"The Color Purple" by Alice Walker - an Analysis

Seminar paper from the year 2007 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1, University of Vienna, language: English, abstract: The Color Purple is Alice Walker's masterpiece, which made the author not only the first female Afro American author to receive a Pulitzer Price but moreover brought her world fame and a broader recognition of her other works. This analysis of the text focuses on motifs, themes and symbolism used in the story. It also talks about the author by giving an in-dept overview not only about her life but also the sociocultural background that shaped this novel. As mentioned before a clear focus is put on themes, symbols and motifs in the novel, which are widely used and therefore also are somehow responsible for the diversity of approaches to reading the novel. The textual analysis is enhanced by a brief summary of the plot, characters and their relationship as well as a compressed paragraph talking about the setting and an overview over some narrative techniques used in the novel.