Comment at the halfway point of The Color Purple. Due: September 12th, 2013
Quote a particular line or passage from somewhere in the first half of the book that feels important to the text, and explain why it feels important. Also, please feel free to ask questions, as many of you did in your first posting. (Make sure to cite the quotation's page number.)
Quote a particular line or passage from somewhere in the first half of the book that feels important to the text, and explain why it feels important. Also, please feel free to ask questions, as many of you did in your first posting. (Make sure to cite the quotation's page number.)
In addition to your initial response, you are encouraged to enter into a discussion with your classmates and respond to their posts as well.
As the book progressed, I found that reading it became easier and easier. That could be because I devoted literally all of my free time to it. Also, on page 100 and for the next chapter, did eight years just pass? It says Sofia was in the wash house for three years and then did not see her children for another five.
ReplyDeleteI think a really important line is on page 117. "Dear God, This the letter I been holding in my hand." he line itself is not really important if it stands alone, but the symbolism is. That was the first of many letters that Celie reads from her sister, which is a very important part of the book. In context, it also shows how Mr._____ dominated her life. He did not give her any of the letters that were addressed to her. And then the letter that follows is so full of hope, something this depressing book desperately needed.
I feel that as the book progresses, and I get used to the way the author writes, the book is easier to read. I was surprised that Celie's sister was still alive; I had not foreseen that and thought, along with Celie, that Nettie was dead.
ReplyDeleteI think an important line in the first part of the book is on page 120 when Celie says: "I stutter. I mutter to myself. I stumble bout the house crazy for Mr.______ blood. In my mind, he falling dead every which a way." I think this is an important line because, in my opinion, it shows that Celie is willing to give up her life of following the rules of the church just because Mr._____ kept the letters from Nettie to himself. I think that Celie's way of thinking during this part of the book shows how much family means to people. It also shows how much Celie relied on her sister for support.
I like the thoughts you put at the end of your blog. I had not thought of them in that particular way. Neat ideas George.
DeleteGood line, George. Your points make sense to me. As I read your quoted line, I also hear a little more power in Celie's voice than I did in the earlier pages, so it feels like a good example of her increased sense of self.
DeleteI am really enjoying this book! I agree with George and Julio- as the book goes on it becomes easier to read (I'm used to how the author writes). A big question I had was: I wondered about Harpo and his relationship with Sofia. They seem to fight a lot, and Harpo tries to use force with her, but it does not seem to work. I wondered if their relationship will become something better, or if it will fall apart. It seems like their relationship did fall apart, and I was surprised by that.
ReplyDeleteI really like Shug Avery and I find her to be the most interesting character, out of everyone. Her story interests me the most, and her relationship with Celie. "I won't leave, she say, until I know Albert won't even think about beating you" (75). Shug came into Celie's life, and changed it. Shug helped to make it more bearable for Celie. She helped Celie see who she really was, and she tried to stop Albert's abusive ways.
I also like Shug Avery. I feel as though she is one of the most inspirational characters in the book. She went from sleeping with every man she could to being rich and famous, which not very many people can do. She also advocates for Celie to Albert and helps Celie when she is down on herself.
DeleteAfter reaching the midpoint, I found myself asking a question I thought I had answered in the beginning of the book. When does this book take place? I have narrowed it down to a general time frame, but I still do not know exactly. In the beginning, I thought it was taking place during the civil war, or shortly after, but then they mentioned cars. So then I moved my estimate to about the 1920’s-30’s. I think that is about right, but I’m not sure.
ReplyDeleteI found a quote (on page 118), that seems important to the plot of the book: “Shug say, She wouldn’t be someplace with funny stamps, you don’t reckon? She look like she studying. Say, Sometimes when Albert and me walk up to the mailbox there be a letter with a lot of funny looking stamps. He never say nothing bout it, just put it in his inside pocket”
That quote seemed important to me because it gives the reader a sense of where how far away the letters are coming from. By this point, the reader has assumed that these letters are from Nettie. Seeing that the letters have numerous stamps on them, tells the reader that they were sent from farther away than the continental United States. The fact that they are “funny”, presumably with some African designs or photos on them, also indicates that Nettie is writing from another country. The reader does not have this confirmed until later in the book, when Nettie writes to Celie about leaving for Africa to become a missionary.
This book has been getting better and better. I cannot wait to see how it ends, and I am curious about Nettie and Celie, and if they meet each other again.
It would have to be after 1908, the year the model T ford came out. Before then, cars didn't have reverse, and on page 105, she is trying to show Miz Millie how to back up the car. It does mention Sophie Tucker, who was in her prime from the late 1910s to the early 1930s...and it mentions Duke Ellington, who was famous from the 1920s onward. So, you're right. Probably around the 30s or 20s.
DeleteAfter reaching the midpoint, I found myself asking a question I thought I had answered in the beginning of the book. When does this book take place? I have narrowed it down to a general time frame, but I still do not know exactly. In the beginning, I thought it was taking place during the civil war, or shortly after, but then they mentioned cars. So then I moved my estimate to about the 1920’s-30’s. I think that is about right, but I’m not sure.
ReplyDeleteI found a quote (on page 118), that seems important to the plot of the book: “Shug say, She wouldn’t be someplace with funny stamps, you don’t reckon? She look like she studying. Say, Sometimes when Albert and me walk up to the mailbox there be a letter with a lot of funny looking stamps. He never say nothing bout it, just put it in his inside pocket”
That quote seemed important to me because it gives the reader a sense of where how far away the letters are coming from. By this point, the reader has assumed that these letters are from Nettie. Seeing that the letters have numerous stamps on them, tells the reader that they were sent from farther away than the continental United States. The fact that they are “funny”, presumably with some African designs or photos on them, also indicates that Nettie is writing from another country. The reader does not have this confirmed until later in the book, when Nettie writes to Celie about leaving for Africa to become a missionary.
