Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. Orlando, FL: Harcourt, 1982.
It won't let me underline The Color Purple.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Finishing the Book! Yay!
I am so happy that Adam and Tashi have returned. Adam tells about the rift that he saw and how he was so amazed by this. I think that this was a very big part in opening up Adam's eyes to what the world has in store for him. He only really knows America and the Olinka village, so seeing such a great natural wonder has really given him hope for the future. I am really surprised that Tashi refused to marry Adam, but at the same time, I can't blame her. She really loves him, but it would be hard for her to live the the American society. Despite this, they got married!
Celie got a letter from Shug, which shows that she really cares about Celie. Her and Germaine didn't work out, so Shug is deciding to settle down and give up singing. I think that her experience with Germaine has showed her that she cannot keep up with the young crow anymore, and that it is time for her to slow down.
Along Celie and Mr. __________'s relationship being revived, Sofia and Harpo now have gained some respect back for each other. They seem really friendly, and they often hang out. They know that they will never be the same, but they enjoy each other's company.
Celie goes on and asks herself some important life questions. She has now matured and is trying to get a bigger meaning out of life. She says that the goal is "to wonder" (page 288). We all have to just sit back and wonder why things are the way they are, and then just accept it.
It was so important to Celie that Shug and Nettie returned. She now has her security blanket (Shug) and her sister with her. It was her dream to see Nettie again, and her wish was granted. I think that this showed her that waiting, praying, and being hopeful will ultimately get you what you want.
I really liked the last sentence of the book. "Matter of fact, I think this the youngest us ever felt" (page 294). I think now that most of her worries are gone. Mr. _________ now respects her, Shug came home, and best of all, she got her sister back. I think that now she knows that she can live her life to it's fullest. She missed so many years of her life that she now feels like she is young and ready to take on life with a new attitude.
I also think that my attitude changed. I ended up liking the book. I think that the message was very strong and that it was good to be exposed to someone's life which is so different from my own.
--Leah
Done!!!! :)
Celie got a letter from Shug, which shows that she really cares about Celie. Her and Germaine didn't work out, so Shug is deciding to settle down and give up singing. I think that her experience with Germaine has showed her that she cannot keep up with the young crow anymore, and that it is time for her to slow down.
Along Celie and Mr. __________'s relationship being revived, Sofia and Harpo now have gained some respect back for each other. They seem really friendly, and they often hang out. They know that they will never be the same, but they enjoy each other's company.
Celie goes on and asks herself some important life questions. She has now matured and is trying to get a bigger meaning out of life. She says that the goal is "to wonder" (page 288). We all have to just sit back and wonder why things are the way they are, and then just accept it.
It was so important to Celie that Shug and Nettie returned. She now has her security blanket (Shug) and her sister with her. It was her dream to see Nettie again, and her wish was granted. I think that this showed her that waiting, praying, and being hopeful will ultimately get you what you want.
I really liked the last sentence of the book. "Matter of fact, I think this the youngest us ever felt" (page 294). I think now that most of her worries are gone. Mr. _________ now respects her, Shug came home, and best of all, she got her sister back. I think that now she knows that she can live her life to it's fullest. She missed so many years of her life that she now feels like she is young and ready to take on life with a new attitude.
I also think that my attitude changed. I ended up liking the book. I think that the message was very strong and that it was good to be exposed to someone's life which is so different from my own.
--Leah
Done!!!! :)
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
finishing the book
Tashi and Adam return back to the village. I saw this coming, but they finally get married. It is time for Nettie, Sam, Adam, and Olivia to return back to the United States. Adam tries to talk Tashi into coming back with them but Tashi is afraid that Adam might leave her and then she'll have nobody to go with in the United States. However Adam convinces her that her idea would never happen and they'll be together forever.
Back with Celie, Sofia starts to help out in the pants store. I think this is good for her to get out of the house and do something different. Then Eleanor comes and helps Sofia around the house and making Henrietta food.
Page 291 is a really important page. First you can see that Shug is chaning. She has returned and she is now wanting to settle down and slowly leave the singing industry. I think it shows her maturing. Also on this page we find out the Nettie has returned home. Celie is so happy and excited, and even I'm happy and excited because I was afraid that they would never meet again.
