Response to Jasmine's First Impression Journal- Jeffrey Pan

Hi Jasmine, I was interested when I was reading about your first impressions of The Color Purple. Your opinions and thoughts on  the first few pages of the novel has given me new perspective and insight different aspects of the book. There are very few things missing, but there are some details and aspects of the novel that you can expand on.

Your first impression journal is well organized, logical, and very easy to follow, I did not have any confusion with the ordering of your paragraphs. You gave your insight on Kate, a character that did not stand out to me until now. You gave good reasons and evidence to support your opinion on how she is a strong and just character. I understand your impression of Celie and I have a similar opinion of her. I liked how you mentioned that she is in fact a strong character; I am interested in how she develops as a character and hope you are too.

I found a few problems with your work, mainly on what you did not talk about. Firstly, you didn’t speak much on the subject matter and setting of the novel. I believe that these aspects play a great role in understanding the novel, so you could be more informative when it comes to talking about this these particular aspects of the novel. Also, I think you were a bit confused about what tone meant, because you gave us the definition of tone instead of explaining to us what the tone of the novel actually is. Again, I think the tone of the is quite important to the understanding of the novel. Next time you can expand more on these topics and be sure to include your thoughts on these parts of the novel.

You had many positives and a few negatives in your first impression journal. I suggest that you continue writing in the way that you do, but also to make sure that you have included everything that is required to give the reader full insight. Great work!

CHARACTER ANALYSIS - JASMINE SALAMAT

There were many characters that appeared throughout this section; however the three most influential characters were Mr.____, Sofia, and Shug Avery.

Mr.____ seems to be a man who is self-absorbed. He only thinks about himself and what is best for him. He treats Celie, his wife, with disrespect and only uses her for his pleasure. Celie is treated like a slave and sadly has to deal with the bruises that Mr.____ gives her. He’s very controlling because he always tells Celie what to do and always gets his way. There was one point in this section where Mr.____ seemed like a genuine person because he took in Shug Avery when she got abandoned for being sick. The way I interpret these gestures is that Mr.____ always loved Shug Avery, and as Shug Avery begins to heal they begin to have a sexual relationship. It is obvious that Mr.____ does not care Celie thinks because knows about Shug and Mr.____ sexual relationship. If he was truly loyal to Celie he would have never done such a thing. He is disrespectful in a way of never showing his affection to Celie but when Shug Avery comes along he always focuses his attention to her. This is just like the beginning of the book when he always complimented Celie’s sister Nettie.  Mr.____ seems to be a character that brings negativity and is a bad role model to his children. His eldest child Harpo was unsatisfied with his wife because she never listened to Harpo and stood up to him. Harpo explains how he should beat her just like Mr.___ does to Celie because his wife doesn’t do what he wants her to. Mr.___ needs to take others feelings into consideration and treat them with respect.  

This next character is very unique and different compared to the others and is definitely distinctive from the other females in this novel. Sofia is a character who is independent, confident, and very violent. In this section it has been revealed that Sofia was once married to Harpo and eventually left him. I felt like this was a big deal because in this novel it displays that women are very vulnerable and cannot stand up for themselves. In Sofia’s case, she decided to leave Harpo and get control of her own life again. It seemed as if Sofia was so strong and independent that Harpo was frustrated that he couldn’t control her. “But not Sofia. She do what she want, don’t pay me no mind at all. I try to beat her, she black my eyes.” (Walker 63). I think that people should fear Sofia because she stands her ground and whenever situations go wrong, it ends up concluding badly with someone getting hurt. In this section, Sofia was put into two arguments that resulted with her punching people. Sofia got in an argument with Squeak, her ex-husbands girlfriend, and the mayor’s wife. Unfortunately, Sofia was put into jail and suffered there but still stuck through her duties and survived after being brutally beat up. Sofiia was most definitely an influential character in this section because she portrayed many characteristics a lot of women in this novel couldn’t.

Shug Avery was one of the most influential characters of this section because you can see how her character changed dramatically in a positive way. At first it seemed like Shug Avery was a negative and rude person, this was revealed when Mr.____ took her in when she was miserably sick and no else wanted her. The first thing Shug says to Celie was, “You sure is ugly, she say, like she ain’t believed it.” (Walker 46). I believed that the environment in the house was going to be even worse now that Shug Avery was living there but it got significantly better. Her gracious and kind-hearted self was revealed mainly toward Celie. Shug listened and comforted Celie when she talked about her past and made Celie feel like she belonged. “Nobody ever love me, I say. She say, I love you, Miss Celie.” (Walker 112-113)  This demonstrates how caring Shug is by making Celie feel something that she’s never felt in a long time, loved. “I won’t leave, she say, until I know Albert won’t even think about beating you.” (Walker 75) This displays the protective and strong side of Shug as she tells Celie she won’t go anywhere until things around the house are right. She knew that Celie wouldn’t stand up for herself with Mr.____ and Shug sacrificed herself to stay and made sure not to leave until Celie was in capable hands. Shug and Celie gain a solid relationship throughout this section. They became so close that Shug made a song for Celie. Shug loved singing and got back on her feet by performing at Harpo’s juke joint. I infer that Shug has great confidence in herself because of all the fans and customers that come watch her perform. She performed wonderfully many times which is also how she got some of her fame back. Therefore, Shug Avery was a character that shows confidence, strength, and kindness. She loved and cared for many and fortunately, received the same thing back.

