Blog #5 Personal Review
The Color Purple is a great book for those who have free time in short sporadic segments. The set up of the book is conducive to reading in short portions, and can fit into anyone’s busy life. At first the diction and language is a little bit hard to comprehend, since she uses phonetic spelling and a specifically ethnic jargon, but once one gets used to it, it is a joy to read. There is a range of lifestyles that are openly discussed and portrayed. From homosexual desires to rape and polyamory, The Color Purple deals with many subjects that were socially taboo when the book was published. Alice Walker gives life and normalcy to the uncommon and keeps an appropriate and respectful tone throughout the book. As is expected, with these subjects comes a wide range of emotions, which are real (albeit hyperbolized) things that people feel everyday of their lives. Even with its odd situational content, the book remains relatable, and invites its reader to feel for the characters the way one would feel for people in one’s life. The pure rawness of the words and honesty with which the book divulges its plot creates an authentic story that feels as well as sounds real to the reader. Throughout the novel the sensitive reader will laugh cry and feel desire, even the emotionally closed reader would have to recognize the extraordinary content.
Although the set up of the book is good for those who have small amounts of time to read, it can also be hard to track. Ideas and situations switch from letter to letter, even time periods switch between Nettie and Cecile’s letters. The added difficulty of understanding the unusual diction and jargon can be daunting at first, but after one gets used to it, it becomes barely noticeable, only those with a severe need to correct grammar will be the least bit bothered. It is not the most intellectual read out there, but it has more emotional and moral content than most books that are out there. As long as one does not have an aversion to sad and painful situations, this book comes with a strong recommendation from me.