The Color Purple

by Neil McEwan

York Notes for GCSE offer an exciting approach to English Literature and will help you to achieve a better grade. This market-leading series has been completely updated to reflect the needs of today's students. The new editions are packed with detailed summaries, commentaries on key themes, characters, language and style, illustrations, exam advice and much more. Written by GCSE examiners and teachers, York Notes are the authoritative guides to exam success.

Genres: Fiction, Classics, Novels, Feminism, Adult

120 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Richa Jha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alice Walker's representation of the subjugated position of women....especially that of the black , poor and uneducated ones, and the way their determination and hard work help them to change their age-defined role is not only interesting to read but also inspiring.....loved it !

[Amira Roszahan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading The Color Purple is experiencing a trauma that is so very painful and a foreign one for me. Celie's story is truly heartbreaking and I knew this book wasn't going to be an easy read for me. But what I love in this book is the grace Celie has with her and how she overcame this really difficult life. It's beautiful to see the love she has for Shug Avery ✨️

[Susan Kwon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harsh, difficult, emotional. Can't emphasize, maybe better not.
You can't put down the book until you finish.

However, I don't like the abrupt change in Pa's personality toward the end, which promoted 'all will be fine and happy in the end' conclusion.

[Ranette · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Color Purple refers to the clothes of Kings and Queens in the African tradition. It follow the turmoil and difficulties of this family.

[Hamza · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me by a friend whom I got to know during my semester abroad in Seoul; Hyosun. Hyosun and I had numerous discussions about women rights in Korea. Usually I was the one who brought this topic up due to my lack of knowledge and usually she was the one who terminated our discussions; again due to my lack of knowledge. However, among few books about “feminism” she suggested me to read, I found “The Color Purple” written by Alice Walker in 1982 most interesting. Eventually five months after I came back from Korea, I managed to get my hands on this classic.

Though she suggested me this book as an entry literature into the sphere of “feminism”, I would not narrow it down to this only. “The Color Purple” provides insights of lives from black women, living in the Southern United States in the early 1900s. The story starts with diary entries from a young, black girl called Celie, who was raped by her “supposedly” biological father, who gave birth to two children (both of which were taken away from her), and who was forced to marry an unknown man in order to take care of him, his children and his household. The story ends with a diary entry from the same Celie, who is now grown-up herself running her own business selling self-made pants and who has been through various strokes of fate. Between these diary entries Celie learnt to love and stand up for her rights. Remarkably, Walker manages to make You learn the same findings for yourself while guiding through Celie’s diary entries and letters.

A true recommendation, thank you Hyosun.

[Manish Gurung · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am still in the process of reading this book ,however at the moment I am finding this book very interesting as the story line of the book is very fascinating and the suspension which the author creates during each stages of the chapter keeps me indulged in the book .Therefore it's truly a great book which I would recommend to many if they want to explore on the reality of the issue that many girls in the society around the world faces till this date .

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very sad and very emotional, but at the end of the novel, she reunites with her children and her sister. The Colour Purple is a very interesting name but i like it because it made me think why is it name The Colour Purple

[Teresa Nel]

I loved it

[Z · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mainly descriptive and not much critical analysis.