MEMORABLE MOMENT- JASMINE SALAMAT

                  The most memorable moment in my section was when Celie found out Mr.____ was hiding Nettie’s letters from her. “I watch him so close, I begin to feel a lightening in the head. Fore I know anything I’m standing hind his chair with his razor open.” (Walker 120) This part seemed to have brought fire into Celie, she has a weak spot for her sister and would do anything to keep her safe. Celie missed her sister greatly and she did not appreciate the fact that Mr.____ hid several letters from her. “Naw, I say. Mr.____ mean sometimes, but he not that mean. --- But how come he do it? I ast. He know Nettie mean everything in the world to me.” (Walker 119) It gave Celie more of a reason to be more aggressive and non passive toward Mr._____. The more anger she has the more strength she has to stand up to him. Shug Avery helped out by getting Mr._____’s key to unlock the trunk where all his secret stuff is hidden. This was a memorable moment because suspense builds up immediately and I was anxious to find out what was going to happen next. I enjoyed this part very much because I found it heart-warming that Shug would risk everything by helping Celie just because she knew how much Nettie meant to Celie. There were many questions running through my head as this particular part happened. What if Mr.______ came back earlier and caught Celie and Shug Avery? Together, Shug and Celie, steamed and opened the letters so that Celie could read them. Great emotions run through Celie’s head as she begins to read the letters. I find that if they got caught, it would result in more beatings toward Celie and Mr.____ would treat Celie just like he did in the beginning of the book, with no respect. I was overjoyed when I read Nettie’s letters to Celie. Nettie explained how happy and fortunate she was to be with Samuel and Corrine. It brought my spirit up along with Celie's knowing that Nettie is doing just fine.

WRITING IN ROLE- JASMINE SALAMAT

Dear Nettie,

            I can’t believe it! Your still alive! Thank you God! I never thought I’d hear from you ever again. I always thought of you Nettie, everyday. I would git so worried, all I wanted was for you to be safe. I ast God every day. Please keep Nettie safe, wherever she go. I am so happy for you though! Sounds like you having lot of fun with Corrine and Samuel. Bring me to all the places you went to okay?  You have to tell me everything when I finally git to see you.

            I WILL see you soon Nettie, promise. I need you, I miss seeing you. Your right, I need to leave Mr._____. I can’t believe he hid your letters to me. I am so angry. I don’t look at him like I used to. I find them in the corner of his truck, there so many letters he keep and opened! He knows how much I miss you and how much I ast about you. I’ll never forgive him for doing  this to us. Us deserve to be together. You and me. We see eachother very soon, I can’t wait til the day come for us be together again.

            Nettie, keep having fun for me okay? and stay safe. I hope this letter gits to you. I want you to know that I’m okay though, and everyone in the house is gitting nicer to me, so don’t worry. I love you so much Nettie. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Your sister, Celie

Writing in Role - Sabeana Uthayakumaran

The book The Color Purple consists of letters written by Celie to God. I have chosen to write the next letter after my section in the novel.

Dear God,

Mr.______ is acting funny. I ast what I had done wrong but he ain’t answering and beat me hard to do my chores. I think he saw me and Shug together. He looks like he has something in mind. But I don’t care. Shug taught me to care no more. I know Shug and Mr._____ are in love. I want love too. Anyways she cares about me too she says it in her songs. I wonder what Nettie would want me to do. I miss her haven’t seen her in long. She has and Shug Avery is the only people I love and care about. I am writing letters for her now so she knows I am always here. Mr._____ said he will send them to her for me. The only nice thing he has done in long time. But I have not got any back from Nettie. I think she dead because she would have sent a letter to me for sure I am her sister. But just seeing Shug is not enough, I need my sister. Everyone feels home but me. I am still dumb and ugly, even Shug Avery thought so. But that is the least of my problems; I need to find out how Nettie is. 

Character Analysis - Sabeana Uthayakumaran

By: Sabeana Uthayakumaran

The young protagonist Celie displays many great characteristics throughout the novel. She proves how she is strong and courageous. Celie is an uneducated African woman that has been constantly dealing with abuse and gets put down because of her appearance. For this reason, she decided to write letters to God to express what is actually going on in her mind.  Celie beings her first letter to God by writing, “I am- I have always been a good girl.” This instantly displays how Celie’s character is full of innocence. She is a true Christian who believes all of her gifts and talents have been given by God. She understood that calling herself a good girl is selfish and was trying to show god that she is truly trying to be the best person she can be. That has given readers immediately the impression that Celie is well morals and is an admirable character.  Celie unfortunately has been suffering with abuse from her father and her husband, Mr._____. She lacks the ability to fight for her to not be mistreated. However, she soon finally meets a character that is currently helping her to come out of her shell and motivates her to fight for herself.  She steps outside her comfort because of Shug being a positive influence on her. Celie has also learnt that she is also attracted to women. An attraction that no man has ever left her feeling.

Not much has been introduced about the character Shug Avery, although there are certain parts revealed that has created a clear image of her personality. Shug Avery is a singer that Mr._____ has been and is currently in love with. However in Celie’s letters, her character is first portrayed as one with a sickening personality. “A woman at church say she dying--- maybe two berkulosis or some kind of nasty woman disease”, Celie writes when collection information from people in her town about Shug being sick. This indicates that Shug is likely to be suffering with a sexually transmitted disease. Although not from being raped as Celie had been, but by choice. She has been neglected by her own parents, which could possibly mean that she was not able to gain her parents respect to allow them to accept her. Shug has a unique character unlike others, where she chooses to grant people the opportunity to define her. She showcases herself as someone who believes its best to hide her experiences and past from others, and does not care about what others think of her. When Shug Avery first meets Celie she says to her, “you sure is ugly.” This presents Shug as someone who is quick to judge and also brutally honest. Shug had no concern or thought of what Celie’s first impression of her could be, but the truth is, she does not care.

