Hi all, I read the book 20 years ago. The affection for this book has always stayed with me. However, I am amazed how little I remembered of this book. So, re-reading becomes a fresh, new reading for me. The excitement, the enlightenment and the empowerment, all surfacing again. I hope your discovery of this book is a worthwhile experience to you.
Here are the homework: assuming you are one of the female characters --Celie, Nettie, Sophia, Shug, or Squeak-- introduce three or four "things" about you. Anything, comments, quotations, facts, experiences will do. It does not matter if we choose the same character, or say the same things. Bring your character with you.
Here are the questions:
1) Celie was said to be ugly; who said so, and how this has affected her?
2) What was Celie's life journey-- from pain, suffering, to love and independence? What was the key, defining moments?
3) Sophia was described as a strong and unbreakable. Had her "captivity" at the mayor's family changed her?
4) Shug was described by others as a tramp. What was her role in Celie's awakening?
5) What was the friendship like among the female characters?
6) Any male characters that we can discuss: Albert, Harpo, Pa...?
7) When you have no choice in a given situation, what would you do? (poverty, abuse, tragedies)
8) Any comments on the style, languages, philosophy of this book?
proposed agenda, for Xiaoying's approval:
1) Introduction (20 min) Liana
2) Homework (all, 20 min, each 2 min)
3) discussion (all, 20 min.)
4) Other, unrelated matters (25)
5) Adjourn
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Plot of Color Purple, from website
Plot summary
The story is told through a series of diary entries and letters. Celie is a poor, uneducated young woman who, at 14, is sexually abused and impregnated twice by a man she believes to be her father, Alphonso. After her children are taken away to "be with God," she is forced to marry a widower, with several children, who is physically abusive. At first, she is joined in her new home by her younger sister, Nettie, whom Celie's new husband had originally wanted to marry. After he attempts to seduce Nettie, she escapes, promising to write to Celie. As time passes, Celie assumes that Nettie is dead. In her writings, Celie refers to her husband as "Mr. ___." One of his sons, Harpo, falls in love with and marries a strong and physically imposing woman named Sofia. Though both Harpo and "Mr. ___" attempt to treat her as an inferior, Sofia fights back, sometimes even physically, and Celie is amazed by her defiance.
"Mr. ___" has a mistress, singer Shug (short for "Sugar") Avery, and she comes to live with the family because of her poor health. Like "Mr. __", Shug at first has little respect for Celie and the life she lives. She copies her lover, abusing Celie and adding to her humiliation. Celie initially feels threatened by this effervescent, liberated version of femininity, but she eventually realizes that she is sexually attracted to Shug. When Shug discovers that "Mr. ___" beats Celie, she decides to remain in the house in order to protect her.
After a few years of constant fighting, Sofia leaves Harpo , taking their children with her. At the same time, Celie and Shug become intimate and a strong bond grows between them. Shug helps Celie discover her sexuality as a woman and the two become lovers. When Sofia returns to town for a visit, she becomes involved in a fight with Harpo's new girlfriend, who is nicknamed "Squeak" because of her high-pitched voice. One day, the mayor’s wife, Miss Millie, asks Sofia to work as her maid. When Sofia declines with the words, "Hell, no," the mayor slaps Sofia. When she returns the blow, knocking the mayor down, she is arrested for hitting a white man. She is later sentenced to work for twelve years as the mayor's maid. The separation from her family and her freedom breaks her spirit.
Even after Shug marries a man called Grady, she and Celie continue their romantic relationship. One night, when Shug asks Celie about Nettie, Celie says that she believes her sister to be dead, since she had promised to write but Celie had never received any letters. Shug informs Celie that she has seen "Mr. ___" hide numerous mysterious letters in a trunk and suggests that they investigate. When they do so, they find dozens of letters written by Nettie to Celie over the years. These tell of Nettie's travels to Africa with a missionary couple, Samuel and Corrine, and their adopted children, Olivia and Adam. When Corrine becomes ill, Samuel tells Nettie how they came to adopt their children and that his wife has suspected that Nettie was their biological mother due to their resemblance. Nettie then learns that Olivia and Adam are Celie's long-lost children, and that she is the children's aunt. She also learns that Alphonso was not her and Celie's father but rather their stepfather. Their biological father, a store-owner, had been lynched by a mob of white men because they believed he was too successful. After Corrine's acceptance of Nettie's story, she dies, and Samuel and Nettie discover that they are deeply in love; they eventually marry.
