Alice Walker The Color purple ( 紫色姊妹花 ) 焦佳弘、尹以翠、黃則凱

The color purple First edition cover Book introduction Author: Alice Walker published in : 1982 Notable : 1983, Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and National Book Award focuses on: female black life during the 1930s in the Southern United States. Symbol: Racism, Sexism, Feminism It was later adapted in to a film at 1985 by Steven Spielberg and musical of the same name.

Characters Celie : a poor and uneducated black woman. Nettie: Celie’s younger sister Albert : Celie’s new husband Shug Avery: a singer who Albert love and respect Harpo : Albert’s son Sofia : Harpo’s wife Miss Millie : the mayor’s wife(white woman) Olivia and Adam: Celie and her stepfather’s children.

synopsis Alice Walker's The Color Purple, published in 1982, tells the story of Celie, a Black woman in the South. Celie writes letters to God in which she tells about her life--her roles as daughter, wife, sister, and mother. In the course of her story, Celie meets a series of other Black women who shape her life: Nettie, Celie's sister, who becomes a missionary teacher in Africa;Shug Avery, the Blues singer her husband Mr. Albert is in love with, and who becomes Celie's salvation;Sofia, the strong-willed daughter-in- law whose strength and courage inspire Celie; Squeak, who goes through awakenings of her own. Throughout the story, though, Celie is the center of this community of women, the one who knows how to survive.

Racism and Sexism Both men and women are stereo-typical in believing that men over rule women. As an example, Harpo beating Sofia to prove his man- hood. Also, they think that no matter what, their kids will grow up to be racists. Furthermore, Sofia is convinced because of society’s influence her children will become cynical of everyone around them, just like her other family is. These characters’s have difficulty accepting this condition, yet they see no hope of change in the future.

Feminism Harpo,for example, is insecure about his manliness because his wife, Sofia, can beat him up worse than he can to her. In this relationship, Sofia is more dominant, while Harpo takes a more submissive role, that which is seen stereotypically as female. Also, Shu g Avery can order Celie’s husband, pursue the life of freedom.

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