On page 293 you can see Mary Agnes changing too, she I think as well as Shug is beginning to mature. She left Grady and came back to take care of Suzie Q. She realized that marijuanna was not a good influence on her and she couldn't think. This will be good for her career because she will be able to focus.
Everything has really come to an end and all the loose ends have been tied. I like that about the book because I hate wondering, what happened, or... I can't really explain it but I don't feel somewhat at peace without knowing that everyone in the book has come to an end as well as the book.
--BethAnn
Happy New Years Leah!
Back with Celie, Sofia starts to help out in the pants store. I think this is good for her to get out of the house and do something different. Then Eleanor comes and helps Sofia around the house and making Henrietta food.
Page 291 is a really important page. First you can see that Shug is chaning. She has returned and she is now wanting to settle down and slowly leave the singing industry. I think it shows her maturing. Also on this page we find out the Nettie has returned home. Celie is so happy and excited, and even I'm happy and excited because I was afraid that they would never meet again.
On page 293 you can see Mary Agnes changing too, she I think as well as Shug is beginning to mature. She left Grady and came back to take care of Suzie Q. She realized that marijuanna was not a good influence on her and she couldn't think. This will be good for her career because she will be able to focus.
Everything has really come to an end and all the loose ends have been tied. I like that about the book because I hate wondering, what happened, or... I can't really explain it but I don't feel somewhat at peace without knowing that everyone in the book has come to an end as well as the book.
--BethAnn
Happy New Years Leah!
Monday, December 31, 2007
To page 281
This was a very long entry for Celie!!!
First, Nettie tells Celie that Tashi and her mom have run away to the other tribe. This doesn't sound good because they don't even know if the tribe exists. I don't know what I would do if the home I knew for so long was suddenly ripped from me.
I didn't realize how fast the time goes in this book. As of now, it has been thirty years since Nettie left! This really amazed me because I really didn't think about it.
Nettie then explains how she now sees God differently. She now doesn't have a vivid picture of what he looks like, but she has a greater appreciation for the work he does. Her work in Africa must be hard. She says, "After all, the Olinka know we can leave, they must stay”(page 262). Nettie knows that she won't be in Africa forever and that she will be able to escape the horrible conditions, but the Olinkas don't have the luxury of just leaving. She then tells that Adam is missing! This must feel horrible as a guardian to find out that he is missing. He must have a lot of feelings for Tashi.
We then hear from Celie. It seems like the relationship between Mr. ______ and Celie is getting even stronger. This is hard to believe because not too long ago, Celie wanted to kill Mr. ________ (and vise versa). Celie says that he is the only one who understands her feelings. I think that Mr. ________ had a big awakening and somehow has completely different opinions than what he had before. I wonder what made him change so much. The two of them sit and reminisce about all of the things that happened while they were together. At the time, they did not enjoy these things, but as they sit back and remember, it seems like these events bring them even closer.
Miss Eleanor Jane and Sofia obviously have some conflicting views. Eleanor Jane said that Sofia was the only one who loved her, but Sofia is just really annoyed with her and her baby. It is strange (for that time period) that a white woman would feel so connected to a black woman. Sofia is fed up and finally says that she doesn't like the baby.
It breaks Celie's heart to know that Shug isn't coming back like she promised. She got a letter from Shug explaining that her and her husband have moved in with her son, and they are having a good time.
Celie and Mr. _______ continue to talk. They talk about Shug, and Mr. ________ askes Celie why she loved Shug so much. They both share this love for Shug, and they feel like they can express their feelings together. All along, Mr. _________ was just jealous, and that is why he beat Celie. He was jealous that Shug and Celie had such a strong bond.
Somehow, they got on the topic of the Adam and Eve story. Her version was very interesting. She said that there were a lot of white men before Adam, and he just was the first one that wasn't killed. I found it interesting that they associated white with naked, and that black people could never be naked because they would never be white. I really don't think this has much significance- I just found it interesting.
