Relationships
Harpo get advice to beat Sofia to make her listen. What happens to him when he does this?
Sofia beats him up instead.
How does Pa describe Celie to Mr._____?
She’s ugly but she is a hard worker- also good with children.
“If you was my wife, she say, I'd cover you up with kisses stead of licks, and work hard for you too.”
Shug Avery
What is Mr's real name?
Albert
Who is the author of The Color Purple?
Alice Walker
Why does Sofia leave Harpo? In turn, what business does Harpo begin (include the name of the establishment and location)?
She leaves Harpo because he continues to beat her- Harpo starts up the Juke Joint- a type of bar where people gather and they play music.
How does Celie describe Shug after looking at her photograph?
"The most beautiful woman I ever saw. She more pretty than my mama. She bout ten thousand times prettier then me."
"When Pa tell you to do something, you do it, he say. When he say not to, you don’t. You don’t do what he say, he beat you."
Harpo
What are the names given to Celie's children?
Olivia and Adam
What is the main location where the story takes place?
Georgia (around the 1910's-1940's)
Why didn't Albert marry Shug after she had his three children?
His father and brother thought she was trash- she had children and couldn’t really prove they were Albert’s.
How does Sofia's personality contrast with Celie's?
Sofia is a fighter. She is stubborn and would rather fight with someone than be obedient.
“But I don’t know how to fight. All I know
how to do is stay alive.”
Celie
Who is Squeak? What is her real name?
She is Harpo's new girlfriend. Her real name is Mary Agnes.
What were Jim Crow laws?
They were legalized racial segregation. "Separate but equal."
Why is Squeak sent to talk to the warden? What happens while Squeak is with him?
She is supposed to be somewhat related to the warden- she ends up getting raped by him.
Is Mr_ a static or dynamic character? Is he flat or round?
He is static and flat. He doesn't experience significant change and we do not learn much about him.
“All my life I had to fight. I had to fight my daddy. I had to fight my brothers. I had to fight my cousins and my uncles. A girl child ain't safe in a family of men. But I never thought I'd have to fight in my own house."
Sofia
What are the names of the Reverend and his wife?
Samuel and Corrine
What inspired Alice Walker to write the novel?
Her experience staying with her grandparents in rural Georgia.
Explain Mr._____’s father’s visit. Include a comparison you find between Mr._____ and his father.
He is very critical of Mr.____ and of Shug being there. They share the same judgmental trait that Mr.___ shows for Celie- that she is never going to be good enough.
How does Celie's personality change after finding out Mr. was hiding Nettie's Letters?
She went from being an obedient wife to being able to contemplate murdering Mr. She is able to feel aggression towards Mr.
"And whether God will read letters or no, I know you will go on writing them; which is guidance enough for me. Anyway, when I don’t write to you I feel as bad as I do when I don’t pray, locked up in myself and choking on my own heart."
Nettie
What is Shug's real name? and Why do people call her Shug?
Her real name is Lillie. People call her Shug because it's short for sugar and she's sweet.
What prizes did The Color Purple win?
The Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award.