I found The Color Purple to be sort of a roller coaster ride. It was empowering and depressing all in one. I thought that Alice Walker did an amazing job of telling the story in the way she does. At points it was a very depressing story especially discussing uncomfortable topics such as rape, incest, gender roles, class, race, and religion. I feel like this book is an explosion of controversial issues, and I love it for that. I think some of these things need to be discussed and talked about because they are real and can't simply be ignored. I think we saw in class how uncomfortable some of the discussions got because of the nature of the book. I believe this is why we saw the changes we did between the movie and the book. The main religious, violent, and sexual scenes were cut from the film, trying to make it less controversial.
I thought that the critical essay I read was very interesting in describing how the black women were supposed to be domestic and mammies. I thought that this fit in very well with our class discussions on how women's lives are almost always focused around children, housework, or other "motherly" things. In particular Sophia is almost the complete opposite of domestic, she would rather be patching a roof or working outside rather than sewing or cooking. When Miss Millie just assumes that because she is a black women with "clean" children, Sophia would be honored to work as her maid. It is obvious how different the black and white races and classes were from each other. It was upsetting that it seemed that being a mother or mammy was all anyone in the book thought that the black women could do.
The friendship between Shug and Celie, I thought, was very important to the story. It showed how in some of her darkest days Celie over came her depression and found a friend that would prove to be life changing for her. Shug helps Celie to find God again and with that her voice. I thought that this scene in the book was so powerful how the women talk about God and for the first time that I have ever heard, referred to God as an it not a he. I thought this moment was empowering for the women, showing that they were not just helpless inferior beings. Celie had over come the sense that the men were superior. In my opinion the sexuality between Celie and Shug was also an important part of the book, although it was not part of the movie. I think that even though lesbianism is being more accepted, it still scares people. Maybe it scares men because they are not part of the relationship as they are so used to being. This sexuality was defiantly very controversial during the time the novel took place.
The Color Purple is so raw that to some people it may be too much. I encourage everyone to read this novel and experience it first hand. It is far from the traditional make you happy inside book, and it takes awhile to appreciate that. Alice Walker wrote an explosively controversial novel describing the life of a beaten down young child as she grows into a woman with, for once in her life, her own voice. The Color Purple is truly an experience.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Critical Context
I read the article Race and Domesticity in The Color Purple by Linda Selzer. The main point that I focused on was race and class. Selzer described the events leading up to and following Sophia's imprisonment. The stereotype of the black mammy was extensively discussed. The fact the Miss Millie wanted Sophia to be her maid assuming that all black women loved children and should feel privileged to be a maid in her, the mayor's wife's, house. Even though Sophia was the most unsuited person for the role she was still expected to be that motherly figure. The violent scene of the white police men and the mayor beating Sophia showed the combustion of the race and class issues throughout the novel. Sophia also fought the stereotype that she should like Miss Eleanor Jane, so much so that even when she had friendly feelings towards her she still made comments that she was "on parole....Got to act nice". Even though Sophia began to feel towards Miss Eleanor Jane she still wasn't the mammy type. The mayor's white family greatly depended on Sophia. Many times in childish ways, such as when Miss Millie couldn't turn her car around and had a temper tantrum. Sophia was constantly thrown into domestic roles, that according to stereotypes she should be good at and enjoy it. Miss Eleanor Jane also tells Sophia that shes "unnatural" because she doesn't love Reynolds. This shows how stereotypical it was for the white people to feel as though black women should feel privileged to work in their home and that they should naturally be domestic mammy figures.
After reading the novel and watching the movie I do agree with the article that the black women were basically forced into these domestic roles. The women all seemed as though they had to be mothers or at the very least a very motherly figure. I believe that the mammy roles and the scene where Sophia gets beat by the white men shows the explosion between race and class and even gender roles throughout the novel. I also agree because even when the black women fit the roles it seems that there is always pressure that they shouldn't want to fit these roles because it just strengthens the white persons assumptions.
After reading the novel and watching the movie I do agree with the article that the black women were basically forced into these domestic roles. The women all seemed as though they had to be mothers or at the very least a very motherly figure. I believe that the mammy roles and the scene where Sophia gets beat by the white men shows the explosion between race and class and even gender roles throughout the novel. I also agree because even when the black women fit the roles it seems that there is always pressure that they shouldn't want to fit these roles because it just strengthens the white persons assumptions.
References
References
Selzer, Linda. "Race and Domesticity in The Color Purple." African American Review (1995): 67-82.
Print.
Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. Orlando: Harcourt, 1982. Print.
Barnes and Noble. Barnes and Noble, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012.