This book has been getting better and better. I cannot wait to see how it ends, and I am curious about Nettie and Celie, and if they meet each other again.
"The Color Purple" has really captured my attention because every prayer and vignette always makes me want to read the next one. I also agree that it has gotten much easier to read and understand this book mostly likely because we are half way through the book, so we have learned to adapt to the authors style of writing. All though we are half way, there are still some things in the book that I don't understand; like how how we know the age of the characters like Celie ,and also I don't full understand Shugs background story. This quote "I don't know the Albert that don't dance, can't hardly laugh, never talk bout nothing, beat you and hid your sister Nettie's letters. Who he?"I think is a very important text in the for coming chapters of this book because it shows the confusions of Shug and Cecile. How can a man who did all these things turn to such a horrible person who beat people and hid what's most important to them.
ReplyDeleteI like how you refer to the chapters as "prayer[s] and vignette[s]." I had thought of them as letters, but your terms ring true, too.
DeleteI am confused. This book, to me, is very unnecessarily confusing. By the sounds of it, it is just me that feels this way, and so I am not sure what I am doing wrong. For example on page 91, I have no idea how many people "Mr._____" are. I feel that It might of been a neat way to start the book not using last names, but to keep it going throughout the book is just building more and more confusion for me. Please don't get me wrong; I love books, and I read tons of them, but i just can't get into this book.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I feel like not introducing last names at this point in the book is kinda ridiculous. I frequent get confused with this as well, although it has gotten (somewhat) easier.
DeleteAt first I thought she did not want to give the people who were hurting her a name and she did that by leaving it blank. But at some point, most of them get a first name who she calls them by. That helps define who they are. So I really don't know why she does it. I can appreciate it as a writing style, but I think it is pointless at this point.
DeleteBut do we need to know his last name? I'm personally fine with not knowing it. I don't know if it really matters at all...
DeleteAfter reading half of the book, I feel like the plot has lightened up a bit in that Celie has hope. She has met a few inspirational woman sense she married Mr._____. I agree with everyone that the book has gotten easier to read and understand as I get used to the voice Walker puts into the letters and prayers. Shug becomes a very sisterly figure in Celie's life, especially after Celie finds out that Mr._____ has been keeping all of Nettie's letters from her. Shug looks after Celie and makes sure that she doesn't act on this by killing Mr._____. "Us sleep like sisters, me and Shug (Walker 146)." Celie and Shug have made a very intimate and living relationship. I feel that this line shows the importance of Shug in Celie's life. They have become so close, they are almost sexual. I am curious to see how their relationship continues.
ReplyDelete"Everybody say how good I is to Mr._________ children. I be good to them. But I don’t feel nothing for them. Patting Harpo back not even like patting a dog. It more like patting another piece of wood. Not a living tree, but a table, a chifferobe. Anyhow, they don’t love me neither, no matter how good I is." (29)
ReplyDeleteThis piece of text is important because it shows how emotionally devoid Celie is. They're (Mr.______, Harpo, and the kids) lack of love and compassion for her has causes her to not love or care about them back. She's only good to his kids because she has to be, but she doesn't love them at all. It's sad both ways. It's sad that Celie doesn't receive any thought, but at the same time, it's sad for Mr._______'s children. From my understanding, he doesn't seem like a very compassionate father, and the fact that Celie cares nothing for them doesn't help either. This quote helps explain the lack of emotion, and bit of despair that I think this book has.
Getting farther into this book was easier than beginning it. I've sorted out the characters, and I'm understanding the plot. Still, it's been a little dull, but I have faith that it will get better soon!
Your right. Celie seems to be accepting of what happens to her, except when she found her sister's letters were being held. It seems that Celie observing all of the events that occur around her from own world.
DeleteI agree with some of the things Finbar said. It must be hard for Mr._____'s children because he doesn't really show them any love. Probably because they were not the children he had by Shug, whom he loved extremely.
DeleteAnd also, a chifferobe? Is that a southern thing because I remember it being a big part of To Kill a Mocking Bird.
One quote from the book that seemed very important was on page 124, when Celie finds out that all her sister’s letters are in Albert’s trunk. “You’ve got to fight and get away from Albert. He ain’t no good.” This definitely adds a little of a goal to the book. It will be interesting to see if she follows through with what her sister recommends. It also, as Julio said, adds a little hope to this book, which has been mostly depressing letters. In fact it is been getting even more depressing as the book goes on, up until now. I have to admit I was having a hard time getting into the book, but now I think it will be easier to read. Also, like most of the people reading this book, it is getting easier to understand the unusual writing style, but I still need to re-read some of the letters.
ReplyDeleteA quote that I thought was important to the book was on page 144, when Shug was talking to Celie. "Can you handle it? ast Shug. How I'm gon keep from killing him, I say. Don't kill, she say. Nettie be coming home before long." this was an important piece because it really tests Celie's urges. It brings up future possibilities; Would she ever actually kill Albert? Would she go against what Shug advised? Will she believe Shug that Nettie is coming home, eventually? I think it is good to ponder possibilities.
ReplyDeleteI am still adapting to the writing style of this book. I've found the book more interesting that now we can also read the letters Nettie was writing to Celie after all this time. It brings more perspective to what's actually happening. Nettie’s letters also bring a view of the time period but from a different setting, in Africa. I’m still not sure how that’s going to tie into the rest of the book.
I agree with you about the letters from Africa. I feel that there are other ways to get the same idea across, but it they are a lot less confusing. That being said, everyone writes different and it is interesting to read this book.
DeleteA chifferobe is really a term for a wardrobe. It is a large piece of furniture with both a place for hanging clothes and drawers.
ReplyDelete