文学作家作品之The Color Purple

TheColorPurple--ByAliceWalkerIntroductionMainCharactersSymbolismEpistolaryWritingStyleTheFemaleBondingAliceWalkerisanAmericannovelist,short-storywriter,poet,essayist,andactivist.AliceWalker‘screativevisionisrootedintheeconomichardship,racialterrorism,andfolkwisdomofAfricanAmericanlifeandculture,particularlyintheruralSouth.Herwritingexploresmultidimensional(多面的)kinshipamongwomen,amongmenandwomen,amonghumansandanimals,andembracestheredemptive(救赎的）powerofsocial,spiritualandpoliticalrevolution.IntroductionIntroductionWalkerwasborninEatonton,Georgia,theyoungestofeightchildren.Herfather,whowas,inherwords,wonderfulatmathbutaterriblefarmer,earnedonly$300ayearfromsharecroppinganddairyfarming,whilehermothersupplementedthefamilyincomebyworkingasamaid.LivingunderJimCrowLaws,Walker'smotherhadstruggledwithlandlordswhoexpectedthechildrenofblacksharecropperstoworkinthefieldsatayoungage.Whenshewasfouryearsold,Alicewasenrolledinthefirstgrade,ayearaheadofschedule.TheJimCrowlawswerestateandlocallawsintheUnitedStatesenacted(颁布)between1876and1965.Theymandated（批准）dejure（根据法律的）racialsegregationinallpublicfacilities,withasupposedlyseparatebutequalstatusforblackAmericans.Inreality,thisledtotreatmentandaccommodationsthatwereusuallyinferiortothoseprovidedforwhiteAmericans,systematizinganumberofeconomic,educationalandsocialdisadvantages.In1952,WalkerwasaccidentallywoundedintherighteyebyashotfromaBBgunfiredbyoneofherbrothers.Thenshewaspermanentlyblindinthateye,feltlikeanoutcastandsheturnedforsolace['sɒlɪs]toreadingandwritingpoetry.Shesubsequentlybecamevaledictorian（作告别演说者）andwasvotedmost-populargirl,aswellasqueenofherseniorclass,sherealizedthathertraumaticinjuryhadsomevalue:itallowedhertobeginreallytoseepeopleandthings,reallytonoticerelationshipsandtolearntobepatientenoughtocareabouthowtheyturnedout,asshehassaid.ActivismAliceWalkermetMartinLutherKingJr.whenshewasastudentatSpelmanCollegeinAtlantaintheearly1960s.WalkercreditsKingforherdecisiontoreturntotheAmericanSouthasanactivistfortheCivilRightsMovement.Sheattendedthefamous1963MarchonWashington.OnMarch8,2003,InternationalWomen'sDay,ontheeveoftheIraqWar,AliceWalker,MaxineHongKingston,authorofTheWomanWarrior,andTerryTempestWilliams,authorofAnUnspokenHungerwerearrestedalongwith24othersforcrossingapolicelineduringananti-warprotestrallyoutsidetheWhiteHouse.WalkerwroteabouttheexperienceinheressayWeAretheOnesWeHaveBeenWaitingFor.“InNovember2008,AliceWalkerwrote“AnOpenLettertoBarackObama”thatwaspublishedonTheroot.com.InMarch2009,AliceWalkertraveledtoGazaalongwithagroupof60otherfemaleactivistsfromtheanti-wargroupCodePink,inresponsetothecontroversialIsraelioffensiveofDecember2008-January2009.Thepurposeofthetripwastodeliveraid,tomeetwithNGOs(非政府组织）andresidents,andtopersuadeIsraelandEgypttoopentheirbordersintoGaza.SheplannedtovisitGazaagaininDecember2009toparticipateintheGazaFreedomMarchSelectawardsandhonorsPulitzerPrizeforFictionforColorPurple(1983)(firstblackwoman).NationalBookAward(Firstblackwoman)O.HenryAwardforKindredSpirits1985.HonoraryDegreefromtheCaliforniaInstituteoftheArts(1995)AmericanHumanistAssociationnamedherasHumanistoftheYear(1997)TheLillianSmithAwardfromtheNationalEndowmentfortheArtsTheRosenthalAwardfromtheNationalInstituteofArts&LettersTheRadcliffeInstituteFellowship,theMerrillFellowship,andaGuggenheimFellowshipTheFrontPageAwardforBestMagazineCriticismfromtheNewswoman'sClubofNewYorkInductiontotheCaliforniaHallofFameinTheCaliforniaMuseumforHistory,Women,andtheArts(2006)TheColorPurple(1982)Itreceivedthe1983PulitzerPrizeforFictionandtheNationalBookAward.Itwaslateradaptedintoafilmandmusicalofthesametime.TakingplacemostlyinruralGeorgia,thestoryfocusesonfemaleblacklifeduringthe1930sintheSouthernUnitedStates,addressingthenumerousissuesincludingtheirexceedinglylowpositioninAmericansocialculture.IntroductionSettingAstheoutcomeoftheeffectsofwhiteculture,blackwomenhavetheloweststatusinAmericansocietyinwhichmenaredominant.Theysuffergreatpersecutionofracialandsexualdiscrimination,livingapoorandtragiclife.Toblackmen,theyareonlythemachineofsexandslavethatmencancontrolfreely.Blackwomenhavenoanyrightstoaskforequalityandrespect.Atthesametime,beinginfluencedbywhiteculturedirectlyorindirectly,blackwomen,asastreamofnewstrength,begintowake:theirinnerworldisfullofpain,oppressionandunbendingspiritandtheyhavestrongcapacityforlivingandstrongwillofstruggleintheadversities,showingblackwomen'sparticularlyflashpointintheirdeepsoul.IntroductionPlotThenovelopenswithademandforsilencethatleavesafourteen-year-oldgirlnamedCeliewithnowaytoexpressherpainandconfusionexceptinthelettersshewritestoGod.Celieisrapedrepeatedlybyherstepfather,Alphonso,andhastwochildrenbyhim—childrenhegivesawaywithoutherconsent.Later,sheisforcedintoalovelessmarriage,leavinghersisterNettiealonewithAlphonso.NettieescapeshissexualadvancesbymovinginwithCelieandherhusband,Mr.Albert.ThisarrangementisnobetterthanthepreviousoneandNettieisagainforcedtoleave.SheultimatelyendsupinAfricawhereshewritestoCelieofherexperiences.