Fever

Last but definitely not least, The Color Purple was banned for racism. Although Racism was a big part of life in the South, it is still very controversial. Many critics also still can’t see why, eventhough hundreds of years after slavery was abolished, it still is discussed and incorporated in authors like Alice Walker. She does mention slavery often, as well as racism.

Also, in An InterviewWith Alice Walker (by seeingblack.com), it says about the criticism on her award winning book: “…some took it as validation for the Black feminist voice, while others said that the awards only provedthat Black women writers were being awarded for bashing Black men.” That’s just the reason this book was challenged in 1995, in Junction City, because of “negative image of black men,” In truth, mostof the men in the book, such as Celie’s husband Albert and her “father” are abusive and cruel.

An example of its banning for this reason was when it was challenged in Oakland California for“troubling ideas about race relations.”, as well as sexual content. Some of these “race relations” that might be “troubling” can be found on pages 82-83:
“All those children, say the mayor’s wife…say, andsuch strong white teef… Miss Millie finger the children some more…”

In this passage, the Mayor’s wife treats African Americans like they were animals to buy and fuss over. For example, she wasexamining their teeth the way one would a horse. This unjust behavior many would prefer not to read about.

Yet another passage of racism is found on page 99, when Sophia, Celie’s daughter in law worksfor a white girl:
“I’m sitting where I always sit, I [Sophia] say. That’s the problem, she say. Have you even seen a white person and a colored sitting side by side in a car, when one of ’em isn’tshowing the other how to drive or clean it?”

If an African American were to read this, they might feel offended, because it’s demeaning to their ancestors. It might also be controversial that...