Having read the letters and learned the truth about her children as well as her biological father, Celie visits Alphonso to confirm the story, which he does. Celie finds a new sense of empowerment, and at dinner one night she releases her pent-up anger at "Mr. ___", cursing him for the years of abuse that she has had to endure. Shug, Celie, and Squeak decide to move to Tennessee, where Celie begins a lucrative business designing and sewing tailored pants. She returns to Georgia for a visit and finds that not only has "Mr. ___" reformed himself and his ways, but Alphonso has died and all of his land now belongs to her. Celie decides to move back, relocating her business.
Meanwhile, Nettie and Samuel are preparing for their return to America. Adam falls in love with and marries an African girl named Tashi, who undergoes the painful rituals of female circumcision and facial scarring. Adam also goes through the facial scarring ritual in solidarity. Nettie writes to Celie to let her know that the family is on their way.
Celie is now an independent woman. Celie and "Mr. ___" eventually reconcile, and he begins to help her with her business, sewing with her as they sit on the porch. Sofia and Harpo remarry, and Sofia also works for Celie. Nettie and Samuel return with the children, and Celie and her sister are happily reunited.
The story is told through a series of diary entries and letters. Celie is a poor, uneducated young woman who, at 14, is sexually abused and impregnated twice by a man she believes to be her father, Alphonso. After her children are taken away to "be with God," she is forced to marry a widower, with several children, who is physically abusive. At first, she is joined in her new home by her younger sister, Nettie, whom Celie's new husband had originally wanted to marry. After he attempts to seduce Nettie, she escapes, promising to write to Celie. As time passes, Celie assumes that Nettie is dead. In her writings, Celie refers to her husband as "Mr. ___." One of his sons, Harpo, falls in love with and marries a strong and physically imposing woman named Sofia. Though both Harpo and "Mr. ___" attempt to treat her as an inferior, Sofia fights back, sometimes even physically, and Celie is amazed by her defiance.
"Mr. ___" has a mistress, singer Shug (short for "Sugar") Avery, and she comes to live with the family because of her poor health. Like "Mr. __", Shug at first has little respect for Celie and the life she lives. She copies her lover, abusing Celie and adding to her humiliation. Celie initially feels threatened by this effervescent, liberated version of femininity, but she eventually realizes that she is sexually attracted to Shug. When Shug discovers that "Mr. ___" beats Celie, she decides to remain in the house in order to protect her.
After a few years of constant fighting, Sofia leaves Harpo , taking their children with her. At the same time, Celie and Shug become intimate and a strong bond grows between them. Shug helps Celie discover her sexuality as a woman and the two become lovers. When Sofia returns to town for a visit, she becomes involved in a fight with Harpo's new girlfriend, who is nicknamed "Squeak" because of her high-pitched voice. One day, the mayor’s wife, Miss Millie, asks Sofia to work as her maid. When Sofia declines with the words, "Hell, no," the mayor slaps Sofia. When she returns the blow, knocking the mayor down, she is arrested for hitting a white man. She is later sentenced to work for twelve years as the mayor's maid. The separation from her family and her freedom breaks her spirit.
Even after Shug marries a man called Grady, she and Celie continue their romantic relationship. One night, when Shug asks Celie about Nettie, Celie says that she believes her sister to be dead, since she had promised to write but Celie had never received any letters. Shug informs Celie that she has seen "Mr. ___" hide numerous mysterious letters in a trunk and suggests that they investigate. When they do so, they find dozens of letters written by Nettie to Celie over the years. These tell of Nettie's travels to Africa with a missionary couple, Samuel and Corrine, and their adopted children, Olivia and Adam. When Corrine becomes ill, Samuel tells Nettie how they came to adopt their children and that his wife has suspected that Nettie was their biological mother due to their resemblance. Nettie then learns that Olivia and Adam are Celie's long-lost children, and that she is the children's aunt. She also learns that Alphonso was not her and Celie's father but rather their stepfather. Their biological father, a store-owner, had been lynched by a mob of white men because they believed he was too successful. After Corrine's acceptance of Nettie's story, she dies, and Samuel and Nettie discover that they are deeply in love; they eventually marry.
Having read the letters and learned the truth about her children as well as her biological father, Celie visits Alphonso to confirm the story, which he does. Celie finds a new sense of empowerment, and at dinner one night she releases her pent-up anger at "Mr. ___", cursing him for the years of abuse that she has had to endure. Shug, Celie, and Squeak decide to move to Tennessee, where Celie begins a lucrative business designing and sewing tailored pants. She returns to Georgia for a visit and finds that not only has "Mr. ___" reformed himself and his ways, but Alphonso has died and all of his land now belongs to her. Celie decides to move back, relocating her business.
