The Color Purple | Techniques
Barbara Christian points out that Alice Walker writes in a way that is "organically spare rather than elaborate, ascetic rather than lush," and in fact the letters which constitute the book (especially Celie's early letters to God) rarely fill a page. The literal physical barrenness of the book reflects the painful limitations of Celie's life and, perhaps, her fear of expressing herself — a manifestation of low self-esteem. It is an imaginative technique, but in so short a book it provides too limited a canvas on which the author can work. In the case of The Color Purple, the...
[The entire page is 550 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
Tell a friend about The Color Purple at eNotes.
