Celie starts writing letters to god because her father, alphonso, beats and rapes her. It is also a current broadway show, which is based on the movie. Based on the pulitzer prizewinning novel by alice walker, the color purple spans the. Walker does social criticism in her novel, mostly criticizing the way black women were treated in the. It gained wide publicity after the famous movie director stephen spielberg made a period drama film based on it, starring whoopi goldberg, oprah winfrey and. An epic tale spanning forty years in the life of celie whoopi goldberg, an africanamerican woman living in the south who survives incredible abuse and bigotry. The color purple is a movie about an african american woman struggling to get away from an abusive husband. The color purple 46 movie clip celie stands up to albert. Analysis of the colour purple film the colour purple is a novel written by alice walker in 1982. The color purple 1985 an epic tale spanning forty years in the life of celie whoopi goldberg, an africanamerican woman living in the south who survives incredible abuse and bigotry.
The film was later included in roger eberts book series the great movies. Mar 28, 2004 the color purple was rightly criticized for spielbergs postcard landscapes, his broad characterizations and the convolutions of his plot. Part of the problem lies in the transfer from the page to the screen. In 1930s georgia, celiea poor, uneducated, fourteenyearold, black girlwrites. Sat in that jail, i sat in that jail till near about done rot to death. Returning to the color purple after almost 20 years, i can see its flaws more. What is the plot of the book the color purple answers. But other viewers find the movie overly grandiose, with scene after scene designed to be gut wrenching. It is the touching and inspirational story of celie. The color purple is not the story of her suffering but of her victory, and by the end of her story this film had moved me and lifted me up as few films have. It is a great, warm, hard, unforgiving, triumphant movie, and there is not a scene that does not shine with the love of the people who made it.
When i first saw the movie, i focused on celie with such care and concern that the. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. By intense, it is a book touching very difficult and hard aspects of life of a poor, black oppressed woman in the early twentieth century. The main plot revolves around a series of reunions. In the winter of 1909 georgia, a 14yearold african american girl named celie desreta jackson gives birth to a daughter, whom she names olivia, as her younger sister, nettie akosua busia, acts as midwife. The color purple is constructed quite conventionally with a dramatic opening, a series of rising actions full of conflict and struggle, leading to a dramatic climax that is followed by falling actions and final resolutions a basic five. The story is set at the start of the twentieth century and celie is a young black girl living in the deep south. When a movie character is really working, we become that character. While the movie tries to stay true to walkers novel and overall. Analysis of the colour purple film essay 3108 words bartleby. The color purple is one of those books that has such an intriguing title, you cant help but pick it up and figure out what its all about. With danny glover, whoopi goldberg, oprah winfrey, margaret avery.
The color purple was written by feminist, alice walker and it was published in 1982. Classic literature, original gangster s4 e5 the color purple thug notes summary and analysis. Walker does not tell us everything about the characters and the setting and why the characters behave as they do. In the winter of 1909 georgia, a 14yearold african american girl named celie desreta jackson gives birth. It was spielbergs eighth film as a director, and was a change from the summer blockbusters for which he had become famous. Based on the 1982 novel of the same name by alice walker and its 1985 film adaptation, the show follows the journey of celie, an africanamerican woman in the american south from the early to mid20th century.
In her first letters, she details how her father has been sexually abusing her. The color purple, novel by alice walker, published in 1982. Those who like sentimental material tend to be extremely moved by the story. The color purple the film version of 1985 gradesaver. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of the color purple and what it means. Based on the pulitzer prizewinning novel by alice walker, the color purple spans the years 1909 to 1949, relating the life of celie whoopi goldberg, a southern black woman virtually sold into a life of servitude to her brutal husband, sharecropper albert danny glover. Color purple, the synopsis darkskinned young girl celie, only of 14 years old, is pregnant with her second child obviously she cannot contain herself and not able to protect with a condom. The color purple is an epistolary novel, made up of letters written by celie to god and by nettie to celie.
Celie becomes pregnant twice, and each time her father gives away the children. At the start of the novel, celie is a fourteenyearold, vulnerable, abused black girl who addresses her letters to dear god. A feminist work about an abused and uneducated african american womans struggle for empowerment, the color purple was praised for the depth of its female characters. There is a moment in steven spielbergs the color purple when a woman named celie smiles and smiles and smiles. Whats wrong with the color purple and nothing thats wrong with it keeps it from being a joy to watch is what youd expect of spielberg. An african american author alice walker wrote the novel the color purple in 1982. The color purple study guide contains a biography of alice walker, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and an. The color purple is constructed quite conventionally with a dramatic opening, a series of rising actions full of conflict and struggle, leading to a dramatic climax that is followed by falling actions and final resolutions. The color purple by alice walker is one of the most defining novels in african american fiction. The color purple is a 1982 epistolary novel by american author alice walker which won the 1983 pulitzer prize for fiction and the national book award for fiction.