Mr._____, also known as Albert according to Shug, has played a significant role in Celie’s life. Albert has already shown many interests in different women in the novel so far. He had first desired to marry Celie’s little sister Nettie. But then gets persuaded to get married to Celie by Alphonso’s (Celie’s father) command. He does not show any affection towards Celie and treats her as an object. Which makes sense, due to the fact that later he reveals to Celie that he is in love with the mysterious Shug Avery. However, he was not able to marry Shug because of bad impression she has on the public, and most importantly Albert’s father’s opinion of her. Although Mr._____ decides to bring Shug to his home in order for her to recover from her illness, he isn’t the one who is taking care of her, Celie is. This is demonstrated when Celie states, “They have made three babies together but he squeamish bout giving her a bath.” Albert is possibly only interested in Shug Avery in physical aspects, because of him not wanting to take initiative to take care of Shug Avery. Regardless, there has not been much about Mr._____ that has been exposed but knowing about Shug’s and Celie’s connection will cause Mr._____ to begin to play an important role in the novel. 

WRITING IN ROLE- KAWSALYA NANTHAKUMAR

By: Kawsalya Nanthakumar 
            The Color Purple is comprised of letters written by Celie and Nettie, which are written to God or each other. In this journal, I have chosen to write as Celie and decided to write a final letter to God.
Dear God,           
             I finally made it. Nettie is home, and us all happy. After so many years I can finally hug my sister, embrace the love that I did not git for so long. Us go out on the porch, everyone sleeping. Us lay there and stare at the stars. Celie, she said. Yea, I said. I don't know where I would be with out you, she said. Everyday I would think about you, think about reading your letters, coming back home. I smiled me too, I said. You know the day we split up; I knew for sure I would see you again. You such a strong, smart girl, there was no way I wasn't going to see you again. But then there were days where I would lose hope. And why was that, she ast. Don't know, you seemed so far sometimes, I said.           
            Us sat there for a long time. I know she was thinking about a lot of stuff. I was too. I think us didn't know how to start talking about it. I am so used to writing. I think she is too.            
           She looks deeply into the sky. How do you think mama would feel right now, she ast. She be so mad at us, I said. Why, she ast. Because us didn't wash the dishes in the sink inside, I said. We laughed. We haven't done that together. Ever. It felt so good. I wish she was here, I said. She is, she said. Nettie pointed at the brightest, shiniest star in the sky. I took her hand and looked at the star. Thank you, I said.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                        Amen            

Writing in Role- Jeffrey Pan

Dear Nettie,

        “I am so happy. I got love, I got work, I got money, friends and time. And you alive and be home soon. With our children.” (Walker 205) Ever since I left Mr.____, my life has been looking up. I have come to realize that he he was a very bad influence on me. He has been holding me back from my full potential all these years. Now that I am free from all the hard work and chores that Mr.____ piled on me, I can spend my time sewing and making pants, for woman! It sounds crazy right? They are actually very comfortable and convenient. All this money that I made from this business has allowed me to stop relying on Shug for my money, and become more independant. With the amount of support I get from Shug and Squeak, I have reached a level happiness that I never had before. I am doing what I love, with who I love, in a place I love.

        I miss you very much, Nettie, and I cannot wait until you return to the states with our children. How are you Nettie? You speak so much of your acquaintances but never about yourself. I hope you are healthy and strong. I am sorry for your loss of your friend, Corrine. I know she was a good mother to the children and a good friend to yourself. You may find this quite strange, but the way you describe the people in Africa sounds very much alike to the people in America! Women are being treated in similar manners in both societies. They are usually dominated by the men and have very little say about what goes on in the community. After telling Shug about this, she got very angry, she says that she hopes and prays for the day that genders are treated equally. I do not understand why she is so mad though, all people treat her with respect because of how she holds herself, how she speaks, and how she thinks. These are some things that I admire about her, she is strong-willed, demanding and confident. Hopefully I can learn from her, and be more like her. Nettie, they are a million questions I still want to ask, but I will save them for when you return, keep yourself and the children safe and healthy!

Your loving sister, Celie

CHARACTER ANALYSIS- KAWSALYA NANTHAKUMAR

After reading the last section of the novel, The Color Purple, there has been an evident development in the characters. As I have only read the beginning and end of this novel, I found understanding the novel much more challenging. However, in doing so, the transformation of various characters was clear and noticeable. Many characters have developed in many aspects; specifically, Mr.____, Celie and Nettie.

Mr.____ has changed in various aspects, but has also remained the same in certain ways. In the beginning of the novel, he was portrayed as a lazy person, as he would not pay much attention, or care for his children. I believe this characteristic and habit in Mr.____ has been carried out through the novel as Sofia says, “Mr.____ live like a pig. Shut up in the house so much it stunk” (Walker 224). It is clear that Mr.____’s way of living has not changed, if so, it has gotten worse. The reason for this may be because of the divorce he and Celie have had.  Other than Mr.____’s “housekeeping” habits, there are some habits that he has changed; for example, his attitude towards Celie, who is now his ex wife. In the beginning of the novel, he treated Celie with rarely any respect, as he would refer to her as “that one.” For example, when Mr.____ says, “I ain't never really look at that one” (Walker 8).    He would look down on Celie and thought she was rather ugly compared to Nettie. Now, when he sees her he shows more respect to her, and boots her self confidence by complimenting her. “You look real good since you been up in Memphis” (Walker 254) says Mr.____, as he tried to “flirt” with Celie. With all these hints shown throughout the last section of the novel, I predicted that Celie and Mr.____ had split up, and gotten divorced. However, Mr.____ greatly tries to get Celie back, as he is constantly complimenting her, and supporting her through some difficult times. However, in the end, he does not end up with Celie, instead, a close friend.

