[ENG/ESP] "The Color Purple" By Alice Walker - The Story That Inspired Steven Spielberg || El Color Púrpura By Alice Walker

With an opening as raw as it is shocking, Alice Walker takes us into a heartbreaking world, and from then on you can only lie in an excruciating loop of exuberant emotions.

I had the pleasure of reading this wonderful book thanks to my father, who gave it to me on loan and I never returned it, nor do I plan to return it. I confess. I am a crazy book snatcher. Woe betide anyone who wants to get them back. Woe to my father who in his infinite innocence entrusted his little girl with such a precious literary jewel.

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"The Color Purple " was published in 1982, awarded the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1983 and brought to the big screen by none other than, Stiven Spielberg by the hand of the very same, Alice, in '85.
Not bad, eh?

And yet, these 2 facts and one more award, do not do justice to such a work.

Without further ado, let's go into context... It's the beginning of the 20th century and this girl, Celie, 14 years old, as poor as ignorant, lives under the yoke of her father, who rapes and mistreats her. Faced with such circumstances, she writes letters to God. Yes. To God.

Condemned to live a miserable life, sodomized, enslaved and believing her children dead, she resigns herself to save her sister, Nettie, from the same fate. Mr.____, her father, marries her off to a vile man, Mr.____, recently widowed and desperate to delegate the burden of 4 creatures to someone else.

By this stretch of the story, I was so infected with Celie, that like the masochist that I am, I needed a denouement and an ending that hurt, burned and hurt. And it did. But not the way I expected.

Nettie enters the scene and pursuing the dream of a more just life and wishing to fulfill Celie's longing, she goes to Africa as a missionary with a Christian family, finding a life more fulfilling but no less devoid of injustice. And so for 40 years the life of women slaves of an archaic and misogynist society, which time after time, only raises the whip of injustice against the weakest, unfolds. Relief comes as relief in the form of revealing missives that arrive late, but just in time. Celie and Nettie share their discoveries, ephemeral joys and above all their sorrows.

Characters like Sophia, Harpo, Squeak, Tashi and Shug Avery, come to complement a story as afflictive as this one... But it is the latter, lover of Mr_____, Celie's husband, who arrives and revolutionizes everything, with the brilliance of her extravagances.

Finally, the advance of Celie's character is the climax of the story, because at some point, in the midst of all the suffering, he finally finds his light, in the discovery of sexuality, in the harmony of a melody, in the acceptance of love, in a pastime, in doubts, in the revelation and communion with God. In the color purple.

Issues such as physical and psychological violence, abuse of power, racism and child violence are addressed from Celie's innocent perspective and it is moving to read such detestable scenes, in such an enjoyable and fluid read.

Cheers to Alice Walker, who with neat simplicity gave the world an epistle that hurts and heals, like a sweet antidote to the most horrible disease of the soul.


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Con una apertura tan cruda como impactante, Alice Walker nos adentra en un mundo desgarrador, y de ahí en adelante solo puedes yacer en un bucle atroz de emociones exuberantes.

Tuve el placer de leer este maravilloso libro gracias a mi padre, quien me lo otorgó en préstamo y jamás devolví, y tampoco pienso devolver. Lo confieso. Soy una loca rapta libros. Pobre de aquel que quiera recuperarlos. Pobre de mi padre que en su infinita inocencia confió a su niña, una joya literaria tan preciada.

Fuente de Imagen

“El color púrpura” fue publicado en 1982, galardonado con el premio Pulitzer de ficción en 1983 y llevado a la gran pantalla por nada menos que, Stiven Spielberg de la mano de la mismísima, Alice, en el 85.
Nada mal, ¿eh?

Y aun así, estos 2 hechos y otro premio más, no le hacen justicia a tal obra.

Sin más, entremos en contexto… Corre el principio del siglo XX y esta niña, Celie, de 14 años, tan pobre como ignorante, vive bajo el yugo de su padre, quien la viola y la maltrata. Ante tales circunstancias, escribe cartas a Dios. Sí. A Dios.

Condenada a vivir una vida miserable, sodomizada, esclavizada y creyendo a sus hijos muertos, se resigna a salvar a su hermana, Nettie, del mismo destino. Mr.____, su padre, la casa con un hombre vil, Mr.____, recientemente viudo y desesperado por delegar la carga de 4 criaturas a alguien más.

En este tramo de la historia, me contagié a tal punto de Celie, que como la masoquista que soy, necesitaba un desenlace y un final que doliera, quemara y lastimara. Y así fue. Pero no como yo esperaba.

Nettie entra en escena y persiguiendo el sueño de una vida más justa y deseando cumplir el anhelo de Celie, se va a África de misionera con una familia cristiana, hallando una vida más plena pero no menos carente de injusticias. Y así durante 40 años se desarrolla la vida de mujeres esclavas de una sociedad arcaica y misógina, que vez tras vez, solo levanta el látigo de la injusticia, contra los más débiles. El alivio llega como desahogo plasmado en reveladoras misivas que llegan tarde, pero justo a tiempo. Celie y Nettie comparten sus descubrimientos, alegrías efímeras y sobre todo los pesares.

Personajes como Sophia, Harpo, Squeak, Tashi y Shug Avery, vienen a complementar una historia tan aflictiva como esta… Pero es esta última, amante de Mr_____, marido de Celie, quien llega y revoluciona todo, con el fulgor de sus extravagancias.

Finalmente, el avance del personaje de Celie es el climax de la historia, porque en algún punto, en medio de todo el sufrimiento, al fin el halla su luz, en el descubrimiento de la sexualidad, en la armonía de una melodía, en la aceptación del amor, en un pasatiempo, en las dudas, en la revelación y la comunión con Dios. En el color púrpura.

Temas como la violencia física y psicológica, el abuso de poder, el racismo y la violencia infantil son abordados desde la inocente perspectiva de Celie y resulta conmovedor leer escenas tan detestables, en una lectura tan amena y fluida.

Ovaciones a Alice Walker, que con sencillez prolija regaló al mundo, una epístola que duele y cura, como un dulce antídoto para la más horrorosa enfermedad del alma.


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oh wow, that is super interested. Alice Walker has tackled some of the topics that can get really complicated and controversial. I think if Steven Spielberg gets involved then you're the boss 😅. oooff, the starting of Celie's life is really disorientating, I'd have to go read this one.

Thank you for sharing.

I love the way Alice Walker focus with her works on the issues of racism, sexism, violence, African American culture and slavery. I admire her thoughts and struggles with it. Steven Spielberg's adaptation was up to par, he captured in that film his emotions about Celie's story and the different issues that are addressed in the book.

Thanks for your comment @stevenson7!

I totally get why you don't want to return the book. I read it for the first time when I was 15 and it really touched my soul. Now, 13 years later, I've read it more than 5 times..it's an amazing work ❤️

It is a great work that has many teachings in the struggle to defend and respect the rights of all human beings without distinction of race or gender. Thank you for sharing your comment with me!

I never read this book, but I really like the movie.

The film by Steven Spielberg was excellent. It shows the different themes on which the book focuses and makes us empathize and love the main character. Thank you for your visit @wiseagent!

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