 We assess the impact of the Pulitzer prize-winning novel twenty-five years on.
'The Color Purple' by Alice Walker was published 25 years ago, earning its author, Alice Walker, both the Pulitzer Prize and the American Book Award. Set in the deep American south between the wars, the novel tells the story of Celie, who at 14 years old is raped by her stepfather, becomes pregnant and begins writing letters to God. Celie loses both her children and gets married off to a man, only referred to as ‘Mr’, who beats her. She is separated from her sister Nettie, who goes to Africa to become a missionary, and her life only changes when she meets the glamorous singer Shug Avery, who is her husband’s long-term mistress. Gradually, through her relationship with Shug, Celie learns to take charge of her own life.
'The Color Purple' has sold 5 million copies, has been translated into 25 languages, and made into a film directed by Steven Spielberg. Author Malorie Blackman and critic Margaret Busby discuss its enduring appeal.
The 25th anniversary copy of 'The Color Purple' by Alice Walker is published by Weidenfeld and Nicolson, ISBN: 978-0-297-85335-0. |
