Alice Malsenior Walker was born February 9, 1944 in Eatonton, Georgia. She was a Civil Rights activist, Women's Rights activist an an author. Walker studied at Spelman College and Sarah Lawrence College. She is best known for the authoring of her famous novel, The Color Purple, that was published in 1982. Her compelling work won her the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction in 1983. Just three years later, The Color Purple, was made into a movie.
Relevant historical background:
This novel took place during the early 1900's, when the industrial revolution was first in full swing. Mass production had made the prices of goods at their all time low. The Jim Crow laws had kept everything segregated and people were not equal. During the 1800's, when The Color Purple was published, the economy was at double-digit inflation. This was the "spending age" where the phrase oftentimes used was "shop til you drop".
Key Characters:
Celie: The main character of the novel. She was abused by most people around her throughout her childhood and her current life with her husband. She soon finds the power to stand up to her bullies through her role model.
Shug Avery: Celie's role model. At first, Shug seems like a bad person but when she finally gets a look at what this poor woman (Celie) has gone through in being Albert's (Mr. ______ ) wife, she seems to get closer to Celie as they progress in their lives. She becomes a good friend and mother-like figure to Celie.
Mr. _____ (AKA: Albert): He is the drive of Celie's anger. The anger Celie has toward him drives her into being an independent and strong woman. He soon goes through a change himself which makes him realize how miserably he had treated Celie through their marriage and he tries to correct his wrongs.
Key Quotes:
- "Harpo say, I love you, Squeak. He kneel down and try to put his arms round her waist. She stand up. My name Mary Agnes, she say." (Walker 97)- This quote contributes to the thematic development of the story. It shows Mary Agnes standing up for herself and gives am example of what the women are all like in this story by standing up for herself.
- "Us sleep like sisters, me and Shug." (Walker 146) - This quote contributes to the plot of the story. ot shows the growing friendship between Shug and Celie and the development of their new relationship as lovers.
- "Well, us talk and talk about God, but I’m still adrift. Trying to chase that old white man out of my head. I been so busy thinking bout him I never truly notice nothing God make. Not a blade of corn (how it do that?) not the color purple (where it come from?) Not the little wildflowers. Nothing." (Walker 197) - This quote contributes to Celie's character. She is finally understanding what Shug has been telling her about God. She sees that she has worshiped something that hasn't even done one favor for her.
- "Shug act more manly than most men . . . he say. You know Shug will fight, he say. Just like Sofia. She bound to live her life and be herself no matter what.
Mr. ______ think all this is stuff men do. But Harpo not like this, I tell him. You not like this. What Shug got is womanly it seem like to me. Specially since she and Sofia the ones got it." (Walker ) - This quote contributes to the thematic development in the story in which both these feminine characters are strong and won't let themselves get their life controlled by someone who they see as an equal. - "I'm pore, I'm black, I may be ugly and can't cook, a voice say to everything listening. But I"m here." (Walker 207) - this quote contributes to Celie's character and thematic development in the story. She seems to finally find some courage in taking a stand against Mr. _____ and she also realizes that she is worth something in the world just by being their alive.
Theme:
The theme would be a woman is equal to a man and could become just as independent and strong as a man, too. The characters who most represent this idea would be Shug and Sophia. They both stood up to their husbands in some way that the husband was made to listen. They didn't let their lives get controlled by any other person but themselves. Even the other women in the story like Mary Agnes shows some kind of way that she stood up to a man. Celie in the end makes a huge comeback in being independent against Mr._____ and stron as a woman when she finally realizes that she is worth something just by living in the world.
AP Open Ended Question:
2008 College Board authorized practice test: In many works of literature, a main character has a mentor or mentor-like acquaintance whose influence dramatically changes how the character views not only himself or herself, but the world as well. Choose a novel or play in which a mentor exhibits such a strong influence, either beneficial or harmful, on one of the main characters. Then, in a well-organized essay, discuss the nature of the mentor's influence and its significance to the work as a whole.
Response: In the novel, The Color Purple, Shug acts as a mentor for Celie. Celie has always been the type of person to just do as they're told, but Shug shows Celie how to be independent. She shows her the meaning of being happy. She helps her express her feelings of anger to Mr.______ by standing up for herself. Shug is more than a mentor though, she is like the mom Celie needs, a lover, and a friend.
Works Cited:
"Alice Walker." 2013. The Biography Channel website. 28 Mar. 2013
"American Cultural History." American Cultural History. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2013.
Whitley, Peggy. "1980-1989." American Cultural History. Lone Star College-Kingwood
Library, 1999. Web. 28 Mar. 2011.
"Open-ended Questions for AP Literature." Open-ended Questions for AP Literature. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2013.
No comments:
Post a Comment