Exposition celie is a young african american girl who has already borne two children by her father. May 26, 2011 based on the pulitzer prizewinning novel by alice walker, the color purple spans the years 1909 to 1949, relating the life of celie whoopi goldberg, a southern black woman virtually sold into a. Oct 19, 2008 the color purple was written by feminist, alice walker and it was published in 1982. Jan 17, 2011 198 videos play all the color purple full movie hd 1985 hd angele besson thug notes. Walker plots the color purple in a circle, from separation back to wholeness. This novel consists of a series of letters, none of which are dated, and in order to have a time frame for the novel, we will have to read through it carefully, watching for clues. The color purple is a musical with a book by marsha norman and music and lyrics by brenda russell, allee willis, and stephen bray. Eventually, pa marries celie off to a man who is just as abusive as pa. Synopsis in the winter of 1909 georgia, a 14yearold african american girl named celie desreta jackson gives birth to a daughter, whom she names olivia, as her younger sister, nettie akosua busia, acts as midwife.
Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. At the start of the novel, celie is a fourteenyearold, vulnerable, abused black girl. Taking place in the southern united states during the early 1900s to late 1940s, the movie tells the life of a poor african american woman named. The synopsis below may give away important plot points.
The story follows the life of celie, an african american woman living in the south during the jim crow era. Stay connected to your students with prezi video, now in microsoft teams. Sweetness and stridency exist side by side in alice walkers color purple, a book whose great virtue is the conversational immediacy that lets its characters spring to life on the page. A feminist work about an abused and uneducated african american womans struggle for empowerment, the color purple was praised for the depth of its female characters and for its eloquent use of black english vernacular. The color purple plot diagram alice walker storyboard text. It was later adapted into a film and musical of the same name taking place mostly in rural georgia, the story focuses on the life of africanamerican women in the southern united states in the 1930s, addressing numerous issues. The color purple film synopsis winthrop university. Book summary alice walkers the color purple weaves an intricate mosaic of women joined by their love for each other, the men who abuse them, and the children they care for. The color purple is a very touching and lovinglymade film from steven spielberg that captures the life of southern black women in the years 1909 through 1949 and is both poignant and emotionally. Analysis of the colour purple film essay 3108 words. Susan kim the authors style plot summary historical information about the period of publication characteristics of the genre in the color purple, celie tells her story through series of letters written to god.
The color purple was rightly criticized for spielbergs postcard landscapes, his broad characterizations and the convolutions of his plot. Summary plot overview celie, the protagonist and narrator of the color purple, is a poor, uneducated, fourteenyearold black girl living in rural georgia. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the color purple by alice walker. She bursts into delivery right during a church service, and her father tells that they will get rid of this child as well as they did from her first. Thirty years later, at the end of the novel, she has forged her own life despite a maledominated and. The color purple summary from litcharts the creators of. The color purple plot diagram storyboard by kristylittlehale. The title refers to a moment when shug avery asks celie if she takes the time to notice what little things that god does to show us that it remember, god is neither he nor she in this book loves usa different way of reminding celie to stop and smell. The film begins with celie about 17 years old, giving birth to her second child, sired by her father.
The color purple 1985 35th anniversary presented by tcm. She writes in a series of letters to god, maintaining a voice of sincerity and belief in a higher power, despite the adversities she faces every day and her own inner doubts about herself. Based on alice walkers 1982 novel of the same name, the color purple spans 35 years in the life of celie, a teenage africanamerican girl living in georgia who is given by her abusive stepfather to an even more abusive husband. The color purple is a 1985 american comingofage period drama film directed by steven spielberg with a screenplay by menno meyjes, based on the pulitzer prize winning 1982 novel of the same name by alice walker.
What are the major differences between the book and film versions of the color purple. Academy award winner whoopi goldberg, danny glover and oprah winfrey star in director steven spielbergs adaptation of alice walkers pulitzer prizewinning novel the color purple. The color purple film synopsis the color purple follows the life of celie johnson as she struggles through life in the early 1900s. The color purple won the pulitzer prize for fiction in 1983, making walker the first black woman to win the prize. The color purple brings out radically different responses in viewers. The color purple plot diagram by jhiyhhkufc fkgopiryh on prezi. Walker does social criticism in her novel, mostly criticizing the way black women were treated in the early twentieth century.
Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing the color purple 1986 near you. Though celie spends most of her days as a servant in her own household, she, cut off by her husband from those she loves, tries to remain hopeful that she. The color purple 1985 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. Her father takes the second child away from her and tells her never to tell anyone about it. The color purple is not an easy book to read because it is not written in the style of most novels. Celie, a young girl who lives with her abusive father, her sick mother, and her younger sister nettie, begins writing letters to god. Classic literature, original gangster s4 e5 the color purple. A feminist work about an abused and uneducated african american.
The color purple, by alice walker, is a very intense book to read. A summary of themes in alice walkers the color purple. This free synopsis covers all the crucial plot points of the color purple. In the first few letters, celie tells god that she has been raped by her father and that she is pregnant for the second time with his child. Written in epistolary form, the narrative is told through a series of letters that protagonist celie writes to god. This film follows the life of celie, a young black girl growing up in the early 1900s.
Based on the pulitzer prizewinning novel by alice walker, the color purple spans the years 1909 to 1949, relating the life of celie whoopi goldberg, a southern black. Celie is abused and raped by her pa, who takes away her children after theyre born. The book describes the life of a young black woman in the early 1900s and her journey of self discovery. The color purple plot structure analysisauthors style.
1125 1053 146 1333 104 668 1020 1537 759 1447 1550 619 174 1506 1050 558 693 1452 1510 1332 1340 1213 895 755 410 1108 1160 223 116