In the beginning of the novel, all the letters were written by Celie. However, I discovered in the final section, that some of the letters were also written by Nettie, to Celie. Nettie was always depicted as the more educated and intelligent one, between the sisters. This was evident in the final section of the novel as well, because when I read the letters by Nettie, it was much more grammatically correct compared to Celie’s writings. As mentioned, Nettie was greatly interested in educating herself, and as I continued to read, in the final section I understood and found out that Nettie was a part of a missionary, preaching. This reveals to me that she has a passion for educating and teaching others, and not only herself. This also shows that she is passionate for her religion, as she travels and preaches. In the beginning of the novel, Nettie was supposed marry Mr.____ but her father did not allow it to happen. As I read my section of the novel, it was reveled that she had gotten married to someone else, named Samuel. She has struggled with love earlier in the novel, but seems to be extremely content with who she has now. “But Samuel tells me he loves me plump and graying” (Walker 226); when Nettie says this in her letter, it assures Celie that she is living a happy married life, as Samuel shows that he loves Nettie the way she is. After reading multiple letters written by Nettie, she would constantly write how much she misses her sister, and wishes she could be with her. As I continued reading, it was clear that Nettie and Celie were going to meet soon. As they haven’t seen each other for almost 30 years, I believe the moment they meet again, will be a great goal achieved.

Last but definitely not the least, is Celie. She has grown so much emotionally, physically and mentally. In the beginning of the novel, Celie lives a very stressful and painful life. However, in the final portion, Celie’s life has significantly improved, compared to her lifestyle early in the novel. She had gotten rid of Mr.____, who she despised to be married to, earlier in the novel. “Mr.____ done ast me to marry him again… I say Naw… let’s us be friends” (Walker 283); here, Celie rejects Mr.____’s second proposal, which shows us that she knows that she is better off without him, and makes the right decision by rejecting him. As I was reading, there was something that stuck out in my mind. Celie talked a lot about Shug in her letters, and from time to time she would say how she loves her; and I believe the love was more than a friendly or sisterly love. When Shug reveals to Celie about a guy that she loves, she says, “I just been dying to tell somebody and you the somebody I usually tell… I still love you” (Walker 249); Shug reveals a secret to Celie, that she knows would hurt Celie, emphasizing the importance and meaning of their relationship. When Celie says things such as, “sometimes I think Shug never love me. I stand looking at my naked self in the glass. What would she love?” (Walker 259), Celie expresses how she feels after finding out that Shug loves someone else, Germaine. The fact that she was looking at her naked body and asked what Shug would love about it, suggests that their relationship was more than just friends. When Celie said this line, I began to wonder if she was interested in both men and women. As the novel progressed, I also came to discover that Celie began to sew. She made pants for men and women, and also taught Mr.____ how to sew as well. Furthermore, Celie has transformed mentally, as she has a much more positive mentality then she did before. She was very much negative and hopeless in the beginning of the novel. However, in the end, she looks on the bright side of things, making smart decisions and doing what is best for her. At the end of the novel, in her final letter to God, she writes about her reuniting with her sister. After all these years, the hope and trust she had in God finally, brought her sister back to her.

Despite the fact that I only read the beginning and end of the novel, I gained insight of the characters, and experienced their transformations by piecing together the information. I found this to be an interesting way to read a novel, as it truly changes the perspective of the reader. 

Character Analysis- Jeffrey Pan

By: Jeffrey Pan

The three most influential characters in my section (pages 148-216) are Celie, Shug, and Nettie.

Celie is the protagonist as well as the narrator in the novel. In this section, we get to see the development of her character from having a quiet and timid attitude, into being a confident and poised person. At the beginning of the section, she speaks to others very little, allowing Shug to do most of the talking for her. This is demonstrated when Shug and Celie go to visit Celie’s father, and Celie says very little, keeping her thoughts to herself, and speaks only when being asked a question. However, Celie becomes a more empowered person, and learns how to fight for herself. She finally stands up to Mr.____ for all his years of abuse and says “I curse you...until you do right by me, everything you touch will crumble.” (Walker 206) She is finally able to express her true emotions. Towards the end of the section, her changed character and attitude brings upon positivity and happiness, “I am so happy. I got love, I got work, I got money, friends and time.” ( Walker 205) Celie values her family (excluding Mr.____) and friends above all else. Celie tells Mr.___ “You took my sister Nettie away from me, I say. And she was the only person love me in the world.” (Walker 200) revealing her anger at him for what he did, and in turn demonstrates her love and care for her sister. After finding out that her children and sister are alive, she is determined to see them, and works hard to provide for them in the future. In other words, her goal is to reconnect with her long lost family, and she is motivated by her love of her family. Celie states “Since us started making pants down home, I ain’t been able to stop” (Walker 211) demonstrating her hard work to make a living for her family. Celie does not have many interests, besides her admiration of Shug Avery, another influential character. Celie is with Shug through almost all of the section. Celie confides in her and asks for her advice.

Shug Avery is a famous singer that is loved by many for her good looks, and beautiful voice. She is an important character in this section as she serves as the greatest influence over Celie, the protagonist of the novel. Shug is the complete opposite from the ‘old’ Celie. Shug is confident, and has a lot of self-esteem. She demands respect from everyone, even men. This is demonstrated when she speaks to Celie’s father, someone she barely knows “I brought Celie...Your daugter Celie. She wanted to visit you. Got some questions.”(Walker 180) Shug says this in a very assertive manner. We also learn that Shug is also a very compassionate and loving person. When Celie could not find the place where her mother was buried, she was sorrowful and heartbroken, but Shug said “Us each other’s people now”, (Walker 183) demonstrating her care for Celie. Shug aspires to be an even more successful performer, which is why she moves to Memphis. She also hopes to bring joy and happiness to Celie, who becomes a good friend of hers. She tells Celie “I brought you here to love you and help you get on your feet.” (Walker 211) Shug is interested in singing, which is why she is a singer, and in turn explains the main reason why she moves to Memphis.

