Thomas's Reviews > The Color Purple

"There is a way that the men speak to women that reminds me too much of Pa. They listen just long enough to issue instructions. They don't even look at women when women are speaking. They look at the ground and bend their heads toward the ground. The women also do not "look in a man's face" as they say. To "look in a man's face" is a brazen thing to do. They look instead at his feet or his knees. And what can I say to this?"

What a sad and splendid book. The Color Purple tells the tale of 20 years of Celie's life through her letters. A poor black woman whose father abuses and rapes her at the age of 14, Celie soon loses her sister as well as her independence after marrying "Mister." Only by meeting Shug - the most fierce, unapologetic woman Celie's ever encountered - and learning the truth about her sister does Celie start to move toward her reawakening, her self-acceptance, and her love for even those who have hurt her.

Alice Walker delves into so many important issues in The Color Purple. Even though the book focuses on a black woman oppressed in the first half of the twentieth century, a myriad of the behaviors and themes found within the book still apply to all women today. Not only does Walker weave in timeless feminist ideas, she also relates Celie's struggle to domestic abuse, lgbtq culture, the strength of sisterhood, and so much more.

My favorite concept in The Color Purple was the use of storytelling as healing. Celie gives herself a voice by befriending Shug and eventually writing letters to Nettie, and even the epistolary format of the book exemplifies the power of writing, talking, and sharing one's struggles. Whether it's a veteran with PTSD sharing their story with a therapist or an angry teenager writing on their blog, human connection and communication poses so many benefits, and Walker's book highlights that in the most wonderful of ways.

Highly, highly recommended to anyone interested in feminism, historical fiction, overcoming abuse, or any intersection of those topics. Definitely a classic I wish more people read.