African-American-Literature-II

AfricanAmericanLiteratureRecentAfricanAmericanliteratureBriefIntroductionBeginninginthe1970s,AfricanAmericanliteraturereachedthemainstreamasbooksbyBlackwriterscontinuallyachievedbest-sellingandaward-winningstatus.Representatives:AliceWalkerandToniMorrisonAliceWalkerAliceWalkerisanAmericannovelist,short-storywriter,poet,essayist,andactivist.Hermostfamousnovel,TheColorPurple,wasawardedthePulitzerPrizeandtheNationalBookAwardin1983.•AliceWalker'screativevisionisrootedintheeconomichardship,racialterrorism,andfolkwisdomofAfricanAmericanlifeandculture,particularlyintheruralSouth.AliceWalkerHerwritingexploresmultidimensionalkinshipsamongwomen,amongmenandwomen,amonghumansandanimalsandembracestheredemptivepowerofsocial,spiritualandpoliticalrevolution.BriefIntroductiontheyoungestoftheeightchildrenAttheage8,Shewasaccidentallywoundedinoneeyeandpermanentlyblind.•However,shecametorealizethathertraumaticinjuryhadsomevalue:itallowedhertobeginreallytoseepeopleandthings,reallytonoticerelationshipsandtolearntobepatientenoughtocareabouthowtheyturnedout”.•Intheearly1960'sAliceWalkermetMartinLutherKingandbecameanactivistfortheCivilRightsMovement.TheColorPurpleTheColorPurpleisanacclaimed1982epistolarynovelbyAmericanauthorAliceWalker.Itreceivedthe1983PulitzerPrizeforFictionandtheNationalBookAward.Itwaslateradaptedintoafilmandmusicalofthesamename.TheColorPurpleTakingplacemostlyinruralGeorgia,thestoryfocusesonfemaleblacklifeduringthe1930sintheSouthernUnitedStates,addressingthenumerousissuesintheblackfemalelife,includingtheirexceedinglylowpositioninAmericansocialculture.PlotSummaryIttellsthestoryofCelie,aBlackwomanintheSouth.CeliewritesletterstoGodinwhichshetellsaboutherlife--herrolesasdaughter,wife,sister,andmother.•Inthecourseofherstory,CeliemeetsaseriesofotherBlackwomenwhoshapeherlife:Nettie,Celie'ssister,whobecomesamissionaryteacherinAfrica;ShugAvery,theBluessingerherhusband“Mr.”isinlovewith,andwhobecomesCelie'ssalvation.•Throughoutthestory,however,Celieisthecenterofthiscommunityofwomen,theonewholearnshowtosurvive.AnalysisTheprotagonist---CelieAsayounggirl,Celieisconstantlysubjectedtoabuseandtoldsheisugly.Shedecidesthereforethatshecanbestensurehersurvivalbymakingherselfsilentandinvisible.Celie'sletterstoGodareheronlyoutletandmeansofself-expression.Celiedoeslittletofightbackagainstherstepfather,Alphonso.Laterinlife,whenherhusband,Mr.,abusesher,shereactsinasimilarlypassivemanner.Celieisavoicelessgirl.AnalysisCelielatchesontoShugAvery,abeautifulandseeminglyempoweredwoman,asarolemodel.AfterShugmovesintoCelieandMr.'shome,Celiehastheopportunitytobefriendthewomanwhomshelovesandtolearn,atlast,howtofightback.Shug'smaternalproddinghelpsspurCelie'sdevelopment.Gradually,Celierecoversherownhistory,sexuality,spirituality,andvoice.AnalysisNettie'slong-lostletters,whichCeliediscoverswithShug'shelphiddeninMr.'strunk,fortifyCelie'ssenseofselfbyinformingherofherpersonalhistoryandofthefateofherchildren.Asherlettersshow,Celiegraduallygainstheabilitytosynthesizeherthoughtsandfeelingsintoavoicethatisfullyherown.Celie'sprocessoffindingherownvoiceculminateswithherenragedexplosionatMr.,inwhichshecurseshimforhisyearsofabuseandabasement.Mr.respondsinhischaracteristicinsultingmanner,buthisput-downshavenopoweronceCeliepossessesthesenseofself-worthshepreviouslylacked.AnalysisTheself-actualizationCelieachievestransformsherintoahappy,successful,independentwoman.Celietakestheactofsewing,whichistraditionallythoughtofasamerechoreforwomenwhoareconfinedtoadomesticrole,andturnsitintoanoutletforcreativeself-expressionandaprofitablebusiness.Afterbeingvoicelessforsomanyyears,sheisfinallycontent,fulfilled,andself-sufficient.WhenNettie,Olivia,andAdamreturntoGeorgiafromAfrica,Celie'scircleoffriendsandfamilyisfinallyreunited.ThoughCeliehasenduredmanyyearsofhardship,shesays,“[D]on'tthinkusfeeloldatall....Matteroffact,Ithinkthistheyoungestuseverfelt.”Characters:ShugAveryShugAvery-AsultrybluessingerwhofirstappearsasMr.'smistress.OurfirstimpressionofShugisnegative.However,Shugisanindependentfigure,whorefusestoallowherselftobedominatedbyanyone.AsShug'srelationshipwithCeliedevelops,Shugfillstherolesofmother,confidant,lover,sister,teacher,andfriend.shenurturesCeliephysically,spiritually,andemotionally.ThemeI:ThePowerofNarrativeandVoiceWalkeremphasizesthroughoutthenovelthattheabilitytoexpressone'sthoughtsandfeelingsiscrucialtodevelopingasenseofself.Initially,Celieiscompletelyunabletoresistthosewhoabuseher.RememberingAlphonso'swarningthatshe“betternotnevertellnobodybutGod”abouthisabuseofher,Celiefeelsthattheonlywaytopersevereistoremainsilentandinvisible.Celieisessentiallyanobject,anentirelypassivepartywhohasnopowertoassertherselfthroughactionorwords.ThePowerofNarrativeandVoiceInShug,Celielearnslessonsthatenablehertofindhervoice.ShugshowsCeliethatshecancreateherownnarrative,anewinterpretationofherselfandherhistorythatcounterstheinterpretationsforceduponher.Walkerclearlywishestoemphasizethepowerofnarrativeandspeechtoassertselfhoodandresistoppression,Theme