|
Sarah Owen: Ok, let's go ahead and get started
|
|
Sarah Owen: Community outreach librarian Sherryl James will be joining us in a few
|
|
Sarah Owen: So just to recap, we're discussing up to the end of part 3, or if you have the edition like I do, the point when Shug gives Celie a letter from her sister
|
|
Sherryl James: Hi, Sarah I'm finally here.
|
|
Sarah Owen: Great! I thought we could start out with everyone's thoughts about the contrast between Shug and Celie. What do you all think?
|
|
Sherryl James: On the surface they are as different as night and day.
|
|
Sarah Owen: I would definitely agree with that.
|
|
Sarah Owen: Here's another question
|
|
C-Dogg: It is widely considered to be a woman's novel but I am intrigued by the roles that the men play in shaping lives of Celie and Nettie. Any thoughts?
|
|
Sarah Owen: Besides the character of Harpo, who is described by Celie as womanish at one point, they're not characters as much as they are forces that shape the women.
|
|
Sherryl James: Wow, definitely the roles of the men are powerful. Both women are rejected by men. Shug by her father whose love she wants badly. Celia by all men--and even God (in the beginning).
|
|
Sarah Owen: Anyone else have any thoughts on that? (You may submit your comments in the 'submit your question' box)
|
|
alwaysalwaysright: Hi, Which character do you think best represents Alice Walker?
|
|
Sherryl James: Definitely, their lives and attitudes are controlled by men in this novel.
|
|
Sherryl James: I've taken a close look at Alice Walker's bio, and I would say she is more Celia than Shug.
|
|
Sarah Owen: I think perhaps Sofia in a way because she writes of her being blinded in one eye in prison, like she was in childhood
|
|
Sarah Owen: But I could be looking into that too much.
|
|
Henericus: Why do you say Celie is rejected by God in the beginning?
|
|
Sherryl James: An accident in her youth left her blind in one eye and made her isolate her self from the world. She found strength thru writing musch as Celia does thru her letters to Nettie and to God.
|
|
Sherryl James: Well, I think Celia feels rejected by God, because she is told to only tell God about her situation, but gets no resolve in the beginning.
|
|
Sarah Owen: right. Why do you think she chooses to write to God?
|
|
Sherryl James: Well, her step-father tells her in the beginning that she is to tell no but God that he has raped her. So she writes to God for a sign --but gets nothing!
|
|
Kim Luciani: What is the effect of not knowing Mr.'s first name?
|
|
Sarah Owen: I think the courtesy title shows her view of him not as a person or a husband, but of a controlling authority figure.
|
|
Sarah Owen: It also shows the difference between her relationship to him and Shug's (at one point she doesn't remember it's his name when Shug calls him Albert)
|
|
Sherryl James: Do we really know this man? I think he is an unknown to Celia.
|
|
Kim Luciani: I meant to put not knowing his last name. Not sure if that's what I typed.
|
|
Henericus: Is there a point where Celie does get some resolve from God after the beginning?
|
|
Sherryl James: Oh, yes in the latter parts of the book I think she discovers God and the blooms like a flower.
|
|
Marigoldrule: Celie's voice is so powerful.
|
|
Sarah Owen: I agree. Could you go into more about that?
|
|
Sherryl James: Yes, simple but powerful.
|
|
Sarah Owen: Or anyone else -- is there someone poignant or strong about Celie's voice in the beginning that spoke to you?
|
|
Sarah Owen: I'm sorry, something, not someone
|
|
Sherryl James: Just think how with her words she gets Harpo to beat Sofia. Or when she leaves Albert he is cursed by her simple words.
|
|
Sarah Owen: I think it also showed such strength that she was willing to sacrifice herself to protect her sister
|
|
Sherryl James: Yes, yes there are so many beautifulcomponents to her character that are hidden behind her scars of abuse.
|
|
Sarah Owen: on a technical note, what do you think about the literary vehicle of writing letters?
|
|
Marigoldrule: The writer taught me what "finding your voice" means. Until I read The Color Purple I puzzled over that.The reader believes every word Celie says.
|
|
Sherryl James: I think I got to know Celia better--through her own words rather than having the author tell me about her. A novel approach.
|
|
Sherryl James: I did not feel as connected with Nettie thru her letters. Did you believe all of Nettie's words?
|
|
Sarah Owen: Finding your voice is definitely shown, not just told, with this book. Marigold, Sherryl, you both make excellent points.
