El color purpura

THE COLOR PURPLE:
Type of novel:
• Historical fiction: It is fiction however it places us in the context where blacks where still discriminated
• Slave narrative: Celie is a slave where she lives.• Epistolary: Written as letters
• Confessional novel: She writes to god
• Bidungsroman:
• Folktale:
Characteristics:
• Realistic: it is believable
• Melodramatic: Exaggerated
• No specificreferences to historical facts, only hints. Focus of novel is not on historical details but on evolution of main characters.
• No dates on letters
• No ages of characters  their growth is moreimportant.
PLOT LINE:
• Exposition:
o Rural Georgia, farm community. Action takes place within a limited area for most of the novel.
o 1910 – 1940
o Protagonist: Celie
o Major conflict: Celie isverbally, physically, and sexually abused by men, leaving her with little sense of self-worth, no narrative voice and no one to run to.
• Inciting Incident: She is married to Mr.____.
• Rising action:Mainly events resulting from bonding with Shug. She teaches Celie about herself, sexuality, love, God and helps her find Nettie’s letters. These actions enable Celie to find a sense of self (identity)and her voice.
• Climax: Bolstered by the self-confidence she has gained through her relationship with Shug, Celie suddenly lashes
• Falling Action: Celie returns to Georgia as a successfulentrepreneur and finds that Mr. ____ has undergone a personal transformation. After Alphnso’s death, she inherits her family’s homw and welcomes the returning Nettie, Samuel, Olivia and Adam.
• Conclusion:Happy ending. How does Walker make everything turn out happily? Contrivances?
o Aim of novel is to INSPIRE, therefore, happy ending is needed.
CHARACTERS:
• Celie: Protagonist and co-narrator.
oShows evolution throughout novel
 Very short due to lack of vocabulary. She doesn’t know how to refer to things or to express her emotions. Eg. “He put his thing on me”
 The whole story is told...