Celie is still receiving letters from Nettie, so there is some hope that the telegram is false. Let's hope so.
--Leah
First, Nettie tells Celie that Tashi and her mom have run away to the other tribe. This doesn't sound good because they don't even know if the tribe exists. I don't know what I would do if the home I knew for so long was suddenly ripped from me.
I didn't realize how fast the time goes in this book. As of now, it has been thirty years since Nettie left! This really amazed me because I really didn't think about it.
Nettie then explains how she now sees God differently. She now doesn't have a vivid picture of what he looks like, but she has a greater appreciation for the work he does. Her work in Africa must be hard. She says, "After all, the Olinka know we can leave, they must stay”(page 262). Nettie knows that she won't be in Africa forever and that she will be able to escape the horrible conditions, but the Olinkas don't have the luxury of just leaving. She then tells that Adam is missing! This must feel horrible as a guardian to find out that he is missing. He must have a lot of feelings for Tashi.
We then hear from Celie. It seems like the relationship between Mr. ______ and Celie is getting even stronger. This is hard to believe because not too long ago, Celie wanted to kill Mr. ________ (and vise versa). Celie says that he is the only one who understands her feelings. I think that Mr. ________ had a big awakening and somehow has completely different opinions than what he had before. I wonder what made him change so much. The two of them sit and reminisce about all of the things that happened while they were together. At the time, they did not enjoy these things, but as they sit back and remember, it seems like these events bring them even closer.
Miss Eleanor Jane and Sofia obviously have some conflicting views. Eleanor Jane said that Sofia was the only one who loved her, but Sofia is just really annoyed with her and her baby. It is strange (for that time period) that a white woman would feel so connected to a black woman. Sofia is fed up and finally says that she doesn't like the baby.
It breaks Celie's heart to know that Shug isn't coming back like she promised. She got a letter from Shug explaining that her and her husband have moved in with her son, and they are having a good time.
Celie and Mr. _______ continue to talk. They talk about Shug, and Mr. ________ askes Celie why she loved Shug so much. They both share this love for Shug, and they feel like they can express their feelings together. All along, Mr. _________ was just jealous, and that is why he beat Celie. He was jealous that Shug and Celie had such a strong bond.
Somehow, they got on the topic of the Adam and Eve story. Her version was very interesting. She said that there were a lot of white men before Adam, and he just was the first one that wasn't killed. I found it interesting that they associated white with naked, and that black people could never be naked because they would never be white. I really don't think this has much significance- I just found it interesting.
Celie is still receiving letters from Nettie, so there is some hope that the telegram is false. Let's hope so.
--Leah
Saturday, December 29, 2007
to page 281
I'm still going strong!
In the beginning of the reading we find out the Tashi and her mother have ran away to join a new tribe deep in the forest. Then on page 262 Adam is missing, they think he has gone to find Tashi because it's obvious that he has feelings for her. Eleanor Jane has been coming over to visit Sofia all the time. Bringing her husband, and then the baby. She is always over at Sofia's because she feels that Sofia was the only one who really cared and loved her. Her parents only love Junior and her husband only loves his job. When she brought over her baby and asked Sofia if she loved her baby Sofia said no. Eleanor was so hurt that she left.
Now Celie and Mr. ___ have some kind of bond. They are talking all the time and just really enjoying eachothers company. I really want them to get back together. Celie said something that maybe she just loved Shug because she was the first person really there for her and talked to her. Maybe Celie isn't a lesbian, I hope not because like I said before, her and Mr. ____ could try again. Mr. ____ explained that he beat her because he didn't understand why Shug loved Celie and it frustrated him. Celie was just a skinny ugly girl.
I predict that Mr. ___ and Celie will start to like eachother, I am predicting this because as we all know I really want this to happen. It would be so good for both of them!
--BethAnn
In the beginning of the reading we find out the Tashi and her mother have ran away to join a new tribe deep in the forest. Then on page 262 Adam is missing, they think he has gone to find Tashi because it's obvious that he has feelings for her. Eleanor Jane has been coming over to visit Sofia all the time. Bringing her husband, and then the baby. She is always over at Sofia's because she feels that Sofia was the only one who really cared and loved her. Her parents only love Junior and her husband only loves his job. When she brought over her baby and asked Sofia if she loved her baby Sofia said no. Eleanor was so hurt that she left.
