Purple is the color!

 Alice Walker’s The Color Purple is told through a series of letters. This method of writing is called epistolary. Although this style of writing is undeniably intriguing, it has other positive and negative affects on the reader. While this system accurately explains the protagonist’s point of view and aspects of her personality, it also prevents the reader from seeing an unbiased perspective. The letters provide another view of Celie’s growth throughout the novel, via content and whom the letters are addressed to.

 

Every entry within The Color Purple reveals a little more about Celie’s character. Through her writing the reader gets a basic understanding of her intelligence. Celie misspells words and has only a vague understanding of proper grammar.  Celie talks about how Columbus arrived on the “Santamareater (19)” and writes sentences like, “Sofia right about her sisters (69).” This writing is juxtaposed against Nettie’s letters to Celie, which use proper grammar, a higher vocabulary, and correct spelling. This further reiterates Celie’s unfortunate circumstances contrasted with Nettie’s opportunities. While these contrasts are undeniable, the content of the letters shows a mutual understanding if pain, suffering, and hope.

 

The person Celie addresses the letters to gives the reader an idea of her progression throughout the novel. During most of the novel Celie addresses her letters to God. Celie is scared and alone. God acts as a last resort for a confidant. Once Celie finds out Nettie is alive, she writes to her. Celie writes, “ I don’t write to God no more. I write to you (175).” This transition shows Celie’s personal growth and understanding. Celie no longer needs to write to a white male who doesn’t seem to care about her. Celie now has hope and a confidant in and outside of the letters who responds with love and understanding. She begins to deal with her feelings of bitterness that have been developing since the first page of the novel. Finally, Celie writes “Dear God, dear stars, dear trees, dear sky, dear peoples, dear everything, dear God (249)” This represents Celie’s complete life fulfillment and spiritual satisfaction. Celie now sees God everywhere and her situation is so fortunate she wants everything (God) to know about it.

 

Unfortunately, the perspective of celie’s letters makes it impossible for the reader to understand anything more than Celie does. There is no overlooking via explaining what is happening and allowing the reader to infer conclusions. The reader is only given Celie’s knowledge. Celie’s perspective may be biased or at least not reveal any more than Celie chooses too. For instance, the reader doesn’t know how often Mr. beats Celie or if Celie’s romance with Shug is constant. Only what is important to Celie is revealed.

 

Epistolary writing format is unusual and therefore interesting. It gives the reader a protagonist’s centered point of view with no option for outside influence. This method creates a closeness to the protagonist few others could match. While the reader is left with less knowledge about Celie’s actual situation, her thoughts are almost completely known. The reader, essentially, is Celie’s confidant and there is no better way to understand a character than to know her inner most thoughts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Walker, Alice. The Color Purple  New York: Pocket Books, 1982