Nettie is Celie’s younger sister. Nettie communicates to Celie in the form of letters, but Mr.____ hid many of the letters for several years, which led Celie to believe Nettie was dead. Celie finds and reads these letters from which Nettie. Nettie writes Africa, she is missionary that teaches children in a small village. Nettie is extremely influential because she is the person who gives Celie faith and confidence to keep a positive attitude in life, through her letters. We learn that Nettie, like Celie, values her family and friends highly. “Since Corrine’s illness, all her work has fallen on me, and I must nurse her as well, which she resents” (Walker 172) This reveals her love for her friends, even if they do not like her much as she enjoys them. This is also demonstrated when she continually writes to Celie, though she receives no response, she has the slightest hope that maybe one Celia may be able to read it. “And I imagine that you really get my letters and that you are writing me back.”(Walker 155) It is clear that Nettie is not interested in men, nor is she influenced by them. “But I am not the mother of anybody’s children, I said, and I am something.” (Walker 156) This reveals that she does not care for marrying and having children, but instead spending time on what she is interested in, like teaching children and learning. She `ultimately wants to reconnect with her sister Celie, we can infer this through her many letters to her, though receives no response. She also wants to inform Celie of the events Africa and Celie’s long lost children as much as possible. “I will write more when things start looking up. I trust God they will.”(Walker 171)

MEMORABLE MOMENT- KAWSALYA NANTHAKUMAR

By: Kawsalya Nanthakumar

From the section that I have read, the final portion, there is one moment that stuck in my mind. The final letter Celie wrote to God, was the most emotional, thoughtful and important letter written in the novel. As Celie greets the letter to God, stars, trees, sky, people and everything, it shows how Celie is embracing everything. She opens the letter by saying thank you for bringing her sister Nettie, back home. She mentions how she was sitting with Shug and Albert (Mr.____) which represents unity; the fact that they are all together shows the acceptance and love they have for one another, as they sit and talk outside the porch. Finally, when Nettie and her family arrive, Celie says “by now my heart is in my mouth and I can't move” (Walker 286), this expresses Celie’s overwhelming joy in seeing her sister after almost 30 years. The sincere and true love the sisters share is greatly represented when Celie writes, “I stand swaying, tween Albert and Shug. Nettie stand swaying tween Samuel and reckon it must be Adam. Then us both start to moan and cry… Us sit and lay there on the porch inside each other’s arms” (Walker 286). I thought that this moment was very memorable as I can almost feel as if I am there with the two sisters. I can imagine the amount of JOY they may be experiencing as these sisters have not seen each other in so long. In addition, after going through such difficult times both together and separately, and having only communicated through letters, all the emotions presented in the letters can now finally be let out. And as the novel comes to an end, Celie signs off saying “I think this the youngest us ever felt” (Walker 288); Celie makes a statement that all the characters in the novel can relate and agree with. In saying this, I understood that Celie feels amazing and has never felt like this before. The love, joy, and happiness in the final letter is truly a great way to end a story filled with grief, pain and sorrow. 

Most Memorable Moment - Sabeana Uthayakumaran

By: Sabeana Uthayakumaran
          The most memorable letter from my section was when Celie first meets Shug Avery. Mr.____ introduces Celie to Shug Avery for the very first time. This moment was the most memorable because it reveals an important aspect about the protagonist, Celie. We learn about her interests, which helps create a better understanding of Celie’s potential perspectives in different scenarios. Celie is full of excitement. She finally gets to meet the beautiful girl she had constantly been dreaming and thinking of from witnessing a picture of the woman, Shug Avery. Celie pictured Shug to have a grand personality, because of her alluring appearance.  However, the first words that had rolled out of Shug Avery’s mouth when she had first seen Celie were, “you sure is ugly.” Celie being the person she is, blocks that comment away and does her duty. Her job currently is to take care of her, because Shug is suddenly ill. Therefore, she is recovering at Celie’s house, which led Celie to find out certain parts about her she wasn't aware about before. Although, this oddly was not a job for Celie, she found pleasure with being involved to help take care of Celie. One of Celie’s chores was to bathe and wash Shug, which had been the first time she had observed a females naked body. Celie confesses in her letter to God that this excited Celie in a way that no man had excited her. She explicates on how she had turned in to a man when witnessing Shug Avery.

            After Celie admits her feelings of sexual attraction towards Shug, it is clearly evident that Celie is interested and prefers women. Celie later begins to share better moments with Shug. Shug had even composed a song due to Celie and they both begin to progress in a healthy friendship. When Shug dedicates a song to Celie she feels special, because no one has ever done anything that nice towards her. From the kind gestures Shug is starting to deliver to Celie, the feeling will soon become mutual. This means that both Celie and Shug will possibly be involved in a relationship. Not just a physical relationship, but emotional, because of the new emotions that Celie is starting to receive by acts from Shug. However, Celie is the woman that Mr._____ has been hopelessly in love with. Therefore, this relationship can lead into several issues.

