Guide Note

The Color Purple is a 1982 American novel written by Alice Walker. The book describes the struggles a young African-American girl had to face while growing up in rural Georgia during the 1930s.

Fast Facts

Author: Alice Walker
Genre: Fiction
Publication Date: 1982
Publisher: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich
Pages: 304
ISBN 0151191530
Awards/Distinctions: 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, National Book Award
Adaptations: 1985 Film, 2005 Play

Plot Synopsis

An epistolary novel, The Color Purple is told through various letters and diary entries written by 14-year-old Celie, the story's protagonist. A victim of abuse from both her stepfather and husband, Celie writes of regaining her sense of self-worth, and later the discovery of her sexuality.

With a newfound feeling of empowerment, she eventually stands up to her husband, only known as "Mr. ___" in her writing, and leaves him, regaining independence by starting a successful business tailoring pants. She also reunites with her sister, Nettie, who Mr. ____ kept her apart from by hiding Nettie's letters.

Critical Reception

Though criticized for its occasional sexual content, The Color Purple was widely praised upon its release.

In 1983, the novel received both the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction.

Categories

English | Literature | Books | Fiction | Novels

View Note History

The Color Purple

Also Try: The Color Purple Quotes

The Mahalo Top 7

Wikipedia: The Color Purple
SparkNotes: The Color Purple Study Guide
Luminarium: The Color Purple Novel Excerpt
Official Musical Site: Oprah Winfrey Presents The Color Purple
IMDb: The Color Purple (1985) Film Adaptation
Amazon.com: The Color Purple Merchandise
YouTube Video: The Color Purple Film - Celie Liberation Scene (Time: 8:34)

The Color Purple Study Guides

SparkNotes: The Color Purple Study Guide
CliffsNotes: The Color Purple Book Summary and Study Guide
PinkMonkey.com: The Color Purple Study Guide
BookRags: The Color Purple Summary and Study Guide
eNotes: The Color Purple Study Guide and Essays
NCTE: The Color Purple Teaching Resource

The Color Purple Literary Analysis and Criticism

CriticSociety: "The Color Purple: The Book and The Movie"
eNotes: The Color Purple Critical Overview
New Found Growth: "Themes of The Color Purple" (2001)
Writing.com: "The Color Purple and Its Controversy" (2005)

The Color Purple Quotations

- Please see Mahalo's Guide to The Color Purple Quotes
SparkNotes: The Color Purple Important Quotes Explained
BookRags: The Color Purple Quotes

The Color Purple Author Information

Wikipedia: Alice Walker
The New Georgia Encyclopedia: Alice Walker Biography
Poets.org: Alice Walker Biography
NNDB: Alice Walker Biography
New Found Growth: Alice Walker Biography

The Color Purple Books and Merchandise

Amazon.com: The Color Purple Books | DVDs
Powell's Books: The Color Purple Books
Barnes & Noble: The Color Purple Books
eBay: The Color Purple Books and Merchandise

The Color Purple News and Articles

Google News: The Color Purple
Yahoo! News: The Color Purple
Topix News: The Color Purple
SeeingBlack.com: "An Interview with Alice Walker" (2003)
MSNBC: "Oprah Bringing The Color Purple to Broadway" (2005)

The Color Purple Fan Sites, Blogs and Message Boards

Google Blog Search: The Color Purple
Topix: The Color Purple Forum
SparkNotes: The Color Purple Message Board
BroadwayWorld.com: The Color Purple Community

The Color Purple Adaptations

1985: The Color Purple Film
2005: The Color Purple Broadway Musical

The Color Purple Culture and Humor

Pulitzer Prize First Edition Guide: The Color Purple First Edition Pictures
YouTube & Google Video: The Color Purple Search
YouTube: The Color Purple Film - Church Scene (Time: 05:03)
YouTube: The Color Purple Film - Celie Liberation Scene (Time: 08:33)
YouTube: The Color Purple Broadway Musical on the Tony's (Time: 05:35)

Related Searches

The Color Purple Quotes | Alice Walker | Oprah Winfrey | Whoopi Goldberg | Danny Glover | Pulitzer Prize | Georgia | Feminism | African Missionaries | Female Circumcision | Broadway | Fantasia Barrino

This page was created by Jennifer Hudock, a Part Time Guide in the Mahalo Greenhouse (see the original) and curated by Laura. If you'd like to help us create the best spam free search results on the Internet, apply to be a Part Time Guide!