<http://www.barnesandnoble.com/reviews/Color-Purple%2FAlice-Walker/1100608832?
rating=1#reviews-controls-1>
Amazon. Amazon, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012.<http://www.amazon.com/The-Color-Purple-Harvest-
Book/product-reviews/B002CMLRCY/ref=cm_cr_pr_viewpnt_sr_3?
ie=UTF8&filterBy=addThreeStar&showViewpoints=0>
Goodreads. Goodreads, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012.
<http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11486.The_Color_Purple#other_reviews>
Reader Response
When I looked at reader reviews for The Color Purple I tried to read a variety of different ratings to get a sense of what individuals were getting out of the book. I read the reviews from lowest to highest ratings, my first one being one star, second 3 stars, and final review five stars. The first review I read was from Barnes & Noble and the Anonymous reviewer gave the book 1 star. They were very disgruntled about the novel, this was obviously shown by the title "If you're a man, don't read this garbage". A particular part of his review that I found to be an interesting thought was "We learn that women are good and men are bad. Actually, I need to clarify that point. Black women are good, but white women are bad..." I thought this was an interesting way of looking at the story. I feel like this reader was only looking at one side of the situation. Not all men are bad, but the men in Celie's life were. I thought it was kind of disturbing that this reader didn't think that the men were also bad. Although I don't agree with this reader the response and rating are still important in understanding how other individuals read and analyze a particular novel.
A review that I found on Amazon also caught my attention because of how the reader commented on it. Lizz saw the book as empowering to women and showing that women can overcome the assumption that men are stronger than women. She also thought it was a good example of how a woman can "overcome" herself. I think that she meant that women can grow and overcome their struggles and set backs. I thought that this was an uplifting way to look at the novel and how Celie grows from a battered, abused child to a strong, compassionate woman.
Goodreads had alot of reviews to choose from and it was hard to pick. I chose a review by Christina who said the novel was "ah-may-zing". I most closely related to her review in how she said that the book left you valnerable and sometimes confused. I liked her honesty in saying that the book is uncomfortable and devastating to read at times but it sucks you in. I also found it interesting that she watched the movie first and then read the book, saying that Alice "Walker's words are music. Sometimes a sweet melody, but mostly a cacophony of pain and sorrow." I thought this was a very good comparision in that Walker's words have a way of coming alive in the novel.
I thought that most of the reviews on Barnes & Noble, Amzaon, and Goodreads had interesting insight and comments on the novel, and in some cases the movie. The vast majority of the reviews were 4 or 5 out of 5 stars and most of the readers seemed to really enjoy the book. I chose to include some that gave it less than 4 stars because I think that all of the readers insight is important and it helps us to remember how differently people read and relate to confusing and depressing situations.
A review that I found on Amazon also caught my attention because of how the reader commented on it. Lizz saw the book as empowering to women and showing that women can overcome the assumption that men are stronger than women. She also thought it was a good example of how a woman can "overcome" herself. I think that she meant that women can grow and overcome their struggles and set backs. I thought that this was an uplifting way to look at the novel and how Celie grows from a battered, abused child to a strong, compassionate woman.
Goodreads had alot of reviews to choose from and it was hard to pick. I chose a review by Christina who said the novel was "ah-may-zing". I most closely related to her review in how she said that the book left you valnerable and sometimes confused. I liked her honesty in saying that the book is uncomfortable and devastating to read at times but it sucks you in. I also found it interesting that she watched the movie first and then read the book, saying that Alice "Walker's words are music. Sometimes a sweet melody, but mostly a cacophony of pain and sorrow." I thought this was a very good comparision in that Walker's words have a way of coming alive in the novel.
I thought that most of the reviews on Barnes & Noble, Amzaon, and Goodreads had interesting insight and comments on the novel, and in some cases the movie. The vast majority of the reviews were 4 or 5 out of 5 stars and most of the readers seemed to really enjoy the book. I chose to include some that gave it less than 4 stars because I think that all of the readers insight is important and it helps us to remember how differently people read and relate to confusing and depressing situations.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Film Comparison
I really enjoyed watching the film version of The Color Purple. It helped to better visualize the time that Celie had lived in. I thought the movie did a good job of representing most of Celie's struggles and life events. The despair and depression that Celie felt when Nettie left was shown in a very strong scream that literally made me cry. The actresses in the film showed such strong emotion in the scene that I thought really mirrored the emotion that was expressed in the book. Celie was shown as a very strong women that took life as it came. I thought that the most consistent character between the movie and the novel was Celie because of how she was portrayed and the personality that matched how she was described in the book.