Most Memorable Moment- Jeffrey Pan

By: Jeffrey Pan

The most memorable moment from my section (pages 148-216) has got to be when Celie stands up for herself against Mr.____. During the dinner of the celebration of Sophia’s release from being a slave for the mayor’s wife, Shug Avery announces that she, her husband, and Celie will be moving to Memphis. Mr. ____, Celie’s abusive husband, is astonished and immediately forbids Celie from going. Celie explains that Mr.____ is a “lowdown dog” and that she wants to start a new life, so leaving him is just part of the process. Celie confronts him, by mentioning the years of abuse, what he did to her sister, Nettie, and what will happen to him once Nettie returns from Africa. Mr.____ retaliates by saying “But what you got? You ugly. You skinny, You too scared to open your mouth to people…What you gon do?” (Walker 205) Celie curses Mr.____, promising that suffering and pain will happen in his future. When Celie is alone with Shug, she says “I’m pore, I’m black, I may be ugly and can’t cook, a voice say to erything listening. But I’m here” (Walker 207)

This is the most memorable moment in this section in my opinion because it is a very significant event that affects the future of Celie and Shug, two very important characters in the novel. As Shug moves to Memphis to pursue her singing career, Celie attempts to leave her past behind her to find other things in life besides working for Mr.____.

Celie displays confidence and an assertive behaviour, which is very much unlike her regular, or old self, which is what made this moment stand out. Throughout most of the section she is very quiet and unable to speak for herself. Even those who are close to Celie are surprised by her sudden change in character “All round the table folkses mouths be dropping open.”(Walker 200) Her change in attitude is due to the influence of Shug Avery. This whole event reveals how much of an impact Shug has on Celie. It demonstrates how Shug started to and continues to develop Celie into a more confident and self-assured character, not only in this section, but throughout the entire novel. Celie’s “new” character is clearly evident when she says “I’m pore, I’m black, I may be ugly and can’t cook, a voice say to erything listening. But I’m here.” (Walker 207) She acknowledges her weaknesses, but does not let them affect her, while maintaining a positive attitude.

This incident does not only portray the character personalities of Celie and Shug, but also those of Mr.____. It was evident that Mr.____ did not want Celie to leave, he says “Over my dead body” multiple times after Shug said that they were leaving, which demonstrates his strong disagreement with their ideas. We also get to see a side of him that we are not accustomed to. When Celie confronts him, he responds with “Butbutbutbutbut.”(Walker 200) This signifies that Mr.____ might actually be worried of losing Celie. Celie’s absence will definitely affect Mr.____, as there will not be anyone to do his hard labour chores, cooking, and cleaning.

This moment is also important because it creates suspense as the readers await Celie’s future in Memphis, the readers wonder if Celie can really be successful, despite her downfalls, like being an being African-American and a female at that time period. This event in the novel makes readers wonder if this event is actually turning point for the better or for the worse (for Celie). Celie may find work and happiness in Memphis, or she may be miserable, unproductive, and living off of Shug’s success.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS-JASMINE SALAMAT

By: Jasmine Salamat


              Even though I have read a limited amount of pages of the novel “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker, I have found a deep desire to continue. This book captivated my attention and now I am eager to read more. I enjoy the style of the book because of its uniqueness of being written in the format of a diary of a young girl, in the United States. She is going through a lot of issues, therefore is seeking for God’s assistance.

                There are many characters that have been revealed throughout the course of the first twenty pages of the novel. However, to me there are two specific characters that stand out. As mentioned before, the book is composed of private letters in which Celie has written to God. Celie is not just an ordinary 14 year old girl, as she faces many challenges. I would say that she is so strong yet vulnerable at the same time. Strength is demonstrated through Celie because she has dealt with the death of her mother and had to take her place in the family. Having to take care and nourish a family at such a young age is a great responsibility. To make matters worse, she is pregnant with her second child because her father sexually abuses her. This is where her vulnerability takes place because Celie never stopped her father from what he did and let him do whatever he desired. “He start to choke me, saying You better shut up and git used to it.”(Walker 1) reveals that Celie has let her father take advantage of her by not saying anything and listening to his commands.  I hope to see Celie’s character progress to being only strong and will stand up for her rights.

                Another character that I found important was Kate. She was the sister of Mr._____ whom Celie’s father made her marry. Kate was an interesting character to me because I feel that she did what Celie couldn’t do. She stands up for what she believes and states what she thinks is right.  Kate depicts pure strength and just. I greatly enjoyed the part where she encourages Celie to do the same. One way this is demonstrated was when she demanded Mr._____ to buy Celie new clothes. Celie did not think it was necessary, however, Kate says “It’s all right, Celie. You deserve more than this.” (Walker 21). Kate characterizes strength again by forcing Harpo, one of the oldest boys, to get water from the spring instead of Celie. Harpo explained how women work and he’s a man. Kate did not accept that and demanded him to get the water. From that moment on, Mr.____ had a private conversation with Kate which left her in tears. Kate’s visit ends there but leaves Celie saying “You got to fight them, Celie… I can’t do it for you. You got to fight them for yourself.” (Walker 21) Kate makes me feel elated and gives me hope for Celie, because she showcased how to take a stand for your rights.

There are an abundant amount of themes for this novel however; as I began to read more throughout the book, I thought the major themes would have to be courage and strength. I believe what Celie is going through right now in the novel is brutal, unfortunate, and gruesome way of living that no one should go through. I am hoping that eventually as the book progresses it shows Celie and her journey of gaining the confidence and strength in herself to live a better life which she deserves. Alice Walker wants to show what people truly experience in their lives and how it’s just not right.

The overall tone of the piece is the attitude of the writer. Alice Walker expresses herself through Celie, the protagonist and narrator of the novel. I believe Celie is unhappy with her life right now as she expresses all the faults that she has faced. Alice walker wants the readers to feel sympathetic and makes us feel sorry for all the unfortunate events that are happening to her. Therefore, there is a negative and depressing tone that is being set thus far.

