Banned Books discussion

Are we still reading this? I see it's not pictured on the group page.

I just started it at lunch today and am only about 25 pages in, but I can see it's going to be really gripping. Not "enjoyable" necessarily, considering the subject matter, but definitely hard to put down.

Walker doesn't mess around with a long introduction, does she? After reading just that first sentence, I thought, "Oh, shit."

I'm not sure if the rest of the group is still reading this, but I am! I've got about 30 pages left in the book, and I have to say gripping, but not enjoyable is an excellent way to describe it. It's both hard to read and hard to put down. I've loved the book so far.

I'm about 100 pages in now and I love this book. It was never assigned to me in high school, so this is my first time reading it. After everything that happened to Celie I was so happy when she started forming bonds with Sofia and Shug Avery. (I love Sofia and I'm afraid for what happens to her next.)

Why does Walker use blanks instead of the men's surnames? Is it that the misters are all the same to Celie; their identities don't matter? Whereas the men with names, Harpo and Albert (even though Albert is also a mister, but Albert when he's with Shug), have desires and motivations; they're complex people and not just another abuser.

Thank you Danielle for creating this discussion. I forgot to change over the status of the book to "currently reading." Sorry about that. I'm glad people are reading it!

I read this at the beginning of the month and missed the memo about discussing it here. Better late than never!

@Danielle, as far as I can remember, Albert is the only one Celie calls "Mr _____" and it took me a long time to start reading it as just "Mister" rather than "Mr Blank", I'm not a fan of when authors do that.

I adore Celie's voice, she's so distinct.

Celie refers to Albert, his father and Samuel as Mr. _____. Still not clear on why.

I think I do remember Jane Austen doing that. I guess I just don't see the point in a fiction book. It makes overly critical people like me look for deeper meaning that might not be there.

I read this book a few years ago and wound up liking it. I think I read someplace that using Mr. _____ in Jane Austen's day was to keep slanderous material from being printed. I think it was supposed to make you think that these people really existed, and Jane and the like didn't want to get sued for writing about them. However, I do like the thought that these men are basically interchangeable to Celie.

I think you’re right Jennifer. I think it’s saying that the men are all the same in the end. But it could serve a duel purpose, making you think about the parallels or rather contradictions with Jane Austin’s “feminist” (for her day) literature.

This makes me wonder if people ban movies too. I loved both the movie and the book although the book was MUCH BETTER.

Has anyone seen the movie musical? I'm nervous it doesn't do justice to the story. I read Spielberg reduced a key scene in the original film in order to earn a PG-13 rating. The musical is also PG-13 and the book is decidedly not, which is OK. It's disturbing at first but once Shug enters the picture, it gets better. Without that key scene I don't think Celie's awakening can happen correctly. Thoughts?

Also, is Nettie's subplot in the movie? It's a little soap operaish but it's important.

I can't believe they made it into a musical.

Kelly H. (Maybedog) wrote: "I can't believe they made it into a musical."

They did a long time ago on Broadway. I didn't get a chance to see it but Fantasia Barrino played Celie and here she is as Celie again. I love musicals but I'm not sure this book lends itself to that genre. Maybe? I can see how it might work. I have to watch the movie musical.