Now Celie and Mr. ___ have some kind of bond. They are talking all the time and just really enjoying eachothers company. I really want them to get back together. Celie said something that maybe she just loved Shug because she was the first person really there for her and talked to her. Maybe Celie isn't a lesbian, I hope not because like I said before, her and Mr. ____ could try again. Mr. ____ explained that he beat her because he didn't understand why Shug loved Celie and it frustrated him. Celie was just a skinny ugly girl.
I predict that Mr. ___ and Celie will start to like eachother, I am predicting this because as we all know I really want this to happen. It would be so good for both of them!
--BethAnn
To page 259
So, I still can't decide if the whole Africa thing is a good experience for Adam and Olivia. They have been exposed to things that most children will never get to see. I don't know if this is good or not. I think that it is so sad that Tashi was forced to scar her face. This ritual seems really unreasonable and scary. This could easily cause infections. I also think it is sad that the children have to work because of the taxes. Children as young as 8 years old are working in the fields. When I was 8, I know that I didn't think one bit about working.
I find it very interesting that Celie and Nettie now have a house. I am really surprised that Daisy gave it up, because she sounded so disappointed. Celie and Nettie would have never found out if she didn't say anything. So now Celie has a place to make her pants. This is a good place for her because I think that making pants has really helped her cope with all of her problems. It keeps her mind off of life.
I felt really bad when Shug was talking about liking a guy. I know that Shug only feels comfortable telling Celie these types of things, but it left Celie heartbroken. It seems as though Celie finally found something to look forward to in life, and that whole safety blanket is crushed. At one point she even says, "I pray to die" (page 254).
It is horrible to see such a young child be as sick as Henrietta. She doesn't sound good. What is wrong with her? I forget, but this has sort of brought Celie and Mr. _________ closer. Mr. _________ has changed so much. He know seems to have some respect for Celie and is actually interested in her life. I think that their relationship has really changed. I don't know what will come out of this.
The telegram that Celie received is horrible. All of Celie's dreams would be crushed if Nettie really died. I hope you are right when you think that Nettie really wasn't on the ship.
---Leah
I find it very interesting that Celie and Nettie now have a house. I am really surprised that Daisy gave it up, because she sounded so disappointed. Celie and Nettie would have never found out if she didn't say anything. So now Celie has a place to make her pants. This is a good place for her because I think that making pants has really helped her cope with all of her problems. It keeps her mind off of life.
I felt really bad when Shug was talking about liking a guy. I know that Shug only feels comfortable telling Celie these types of things, but it left Celie heartbroken. It seems as though Celie finally found something to look forward to in life, and that whole safety blanket is crushed. At one point she even says, "I pray to die" (page 254).
It is horrible to see such a young child be as sick as Henrietta. She doesn't sound good. What is wrong with her? I forget, but this has sort of brought Celie and Mr. _________ closer. Mr. _________ has changed so much. He know seems to have some respect for Celie and is actually interested in her life. I think that their relationship has really changed. I don't know what will come out of this.
The telegram that Celie received is horrible. All of Celie's dreams would be crushed if Nettie really died. I hope you are right when you think that Nettie really wasn't on the ship.
---Leah
to page 259
Since I'm sick I thought I might as well get ahead on reading!
Well all has changed for Celie, on page 248 we find out that Pa is dead. His land and store was owned by Celie's father who left it to her mother who left it to Nettie and Celie. Celie is now using the store for her pant business, and is loving the house. However when she goes back to visit Shug, Shug tells Celie that she is in love with a nineteen year old boy. Celie is heartbroken but Shug says, give it six months and everything will be back to normal. Of course Celie just gives in. Celie has been visiting Henrietta and sometimes Albert has been taking her home. You can see Albert's change on page 257 when he admits to not paying her any attention, he even acts interested in her however Celie says how all men remind her of frogs. I really think Celie is now a lesbian. She cries at the thought of marriage or of men. Then on page 259 Celie reads a telegram that says the ship that Nettie and the children were on was sunk by a German ship. I guess this isn't true since Nettie is still writing, or are these writings from the past? Why would they send Celie a telegram that Nettie is dead if she really wasn't? Maybe Nettie was supposed to be on that ship but never got on. There are so many possibilities, I guess we'll find out later in the readings.
