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A review by jovanas_cloud
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
3.0
I'm very much on the fence with this whole book. I can't say I enjoyed every second of it, but I can't say I hated it either.
I think it does tackle many problems of the African American community and for the first time, at least for me, we get a day (or years) with Africans and problems they face by staying in Africa. For example, I think Alice did an amazing job showing how oppressed black women are even by black men, such as rape, verbal and physical abuse. And on the other spectrum, there are Africans who are battling all these white people buying their land, villages and destroying all their resources for rubber trees. African women, too, are oppressed by African men. They are still considered housewives, they are not to be sent to school, because god forbid women are getting basic education. What is interesting to me is how no other side is better than the other, both are as oppressive.
Now, Shug Avery. I just can't digest her as a character. She was so bitchy to Celie, but then bonds with her until they're in a relationship for years but then leaves her for a 19 year old boy. I think she doesn't actually love Celie's husband, or Celie, or Germaine, she just loves attentions and loves receiving love, which is totally okay, but trying to make us believe she loves Celie just doesn't work well with me.
Another problem which I have with Celie's and Shug's relationship, or more so Celie's sexuality does NOT sit well with me at all. I understand being raped by your stepfather, and then abused by your current husband is something that makes heterosexual sex disgusting for you, but her being lesbian as a result of all of that??? I don't know, it's very weird since I interpreted Celie being fascinated with Shug before even getting to know her was just her standard of beauty, not in the romantic and sexual way.
Regarding the form, I don't mind the epistolary novel, I even like it, however, after the domestic drama in America, Nettie's letters just became dull and uninteresting after some time. Nettie as a character is also very uninteresting to me.
The ending was rushed to me and unsatisfactory. The last chapter is just them meeting and laughing about Tashi saying African people love bbq the most.
I think it does tackle many problems of the African American community and for the first time, at least for me, we get a day (or years) with Africans and problems they face by staying in Africa. For example, I think Alice did an amazing job showing how oppressed black women are even by black men, such as rape, verbal and physical abuse. And on the other spectrum, there are Africans who are battling all these white people buying their land, villages and destroying all their resources for rubber trees. African women, too, are oppressed by African men. They are still considered housewives, they are not to be sent to school, because god forbid women are getting basic education. What is interesting to me is how no other side is better than the other, both are as oppressive.
Now, Shug Avery. I just can't digest her as a character. She was so bitchy to Celie, but then bonds with her until they're in a relationship for years but then leaves her for a 19 year old boy. I think she doesn't actually love Celie's husband, or Celie, or Germaine, she just loves attentions and loves receiving love, which is totally okay, but trying to make us believe she loves Celie just doesn't work well with me.
Another problem which I have with Celie's and Shug's relationship, or more so Celie's sexuality does NOT sit well with me at all. I understand being raped by your stepfather, and then abused by your current husband is something that makes heterosexual sex disgusting for you, but her being lesbian as a result of all of that??? I don't know, it's very weird since I interpreted Celie being fascinated with Shug before even getting to know her was just her standard of beauty, not in the romantic and sexual way.
Regarding the form, I don't mind the epistolary novel, I even like it, however, after the domestic drama in America, Nettie's letters just became dull and uninteresting after some time. Nettie as a character is also very uninteresting to me.
The ending was rushed to me and unsatisfactory. The last chapter is just them meeting and laughing about Tashi saying African people love bbq the most.