While this book was banned from schools all over the county in 1984 due to it's graphic content, it is one of my favorite novels.
Written almost entirely as letters, mostly to God, this is the story of Celie, a 14 year old African American girl in early 1900's Georgia. Celie is a poor and uneducated and lives with her family. She is very close with her younger sister Nettie.
After her mother dies, and after being raped by her stepfather and giving birth (for a second time), Celie is married off to a older man named Albert, who is widowed with several children. On his farm, Celie must work like a slave for Albert (who is physically abusive) and his children (who have no respect or love for Celie).
Nettie visits Celie once and teaches her to read and write, but is forced to leave after Albert repeatedly tries to advance on her. Celie is crushed and lonely.
Celie befriends her husband's lover, Shug Avery, a glittering Jazz singer who drinks and curses and is the daughter of the local preacher. Celie also becomes tentative friends with Albert's oldest son's wife who is an outspoken, bossy lady that lands in deep trouble after her temper gets the best of her.
Afters many, Celie discovers letters from Nettie that Albert has hidden all along. Nettie is a missionary in Africa and knows of the existence of her two lost children that Celie thought dead since birth.
While this novel DOES contain graphic violence and sexual content, it has a happy ending and is a lovely story of sisters, friendship, love and strength.
There was a movie based on this book (starring Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, and Oprah Winfrey, directed by Steven Spielberg) that is also wonderful.
I highly recommend them both, although the book always better!
No comments:
Post a Comment