of jail and ends up getting raped by the prison warden  Mary Agnes finds her voice  Nettie is now a missionary in Africa with Samuel, Corrine, Adam and Olivia  Nettie writes letters to Celie which she does not receive  Celie and Shug find all the letters and Celie finds out about her two children  Celie finds out about her real father who was lynched because of his success  Celie confronts her father and Albert  Celie moves to Memphis with Shug and starts a business making pants  Shug finds a boyfriend  Nettie marries Samuel  Celie returns to Georgia  Alphonso dies. Celie and Nettie find out that they own his former home.  Celie and Nettie are reunited and Celie finds happiness with her family

Connections in literature  Othello: Women’s Voice  MacBeth: Women’s Influence

Quotes  “Harpo say, I love you, Squeak. He kneel down and try to put his arm around her waist. She stand up. My name Mary Agnes, she say.”  Shug act more manly than most men”  “I'm pore, I'm black, I may be ugly and can't cook, a voice say to everything listening. But I'm here.”  “We all have to start somewhere if us want to do better, and our own self is what us have to hand.”  “The more I wonder, the more I love.”

Themes  Family  Hope  Women relationships  Sexism  Identity  Courage  Culture

Symbols in text  Letters  The color purple  Syntax