--BethAnn
Well all has changed for Celie, on page 248 we find out that Pa is dead. His land and store was owned by Celie's father who left it to her mother who left it to Nettie and Celie. Celie is now using the store for her pant business, and is loving the house. However when she goes back to visit Shug, Shug tells Celie that she is in love with a nineteen year old boy. Celie is heartbroken but Shug says, give it six months and everything will be back to normal. Of course Celie just gives in. Celie has been visiting Henrietta and sometimes Albert has been taking her home. You can see Albert's change on page 257 when he admits to not paying her any attention, he even acts interested in her however Celie says how all men remind her of frogs. I really think Celie is now a lesbian. She cries at the thought of marriage or of men. Then on page 259 Celie reads a telegram that says the ship that Nettie and the children were on was sunk by a German ship. I guess this isn't true since Nettie is still writing, or are these writings from the past? Why would they send Celie a telegram that Nettie is dead if she really wasn't? Maybe Nettie was supposed to be on that ship but never got on. There are so many possibilities, I guess we'll find out later in the readings.
--BethAnn
To page 244
I agree that there is a lot going on! It is so sad that the Olinkas are being driven out of their land. Their village has now become the headquarters for the rubber plant. They now have to pay for their water and the tin, and they don't have good living conditions. I'm glad that they are still sticking to their beliefs. They won't put roofs on their houses because they cannot grow roofleaf. They do meet Jared Hunt on their ship to England. They are going to England to get help for the Olinkas, right? Anyhow, Jared is a very strange lady. She talks about how proud she is to be a good grandmama and how she is so wealthy. I am also not sure about her significance to the story. Then, the children seem to be having a hard time getting used to all of the change. Nettie says that Adam is "unusually glum" and she had to talk to Olivia about what was wrong. (page 235). They finally got there and they went to the bishop for help. When they asked for help, he was quite rude and didn't help them whatsoever. He refers to her as Mrs. _________. Why do they keep the last name a secret????? It seems that Samuel is coping well with Corrine's death, and Nettie and him are thinking about getting married. I got really confused about the part with the aunts. As you said, I guess they were just the ones who got them started as missionaries. Then, Nettie talks about how much she loves Samuel. I'm happy to see that she found someone who she can trust and rely on. Adam misses Tashi, and I think that they will end up being a big part of each other's lives.
Surprisingly, I found some vocab words, too:
verbosity: expressed in or using too many words
staid: sober and steady
blight: something that spoils or damages things severely
--Leah
Surprisingly, I found some vocab words, too:
verbosity: expressed in or using too many words
staid: sober and steady
blight: something that spoils or damages things severely
--Leah
to page 244
Well there is a lot going on, but it's a lot of boring stuff.
Celie is in her new house with Shug, Squeak, and Grady. I think that something is going on with Squeak and Grady, other than drug dealing partners. By the way, we find out Grady is now a drug dealer of marijuana. He grows it in the backyard. Shug is gone for periods of time with traveling and singing. Celie has found her calling, making pants. She loves it and everyone loves her pants. Two women are helping her, Jerene and Darlene. On page 218 Darlene is trying to help Celie talk. Celie is not really into the whole idea, but I really think it would help her for the pant business and her whole life. Then on page 220 it really shows how Celie is changing. She goes back to see Sofia, Harpo, and the children. Now she is dressing up all nice, doing her hair, and people are noticing. Then on page 227 we find that Albert is going through some troubles of his own. Leah, you were right in your predictions, he is the destruction of himself. He is troubled by everything he has done.