|
|
Sarah Owen: well, without discussing past the first letter she is given by Shug, perhaps we could discuss another character finding her voice
|
|
Sarah Owen: I thought it was interesting Celie could give Squeak advice about what she is called, which results in her creative maturity
|
|
Sarah Owen: Despite Celie not being to that point herself.
|
|
Sherryl James: Maybe it is somehow connected to Albert not having a name.
|
|
Sarah Owen: Something else I wanted to get others' opinions on is the character of Sofia up to this point
|
|
Sarah Owen: She is such a fighter, but her fighting lands her in jail, where she says she pretends she's Celie. What purpose does this serve?
|
|
FunnSze@42: Why did Shug's father not like her in the beginning?Also was the girl singing in the church choir was that Shug's daughter?
|
|
Sherryl James: Shug went agaisnt everything her father( a Baptist Preacher) believed in.
|
|
Sherryl James: She is fun loving and sinful--but if you notice she is the force that brings Celia to God.
|
|
Sherryl James: I do recall the book talking about Shug's kids--but I'm not certain about the girl in the choir.
|
|
Sarah Owen: Shug and Celie have such an interesting relationship from the beginning. At what point do you think Shug changes her mind about Celie? (Celie almost worships Shug from the beginning)
|
|
Henericus: In the second letter Celie says, "her mother died screaming and cussing"; "wanting to know who she was BIG BY then" and "where is the first baby". What do you say about the voice, condition, and character of Celie's mother.
|
|
Sherryl James: It is a gradual thing, but I believe Shug is changed when Celie tells her that Mr._____ beats her when Shug is gone.
|
|
Sarah Owen: You know, I think her mother knew on some level what was going on. I think she didn't want to believe it.
|
|
Sherryl James: Celie's mother is a downtrodden, beaten woman also. I think she knew what was going on --but I think she was a victim also.
|
|
Sarah Owen: I agree. I don't think she saw any other options and she knew she was dying and leaving her children with him.
|
|
Sherryl James: What good would it have been for her to know that her daughter was being raped--she is dying and can offer no help.
|
|
Sarah Owen: How do you think Albert's abuse of Celie influenced Harpo and Sofia's relationship?
|
|
Sherryl James: Going back to Sofia--I was impessed with her being her true self (strong, and gutsy), but she paid a dear price for being herself. Being Celie for saved her.
|
|
Sherryl James: Harpo wasn't sure what he wanted. Sofia made him smile and she loved him, but his idea of a true man was formed by his father. He thought he wanted Sofia to obey rather than love.
|
|
Sarah Owen: It was definitely a contrast to the prizefighter who says he was there to love Sofia, not fight her battles for her
|
|
Sarah Owen: Why do you think Alice Walker chose to have Celie visualize being wood or a tree when Mr. beats her?
|
|
Sherryl James: Trees as stength to endure. I would imagine she did not feel human during those beatings.
|
|
Sarah Owen: true.
|
|
Henericus: A Wrap on Mother's WaterGATE: 1) What she knew and 2) when she knew it; and 3) what she contributed to it. First Letter Paragraph One: "...A week go by, he pulling on her arm again. She say Naw, I ain't gonna. Can'5 you see I'm alreadyhal dead, an all these chilren." Last Paragraph letter one: "...My mama she fuss at me an look at me. She happy, cause he good to her now. But too sikc to last long."
|
|
Sarah Owen: I think she did contribute by not protecting her children by leaving, but as mentioned by Sherryl before, she was an abused woman herself. If he was treating her better, easier for her to stay in denial.
|
|
Sarah Owen: But I also think that her mother's influence is minimal compared to the others in the book.
|
|
Sherryl James: I'm sure the Mother knew--but did she hate Celie? Hard to glean from the few pages written about her.
|
|
Sarah Owen: Well, we're out of time, thank you all for your comments and discussion
|
|
Sarah Owen: Thanks Sherryl for your expert insights
|
|
Sherryl James: Great discussion!
|
|
Sarah Owen: Just a reminder, The book club will meet Oct. 19. Readers will meet at the Friedman Branch Library, 1447 Jackson Road, Augusta, at 6:30 p.m. for an open discussion about the entire book. Light refreshments will be provided. The meeting is expected to last until 8 p.m.
|
|
Sarah Owen: Hope to see you all there!
|
|
Jonathan Dozier: This chat has been closed.
|
