CIA-3
The Color Purple
Importance of colour in
the novel
-Komal
Gupta
II PSEnglish
1313232
II PSEnglish
1313232
Introduction
Alice
Walker’s ‘The Color Purple’ weaves an intricate mosaic of women joined by their
love for each other, the men who abuse them and the children they care for.
The
story narrates the life of a black woman, Celie, and the letters she writes to God and her
sister Nettie. She recounts the events in her life and the events in the life
of people around her.
Importance of colour
The
significance of colours is evident from the title itself. Special significance
is attached to the purple colour.Later we find out that Celie begins
associating the colour purple with God.
The
author attaches colour to the moments of freedom that each of the characters
experience.
An
important theme which is prevalent in the text is racism. Hence, the colour of skin and the treatment
they get because of it, affects the characters deeply.
The
author also attaches colours to the characterization.
Red
When Shug is presented for the first time, she is seen as a colourful character, at the same time, is strong and complicated. Celie sees her in a photograph with heavy make-up and a bright red dress on and is immediately drawn to her. Seeing her like that, Celie found Shug to be seductive and confident.
The first time Celie notices colour is in relation to Shug. This can be interpreted in one way that Shug brought colour into Celie’s life. After Shug’s entry, Mr.___ stops abusing Celie and she is able to stand up for herself.
Red
When Shug is presented for the first time, she is seen as a colourful character, at the same time, is strong and complicated. Celie sees her in a photograph with heavy make-up and a bright red dress on and is immediately drawn to her. Seeing her like that, Celie found Shug to be seductive and confident.
The first time Celie notices colour is in relation to Shug. This can be interpreted in one way that Shug brought colour into Celie’s life. After Shug’s entry, Mr.___ stops abusing Celie and she is able to stand up for herself.
Brown
Celie is not given the choice to dress in colours she prefers.Her dressing sense resembles her situations, that is, she wears earthy, dull colours such as brown, dark blue etc. She is also given only such colour options when she goes out for shopping with Kate for a new dress because Kate doesn’t think Mr. ___will want to pay for her preferred red or purple because they look "too happy”.
Yellow
Later when Sofia and Celie make a quilt, they use Shug’s bright yellow dresses. There is an evident contrast between the freedom given to Shug and to Celie and it shows who Mr.___ is inclined to.When Mary Agnes (Squeak) first starts composing and singing, her songs are about colours. For example, she sings “they call me yellow/like yellow be my name”. As Mary Agnes tries to find herself, apart from just the colour of her skin, she tries finding the colour of her personality, her inner self. These colours give her the strength and the voice to sing.
Pink
Celie is not given the choice to dress in colours she prefers.Her dressing sense resembles her situations, that is, she wears earthy, dull colours such as brown, dark blue etc. She is also given only such colour options when she goes out for shopping with Kate for a new dress because Kate doesn’t think Mr. ___will want to pay for her preferred red or purple because they look "too happy”.
Yellow
Later when Sofia and Celie make a quilt, they use Shug’s bright yellow dresses. There is an evident contrast between the freedom given to Shug and to Celie and it shows who Mr.___ is inclined to.When Mary Agnes (Squeak) first starts composing and singing, her songs are about colours. For example, she sings “they call me yellow/like yellow be my name”. As Mary Agnes tries to find herself, apart from just the colour of her skin, she tries finding the colour of her personality, her inner self. These colours give her the strength and the voice to sing.
Pink
Though
pink has always traditionally been the stereotypical colour for the female and
her naivety, this idea is somewhat played on in The Color Purple. Both
Shug Avery and Alphonso’s fifteen-year-old girlfriend Daisy are associated with
pink, and given the personalities of these two women pink is more a symbol of
power than of vulnerability.
Blue
After Celie leaves Mr.___ and starts her business of making pants, she starts dressing in light colours such as white and lighter shades of blue. This marks Celie’s transformation.
Blue
After Celie leaves Mr.___ and starts her business of making pants, she starts dressing in light colours such as white and lighter shades of blue. This marks Celie’s transformation.
White
Celie, a very religious person believed that God was a man. He was pure since wore white clothes and was white himself. She believes this could be the reason why God was not answering her prayers. After Shug's interpretation of spirituality. Celie started believing God was an 'It' and attributed purple to it.
Since colours mark transformation of character, Mr.___’s transformation is seen through the colour white. After Celie comes back from Memphis to visit, she notices that Mr.___ had painted the whole house white. White symbolises peace and the house shows Mr.___’s acceptance of his fate.
Since colours mark transformation of character, Mr.___’s transformation is seen through the colour white. After Celie comes back from Memphis to visit, she notices that Mr.___ had painted the whole house white. White symbolises peace and the house shows Mr.___’s acceptance of his fate.
Purple
The most important colour in the novel is purple. Purple here is associated to God and spirituality. This colour also marks the transition of Celie from a young, feeble girl to a mature strong woman.
The most important colour in the novel is purple. Purple here is associated to God and spirituality. This colour also marks the transition of Celie from a young, feeble girl to a mature strong woman.
Shug
summarizes her religious philosophy to Celie; God is not some distant deity
living on high, but a genderless, race-less being that wants people to
appreciate and enjoy life. The colour purple represents all good things in life
that God has created for men and women to enjoy. Shug points specifically to
"the colour purple" (traditionally a colour of royalty) and wonders
how such a color could grow naturally and yet a really deep purple seems almost
to be black. The colour seems to be a rarity in nature. It as though the colour
itself was a manifestation of God.
According
to Shug, enjoying the beauty of creation means all of God’s creation, including
sex. Shug teaches Celie that enjoying life is exactly what God wants us to do;
it’s a way of expressing our love for God.
As Celie does learn to love life, she decorates her bedroom in her own home as all purple and red.
Conclusion
This novel perfectly exemplifies the role of colour in our lives and how it discreetly describes us.
The author inconspicuously attributes colours to the progress each character goes through. Hence, colours play an essential role in the novel.
As Celie does learn to love life, she decorates her bedroom in her own home as all purple and red.
Conclusion
This novel perfectly exemplifies the role of colour in our lives and how it discreetly describes us.
The author inconspicuously attributes colours to the progress each character goes through. Hence, colours play an essential role in the novel.
References
1.
CliffNotes. 2013. 24 August 2014.
<http://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/c/the-color-purple/book-summary>.
2.
Gradesaver. 2008 September 2008. 23 August 2014.
<http://www.gradesaver.com/the-color-purple/study-guide/major-themes/>.
3.
Shmoop. 11 November 2008. 24 August 2014.
<http://www.shmoop.com/color-purple/purple-symbol.html>.
4.
SparkNotes. 2014. 23 August 2014. <http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/purple/themes.html>.
5.
The Best Notes. 11 May 2008. 23 August 2014.
<http://thebestnotes.com/booknotes/Color_Purple/Color_Purple35.html>.
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