The Color Purple #5: Discussion Questions – Entire Novel #2 (Spoilers!)
Directions: If you would like to respond to this prompt as one of your blog posts, you need to give a detailed, text-oriented response to at least three of the questions below. Be sure to number them. Remember, you may also respond and build on others’ comments.
1. Trace the development of Albert's character. How does he change and why?
2. Fully explain what has caused Celie's low self-esteem in the first half of the novel?
3. How does Celie succeed in overcoming her low self-esteem?
4. Fully describe the relationship between Nettie and Celie, making sure to explain how the relationship ends in happiness.
5. What are some instances of racism in the novel?
6. Fully explain the role of sex in the novel.
7. Why is this a feminist novel?
Mireya Rico
ReplyDelete2). At the first half of the novel Celie has a low self-esteem which is caused mainly because of her Alphonso (Pa). The reason I say is because of him is because the way her treated her and the way he talked to her. He never had anything nice to say to her, he would always insult her and would tell her to go fix her self up and wear better clothes which she didn’t have. I also think it was because she never had anyone to say nice things to her or to complement her, she would always had to listen to Alphonso’s insults instead of nice things about her self and her appearance.
4). Nettie and Celie always had a good relationship they are really close and love each other very much. They have gone through a lot but mainly Celie because she always stood up for Nettie and protected her when their Pa wanted to do to Nettie what he did to Celie. When Mr. _____ kicked Nettie out of their house Celie didn’t hear from her for a while but Nettie found a way to keep in touch with her which was writing to her. At first Celie didn’t know anything about Nettie writing her and Nettie thought Celie was dead or something, but with the help of Shug Celie found the letters that Nettie had written her and that Mr.____ had kept from her. That was the only way they can be close to each other until they saw each other again.
7). I believe this is a feminist novel because it mainly deals with woman and the way they were treated during this period of time. It’s feminist because women were not treated equally to men; they were pretty much forced to do whatever the men told them to without a choice.
Kristi Etzel
ReplyDelete1.Albert at the beginning is not the nicest guy. He evolves throughout the book and becomes better. Having Celie leave him I think he realized that he needed to change.
2.Celie was never appreciated as a youngster. She takes care of house, sews, cooks and takes care of children throughout the novel and never gets a thank you. She doesn’t think she deserves it.
4. Celie always took care of Nettie. Celie protected Nettie from their step father and from Mr. ______. They loved each other and always wanted better for each other. At the end of the book they find each other again and can live together as a family.
Jeremy Davenport
ReplyDelete1. At the beginning Albert treated almost everyone around him horribly like how he was treated. At the end of the novel, he creates a friendship and a bond with Celie that he didn't have in the beginning when they were first together. He gained respect for Celie and treated her like a human being.
2. When Celie was younger she was beaten, mentally and emotionally abused, raped and then was told that she wasn't good, enough. With the way she was treated she had no self-esteem at all. Then when she was given away for marriage her father pretty much told Albert about how horrible she is and that she was soiled and used. Not exactly an esteem building environment.
3. Celie becomes confident with all of the lessons from Shug, she stands up for herself, takes up a hobby and starts a whole business from it. She made a complete turn-around because of one person she met who changed her entire life.
4.Celie assumes the role of Nettie's mother for the time that she can. Celie cares about Nettie more than she does herself. She put Nettie's needs first and even let Nettie in when Celie was married off and moved away. Celie sacrificed herself to save her sister from the horrible outcome of two men in their lives. (Mr. _____and their "pa"). When Celie and Nettie are reunited, Celie's faith returns. She is reunited with her sister and her children, which was something she longed for throughout the novel.
5.In the novel, Sofia is treated as a slave. She is the white Mayor and his white wife's servant. She was a maid. She cooked, cleaned, took care of their children, and waited on them hand and foot.
6.Sex in the novel represents all emotions. Celie is sad when she is raped. She becomes mad when her children are taken away. Shug and Celie experience their love physically. Sex is an important role in showing the tone/feeling of the novel in sections.
7. This is a "feminist" novel because it shows the struggles of women through a woman's view. It is also because it shows the power a woman can have and how strong the bonds of sisterhood are. It also shows plenty of female empowerment especially if a woman has gone through a traumatic experience discussed in the novel.
I agree with Mireya's and Jeremy's reason for the novel being "feminist"
ReplyDelete-Nessa
1) At the beginning of the novel Albert was a man that seemed to be mad, because he had lost his wife, and also could not get the woman he really wanted, so he had no choice but to take Celie, he also did not want woman to be over powerful than him. Towards the end of the book when Shug and Celie move to the north he changes he keeps to himself and is like a crazy man, but when she comes back into town I think he realizes that he needs to change and becomes more open and he eventually forms a bond with Celie.
ReplyDelete2) What I think caused Celie to have a low self-esteem on the first half of the book was that she was raped by her Pa, which left her scarred and he always told her that she was not good enough for anything, nor that she looked good. These are reasons why she is left scarred and she also never really had anyone to tell her nice things about herself.
3) What I believe caused Celie to overcome her low self-esteem was that she met Shug, Shug helped her gain some confidence and also stand up for herself, and she also gave her the attention and love that no one else had given her.
7) This is a feminist novel because it portrays how woman were treated when some had no say about what they could potentially do. At the same time it shows what woman power woman have.
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
ReplyDelete1) At the beginning of the novel Albert was a man that seemed to be mad, because he had lost his wife, and also could not get the woman he really wanted, so he had no choice but to take Celie, he also did not want woman to be over powerful than him. Towards the end of the book when Shug and Celie move to the north he changes he keeps to himself and is like a crazy man, but when she comes back into town I think he realizes that he needs to change and becomes more open and he eventually forms a bond with Celie.
2) What I think caused Celie to have a low self-esteem on the first half of the book was that she was raped by her Pa, which left her scarred and he always told her that she was not good enough for anything, nor that she looked good. These are reasons why she is left scarred and she also never really had anyone to tell her nice things about herself.
3) What I believe caused Celie to overcome her low self-esteem was that she met Shug, Shug helped her gain some confidence and also stand up for herself, and she also gave her the attention and love that no one else had given her.
7) This is a feminist novel because it portrays how woman were treated when some had no say about what they could potentially do. At the same time it shows what woman power woman have.
Carina Garibay
Dolores Flores;
ReplyDelete1. Albert is a mean person in the beginning of the novel especially to Celie. Threw out the novel he starts changing his attitude. I think some of the reasons where when Shug made his stop hitting Celie and when Celie finally left him. After Celie left his he had no one to take care of him. Albert became like a lost puppy which caused Harpo to at one point jump in and take care of him. I think Albert finally realized that he was going to be along not even with friends if he didn’t change,
2. Celie’s low self-esteem is caused by Pa, Albert and Shug. Pa would tell her how worthless and stupid. How she was never going to be good at anything besides cooking, cleaning and taking care of children. Albert and Shug would tell her how ugly she was and point out the things that were wrong with her appearance.
3. Celie overcomes her low self-esteem by becomes confident. Once she found love in Shug she slowing starting changing and things started getting better for her. Once she was independent she realized she was good enough for herself. And that is the only person anyone every needs to please.
7. This is a feminist novel because is shows in the empowerment of women in a certain time period. It tells the story one the pain and misery most women had to go threw ad over come.
Fuck you all
ReplyDelete