Meanwhile, Nettie and Samuel are preparing for their return to America. Adam falls in love with and marries an African girl named Tashi, who undergoes the painful rituals of female circumcision and facial scarring. Adam also goes through the facial scarring ritual in solidarity. Nettie writes to Celie to let her know that the family is on their way.
Celie is now an independent woman. Celie and "Mr. ___" eventually reconcile, and he begins to help her with her business, sewing with her as they sit on the porch. Sofia and Harpo remarry, and Sofia also works for Celie. Nettie and Samuel return with the children, and Celie and her sister are happily reunited.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
由 Chris 想起的。。。。
谢谢Alice 给大家机会分享自己感受和体会，这真是一本会让你再次思索人生的书。。。。
Chris 的追求精神固然可嘉，不过有些做法本人却不敢苟同，假如大家做事都没有一个“度”，那整个社会将是一个什么样子？不过这也许正是他不同寻常的地方，文化大革命时我们很多人都抛弃一切大串连，那是因为受大局势大潮流的影响，可Chris 却“逆流而上”不要别人想要的东西，走自己的路，Into the Wild...。。。。
由Chris 我又想起了Three Cups fo Tea 中的美国人Greg，也是一个登山者，他没有登上在巴基斯坦世界著名的 k2 山峰，却登上了另一座山峰：回那建立了当地第一所小学校，在十年中又建立了五十五所小学（特别为女孩），他也是没钱没住所对什么都不在乎的 "Rubber Tramps” (Into the Wilds), 但却如“士兵突击”中王宝强所说为世人“做有意义的事情”， Chris 和 Grag 都是 Extreme, 不过我个人更崇尚Grag。。。
http://www.ikat.org/ 是Grag 一个Centra Asia Institute 教育基金会的网站，tax-deductible，一美元可以维持一个孩子一个月在阿富汗和巴基斯坦的教育经费。
Chris 的追求精神固然可嘉，不过有些做法本人却不敢苟同，假如大家做事都没有一个“度”，那整个社会将是一个什么样子？不过这也许正是他不同寻常的地方，文化大革命时我们很多人都抛弃一切大串连，那是因为受大局势大潮流的影响，可Chris 却“逆流而上”不要别人想要的东西，走自己的路，Into the Wild...。。。。
由Chris 我又想起了Three Cups fo Tea 中的美国人Greg，也是一个登山者，他没有登上在巴基斯坦世界著名的 k2 山峰，却登上了另一座山峰：回那建立了当地第一所小学校，在十年中又建立了五十五所小学（特别为女孩），他也是没钱没住所对什么都不在乎的 "Rubber Tramps” (Into the Wilds), 但却如“士兵突击”中王宝强所说为世人“做有意义的事情”， Chris 和 Grag 都是 Extreme, 不过我个人更崇尚Grag。。。
http://www.ikat.org/ 是Grag 一个Centra Asia Institute 教育基金会的网站，tax-deductible，一美元可以维持一个孩子一个月在阿富汗和巴基斯坦的教育经费。
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
A book I really Like: Short (109 pages), Easy, and Practical
每个人都是赢家( Everybody Wins)
每对夫妻都会有意见不同的时候，可观点不同带来的争执并不能真正解决问题却常常演变成一场谁占上峰的争斗。也许你这次是赢了，可又怎样呢，难道你愿意和一个被你击败的人在一起生活吗？ Dr. Gary Chapman 给大家设计了一套让双方尽管有不同想法但却能和平共处的方案，让你学会倾听，也让对方感受到你的爱。他没有只是在理论上泛泛而谈，而是制定了一个非常具体可行的方案。Gary Chapman 是婚姻专家，一共出了将近二十本婚姻丛书，也在电台中播讲。另一本书叫“婚姻的四季”The Four Seasons of Marriage，怎样让婚姻多一些夏季和春季而少一些秋季和冬季。“五种爱的语言” The Five Love Languages，学习爱的技巧和语言。
http://www.hardcoverdeals.com/rel/v2_viewupc.php?storenr=334&upc=141430014X&affnr=-1
Thursday, March 13, 2008
An Online Book Club-- for your reference
The book club's March pick is In the Country of Men (在人之国度) by Hisham Matar。他的小说《In the Country of Men》以利比亚为背景，讲述了一个有关个人和政治镇压的故事。
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