I am very curious as to what’s going to happen in the end with Celie and all those around her. It’s intriguing to think of all the possible outcomes that might happen, and the character developments that may evolve. I have read so little, but excited to read what has yet to be discovered!

FIRST IMPRESSIONS- KAWSALYA NANTHAKUMAR

By: Kawsalya Nanthakumar

“The Color Purple” by Alice Walker, is a novel that captured my attention after only reading the first few pages.  As much was not explained in detail yet, I was engaged and I am curious on what is yet to come. However, with the knowledge that I have gained from what I have read, there is a lot to say about the novel.

Thus far, around eight characters have been introduced. Out of these characters, there are a few that caught my attention. Celie, the predominant character in the novel, is one among them. From what I have read, Celie is living a tough, painful and sorrowful life. The first few pages in the novel, reveals that she is a young fourteen year old girl, whose mother had passed away. When she says “Just say You gonna do what your mammy wouldn’t. First he put his thing up gainst my hip and sort of wiggle it around … saying You better Shut up and git used to it” (Walker 1), I understood that Celie was being sexually abused by her father. Despite the fact that this is the most disgusting thing a father could do to his daughter, it furthermore depicts the extremely difficult life she is living.

 Another character that I believe is significant is Mr.____. He was introduced as Nettie’s boyfriend, who Celie wanted Nettie to marry. However, their father thought Nettie was too young, and made Celie marry him. What comes to my attention is his name. Why is it Mr.____? I believe that there may be certain significance for that. When Celie explains about Mr.____’s children she says “The girls hair ain’t been combed since their mammy died” (Walker 1), shows that Mr.____ has not taken care of his children. This represents that he is very lazy and may have disregarded his children from his life.

The final character that I found very interesting is Shug Avery. She was described as a beautiful woman, rouge face and hair like a tail. From the moment she was mentioned till the end of the first twenty pages, she seemed to be an anonymous character. There was not anything mentioned about who she is and where she may be. When Kate, Mr.____’s sister, said  “he just brought her here, dropped her, and kept right on running after Shug Avery” (Walker 20), she exposes a little about who Shug Avery is, as Kate says that her brother would go after her even though he already had a wife. Shug Avery is a very mysterious character. I am most certainly looking forward to reading more, about these three characters, but also discovering more about the other characters yet to develop.

“The Color Purple” takes place in Africa as mentioned on the back cover of the book. It was evident that the novel took place in Africa in several ways. Such as when Celie talks about her lack of education, the way water was retrieved (a well or spring), and the kind of transportation they used, a wagon. The setting of the novel suits the story well as I have read other novels, such as “Chanda’s Secrets”, which take the same setting, and have a similar storyline as “The Color Purple.”

After reading the first section of this novel, I have an idea of what some potential themes may be. As soon as I realized that Celie was being sexually abused by her father, I immediately thought of theme of fear. If I was in her position, I would be beyond terrified, as I would not know what to do. On top of living with a father like that, not having a mother to tell your issues to would make me feel as if I was stranded alone on an island.  Another possible theme could be the lack of freedom for women. Celie, her mother, and Nettie all are treated with no respect and have no say in any decision. For example, Nettie liked Mr.___, but Celie was forced to marry him because of Nettie’s age. The decision was primarily made by their father and Mr.____, and they had never asked Celie or Nettie how they felt about it or what they truly wanted. In a sense, women were like slaves to men as they followed their orders, and fed them food and took care of their children. As the novel progresses, I would like to see these themes expand, an also unveil new themes.

The tone of a novel is mainly the speaker’s attitude. In this novel, the speaker is Celie, who is Alice Walker. As Celie uses words that make me feel angry, mournful, and gloomy, it is clear that the tone of the novel is negative. Seeing that the tone of the novel may or may not change, I wonder if the novel continues to be negative or changes as the story develops.

After reading the first twenty pages, I have taken a lot from the novel, and am expecting a lot from it as what I read was greatly interesting. I look forward to learn more about the characters, discover more themes, and finding out what the novel is all about.

First Impressions - Sabeana Uthayakumaran

By: Sabeana Uthayakumaran 

"The Color Purple" written by Alice Walker is a novel unlike any other I have read before. By reading the first few pages, my initial thought was that this book will be a challenging and tedious read because of the weak spelling and vocabulary that Celie utilizes. However, further in the novel the story captures my attention causing me to have many thoughts and points of views on each character and the story line.

            Throughout the first twenty pages of the novel, most characters that play an important role have been introduced. This novel consists of private letters written for God by the protagonist, Celie. This shows that Celie will be writing with complete honestly since she had written these letters for her, and God’s eyes only. Celie is portrayed as an unfortunate fourteen year old who is facing sexual abuse from her own father. Celie is told to keep silent about all of what her father has done to her, which was displayed when he told her to “shut up and git used to it”(Walker 1). Celie is shown as an inferior woman that is afraid to stand up for her rights. When Celie states “A girl at church say you git big if you bleed every month. I don’t bleed no more”(Walker 5), it shows how Celie is only fourteen years old and is already pregnant with her second child. She let her father take advantage of her and did not speak up to be left alone because of being so terrified of the outcome. The father of Celie has also been looking at Nettie, Celie’s younger sister, in an inappropriate way as well. Celie’s father has gruesome intentions and is most definitely not worthy of being a father to Celie and Nettie. Soon after, a character that is unidentified named “Mr.______”, becomes an important role in Celie’s life. Mr.______ had shown interest in the younger sister Nettie, however ends up marrying Celie due to her fathers command. Mr.______ seems that he has no interest in Celie, although chooses to marry her because there isn't any negative affect to it. She would just do him justice for sexual convenience.  From what I have read, Celie wants an education and has the desire to succeed in life. Mr.______ does not seem worthy of her and her ambitions due to his lack of interest and seems to have bad intentions.

