‘The Color Purple’ is a novel by Alice Walker; a powerful, moving narrative about how atrocious the life of an African-American woman could be in the USA of the early twentieth century. The novel addresses themes of race, gender, oppression, and the healing power of love and sisterhood.
I came to know about this book through an article about prohibited literature and needless to say, the title was enough to pique my interest. My curiosity raged even more when I read that it had been banned across all schools in the United States, and I decided that I had to procure this book. Eventually, I swerved through security barriers and captchas to secure a PDF of the book. Right away, the first few pages were enough to make me understand why it had been prohibited.
This book is about the life of Celie, an African American woman living in the American South during the early 20th century. The story unfolds through Celie’s letters, initially addressed to God, but later to her sister Nettie, who has left home under mysterious circumstances. These letters serve as a form of therapy and self-expression for Celie. Celie endures a life of hardship and abuse right from childhood- from an age when she was not even aware of her misuse- except for the excruciating pain it brought her, and the sight of blood which perplexed and frightened her. She was treated brutally first at the hands of her stepfather, and later when she is forced into a loveless marriage with a man known as “Mister” or Albert. As Celie navigates her difficult life, she befriends and forms deep bonds with other women, most notably Sofia and Shug Avery, who play pivotal roles in her emotional and spiritual growth. Shug and Celie eventually become lovers- and Celie’s physical and sexual identity undergo a profound and genuine change. She realises her strength and her independence, and learns that she never deserved any of the persecution she went through.
Finally, let me explain what attracted me first- the title of the book. The popular notion is that the colour purple symbolises Celie’s spiritual transformation. However, I formed my own theory to explain the reason behind the title- red and blue mix to create purple. Red symbolises hatred, turbulence, destruction; blue represents calm, tranquillity and rebirth. The former represents Celie’s initial life and the latter represents her newly discovered self- both these crucial stages, or colours, blended to paint Celie in an unmistakable shade of purple.
A story of resilience and triumph of an unbreakable human spirit, an incandescent love for life and also the inaction and neglect of the government towards the deprived African-American race, ‘The Color Purple’ is a must-read, according to me. I hasten to add, however, that this book contains graphic details of sexual assault and violence. This book is not for the weak-hearted; however, those who are willing to overlook the explicit details for the historical wealth, or to study the characters, are welcome to read it. Also, tears are not unnatural while reading this book- do not be surprised if you find your chest aching and your eyes moist whilst turning the pages. Go ahead, revive the empathy which lies dormant deep in your being, and paint yourself purple.
Aishee Majumder,
XI-H