I think that the film creators chose to keep Celie's character the same between the book and film because it helped the readers better follow and understand the movie/novel more. The book is a difficult book to read because of the story it tells. Although some people may have never personally experienced a traumatic event like rape or incest they can sympathize with Celie in the book and although they may not entirely be able to understand, the female readers/viewers can somewhat get a handle on the emotional and physical distress it causes a person. By keeping Celie the way she is described in the book the reader that is now the viewer feels like they already "know" the character. Celie's emotional strength can also give the reader and viewers hope that she will be ok and she will make it through this struggle. This can translate into the reader or viewer feeling as if THEY will be ok and that THEY will make it through what ever struggle they are currently facing. Novels and films can have a strong impact on peoples lives especially if they can relate to the characters in them.
The largest difference that I saw between the novel and the film was how the men were portrayed. The first thing I noticed was the it seemed the men in the movie had more of an identity. Their names tended to be used more, first and last, and the film showed the names in writing, such as on the mailbox. All of the men in the movie also seemed to be "nicer". They were far from being Saints, but they were portrayed as hardworking, friendly to others, and not as abusive. The man that was most changed was Albert. There were still abusive and depressing scenes in the film but in my opinion they were nothing like I envisioned in the book. The book was much more graphic both with language and content. There were scenes in the movie where Albert was working in the field or with him and Celie lying in bed talking and joking almost like a happy couple would. In a way it disturbed me how they made this change. Although as the book went on Albert did seem to change as a person, especially with Shug around, I thought that the changes they showed in the film were to drastic and really seemed to change the story.
The main reason I think that the film makers made this change was because otherwise the film may be too graphic or too depressing that they audience would be limited. I also think that if the men were portrayed the way they were in the book, many men would not want to watch the movie or may feel that is what an attack on men as a whole. The changes also made the film not as depressing in a way because Albert was in some ways "kinder". As a viewer the change would still have shown Celie as a strong women that in in some respects had helped to better her life with the help of Shug and to make Albert a less abusive man.
I thought that the film was overall very good. The movie was filled with strong emotions and life changes for all of the characters and really drew the viewer into the story. Although there were differences between the novel and the film it is virtually impossible to keep everything the same. The changes in the way the men were portrayed was frustrating but all in all it may have been a good move for the viewers. Both the book and movie were hard to take in at some points but I am very glad that I had the opportunity to experience them.
I think that the film creators chose to keep Celie's character the same between the book and film because it helped the readers better follow and understand the movie/novel more. The book is a difficult book to read because of the story it tells. Although some people may have never personally experienced a traumatic event like rape or incest they can sympathize with Celie in the book and although they may not entirely be able to understand, the female readers/viewers can somewhat get a handle on the emotional and physical distress it causes a person. By keeping Celie the way she is described in the book the reader that is now the viewer feels like they already "know" the character. Celie's emotional strength can also give the reader and viewers hope that she will be ok and she will make it through this struggle. This can translate into the reader or viewer feeling as if THEY will be ok and that THEY will make it through what ever struggle they are currently facing. Novels and films can have a strong impact on peoples lives especially if they can relate to the characters in them.
The largest difference that I saw between the novel and the film was how the men were portrayed. The first thing I noticed was the it seemed the men in the movie had more of an identity. Their names tended to be used more, first and last, and the film showed the names in writing, such as on the mailbox. All of the men in the movie also seemed to be "nicer". They were far from being Saints, but they were portrayed as hardworking, friendly to others, and not as abusive. The man that was most changed was Albert. There were still abusive and depressing scenes in the film but in my opinion they were nothing like I envisioned in the book. The book was much more graphic both with language and content. There were scenes in the movie where Albert was working in the field or with him and Celie lying in bed talking and joking almost like a happy couple would. In a way it disturbed me how they made this change. Although as the book went on Albert did seem to change as a person, especially with Shug around, I thought that the changes they showed in the film were to drastic and really seemed to change the story.
The main reason I think that the film makers made this change was because otherwise the film may be too graphic or too depressing that they audience would be limited. I also think that if the men were portrayed the way they were in the book, many men would not want to watch the movie or may feel that is what an attack on men as a whole. The changes also made the film not as depressing in a way because Albert was in some ways "kinder". As a viewer the change would still have shown Celie as a strong women that in in some respects had helped to better her life with the help of Shug and to make Albert a less abusive man.
I thought that the film was overall very good. The movie was filled with strong emotions and life changes for all of the characters and really drew the viewer into the story. Although there were differences between the novel and the film it is virtually impossible to keep everything the same. The changes in the way the men were portrayed was frustrating but all in all it may have been a good move for the viewers. Both the book and movie were hard to take in at some points but I am very glad that I had the opportunity to experience them.
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