         As mentioned before, Celie lives in South Africa. If I were Celie, I would pack my bags and get away from her father as soon as I would be able to. However, this isn't the case for Celie. Celie is a young individual who lives in South Africa and unfortunately not financially independent. This demonstrates that she cannot do as she wills and desires, because she has nothing and no where to run to. The setting of this story is realistic according to the way of life in Africa. Therefore, it gives the story a realistic touch and a reassurance that these events actually occur in real life. The setting has me engaged in the book due to the fact that I constantly have in mind that this is possibly happening to someone else. Furthermore, this aspect of the story helps readers connect to the world and gives more vivid interpretation on what will happen later in the novel.

        The author, Alice Walker, had already showcased the vulnerability of woman throughout the beginning of the story line very effectively. As of now, Celie is in a challenging position. She has been sexually harassed and is forced to keep quiet or face severe consequences. Celie is also now in a relationship that she is unhappy with and has no contact with her own beloved daughter, Olivia. I believe that Alice Walker will try to portray the struggles many females are forced to face by showing Celie’s journey throughout her life. Celie gave up many hopes and dreams she had for herself, and hopefully she moves past the obstacles to show how she can be independent and is not an object.

         Celie being the narrator of the novel causes us to feel sympathetic towards her because she is depicting her side and view of the story. Celie dealing with tragic events gives readers a negative view of the story because of what she explains that occurs in her life. This causes readers to feel angry and irritated because of her feeling lonely and upset. This novel will give the audience a negative tone due to the fact that characters in the novel are not respecting Celie’s rights as a human. All in all, I believe this novel is so far engaging and will have me go through various emotions reading about Celie’s journey in life.  

First Impressions- Jeffrey Pan

By: Jeffrey Pan

The Color Purple is a novel written by Alice Walker. It focuses on the events and life of Celie, an African American woman living in the United States in a time of sexism and racism. This topic interested me as the reader gets to see through the perspective of a person living through this situation, instead of the perspective of a historian, or omniscient narrator. I compared the perspective Celie to my perspective in modern times and discovered major differences in way of life, gender roles, and overall human rights. This interests me more as I  get to experience an extremely different lifestyle.

Instead of chapters, the novel is separated into letters to God, which I found quite interesting. This makes the novel feel like a diary, and conveys a sentimental mood. Celie is the protagonist as well as the narrator, so it is told in first person. The speaker’s attitude, or tone in the novel appears to be very confessional and direct, maybe even blunt. I did not enjoy the tone very much as it becomes quite boring at times. Celie is completely honest and straightforward with her opinions in her letters, which again makes the novel feel like a diary. Though many novels are written in third person, I did not find it unusual to find this book written in this perspective and format, because I just recently finished Flowers For Algernon, a novel that is also in first person perspective, and has similar formatting.

At the very beginning of the novel, the reader gets a clear idea of the context, as we are exposed to the physical and sexual assaulting of Celie by her father. I understand the author’s idea of putting something so dramatic in the first few pages, to grab our attention and keep us reading, as well as introducing the type of harsh treatment Celie had to endure on a regular basis. This captured my attention and made me think about the gender roles the people in this time period had. I was somewhat disturbed by the language used, because of how blunt and direct it was, but it gave me a clear perspective of the pain and suffering Celie goes through.

One of the first things that caught my attention was the language used; the spelling was a bit off, some of the grammar was wrong, and slang was used. For example, Celie does not use quotation marks to show dialogue, but instead writes “He/She say”  The use of these mechanics helped me further understand the setting and context of the novel, because we learn that Celie is uneducated. The language and grammar was quite confusing and difficult to read at first, but was intriguing nonetheless. Though the usage of these mechanics is creative, I found that some parts were quite disappointing and frustrating to read, because of Celie’s limited ability to narrate her own life.

The protagonist of The Color Purple is Celie. She appears to be a very passive and submissive character. This is demonstrated when she is physically and sexually abused by her father, and later husband, but does nothing to stop this. I believe she does this because she is scared that she will be punished further for standing up for herself. At first I began to question her passiveness, but then felt sympathetic for her as I realized her situation at that time period. I believe her abusive upbringing affects her character greatly, and I predict that the story will focus on her development into a stronger, more confident character.

Mr.____, Celie’s abusive husband appears to be an important character. Though they are married, he does not treat Celie like a human being. This is demonstrated when he looks at Celie “like he looking at the earth.” I dislike his characteristics, as he treats his own wife like a slave. Though he is a negative influence on Celie at the moment, I believe that he will play a great role in her development as a character.  I was confused at first about his name, but I have to come to the conclusion that Celie wrote his name as Mr. ____ to demonstrate that his real name is not important, but to symbolize something greater, not just one specific man.

Shug Avery appears to be Celie’s character foil, she is pretty, confident and well-dressed, unlike Celie. She is also the character the leads me to believe that Celie’s future will change. My first impression of Shug is positive, and I believe that Shug will have a great influence over Celie, and that Ceie will change for the better.

After reading the first twenty pages of the novel, I look forward to the development of Celie as a character. I hope she becomes more independent and confident about herself. I am also anticipating the effect of gender roles on the characters in their society, as well as the development in conflict between Mr.___ and Celie. In conclusion, the creative plot has me interested and I will continue reading the novel with a positive attitude.