53 pages • 1 hour read
Alice WalkerThe Color Purple
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1982A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
The Color Purple by Alice Walker follows Celie, a poor, Black woman in the early 20th century South, as she writes letters to God detailing her journey from abuse and oppression to self-discovery and empowerment through faith, relationships, and creativity. Sensitive topics include sexual and physical violence.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Alice Walker's The Color Purple is lauded for its deep emotional resonance and powerful themes of resilience and sisterhood. Critics praise its authentic voice and compelling character development. However, some find the epistolary format challenging and the graphic content difficult to read. Overall, it's celebrated as a poignant and transformative narrative.
Who Should Read The Color Purple?
Readers who appreciate The Color Purple by Alice Walker often enjoy emotionally profound narratives about resilience, race, and female empowerment. They may also be drawn to books like Beloved by Toni Morrison and Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston which explore similar themes.
RecommendedReading Age
18+yearsLexile Level
HL670LBook Details
Gender / Feminism
Race / Racism
American Literature
African American Literature
Modern Classic Fiction
Identity: Femininity
Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Society: Colonialism