Then there is a long letter that Nettie wrote. I found it really boring. On page 229 it says something about Nettie and Samuel getting married, well at least I thought. However, then on page 242 Samuel announces to the children that they will be getting married. So now I'm a little confused. The family is now in England, which also confuses me because they talk about going back to Olinka, if that is the case then why did they leave to begin with? Samuel is troubled however because he feels that he is making no difference. Then they meet this women Jared Hunt, who seems all over the place. She wants to write but pretends to be a missionary just to please her family. I have no idea where she came from and what her purpose is in the book. Also in Nettie's letter her and Samuel talk a lot about the two aunts that joined Samuel and Corrine together. Althea and Theodosia seem to be the people that inspired the couple to become missionaries. However, they did not do too well.
Things are all over the place in the story. I want something to happen, or something to come together. Hopefully, Nettie will be coming to America, Samuel even told the kids that they would be going soon. I wonder if they will be returning to Olinka first, if that's the case Nettie won't see Celie for a long time.
--BethAnn
Celie is in her new house with Shug, Squeak, and Grady. I think that something is going on with Squeak and Grady, other than drug dealing partners. By the way, we find out Grady is now a drug dealer of marijuana. He grows it in the backyard. Shug is gone for periods of time with traveling and singing. Celie has found her calling, making pants. She loves it and everyone loves her pants. Two women are helping her, Jerene and Darlene. On page 218 Darlene is trying to help Celie talk. Celie is not really into the whole idea, but I really think it would help her for the pant business and her whole life. Then on page 220 it really shows how Celie is changing. She goes back to see Sofia, Harpo, and the children. Now she is dressing up all nice, doing her hair, and people are noticing. Then on page 227 we find that Albert is going through some troubles of his own. Leah, you were right in your predictions, he is the destruction of himself. He is troubled by everything he has done.
Then there is a long letter that Nettie wrote. I found it really boring. On page 229 it says something about Nettie and Samuel getting married, well at least I thought. However, then on page 242 Samuel announces to the children that they will be getting married. So now I'm a little confused. The family is now in England, which also confuses me because they talk about going back to Olinka, if that is the case then why did they leave to begin with? Samuel is troubled however because he feels that he is making no difference. Then they meet this women Jared Hunt, who seems all over the place. She wants to write but pretends to be a missionary just to please her family. I have no idea where she came from and what her purpose is in the book. Also in Nettie's letter her and Samuel talk a lot about the two aunts that joined Samuel and Corrine together. Althea and Theodosia seem to be the people that inspired the couple to become missionaries. However, they did not do too well.
Things are all over the place in the story. I want something to happen, or something to come together. Hopefully, Nettie will be coming to America, Samuel even told the kids that they would be going soon. I wonder if they will be returning to Olinka first, if that's the case Nettie won't see Celie for a long time.
--BethAnn
Friday, December 28, 2007
To page 228
Shug and Celie started drawing a sort of dream house. I was round and pink and had elephants and turtles. I wonder what is the significance of elephants and turtles. Then, Shug starts leaving for her job. I felt bad for Celie because she seemed lonely once again. It surprised me that Shug came back in such bad shape. Celie said that she was overweight and dirty. I didn't think that Shug would let herself get like that. Then, Celie starts to make so many pants. She makes them for Shug and Squeak and Jack. I think that this has become a hobby that keeps her mind off of her dysfunctional life. I also think that it gives Celie a sense of accomplishment. She has finally found something that she is good at. I am glad that Shug says that she is not ashamed of Celie not being educated. If she would have said that she was ashamed of her, I think Celie would have had a major breakdown. I was a little confused as to how Celie got back to see Harpo and Sofia again. But anyway, it had to be really good to see something familiar. Things changed since she left. Mr. ______ apparently worked in the fields. This really surprised me. I was also surprised about the drugs Celie was introducing to them. Was it illegal to grow and sell drugs at that time? I think that drugs are the last thing that they need right now. Then they were talking about a funeral. If was a funeral for Sofia's mom, right? We then find out that Harpo and Sofia's daughter is sick, and that Mr. _______ is pretty much going insane. Harpo has to stay with him sometimes because he is losing it. This has to be hard on Harpo to see his dad go through such a hard time. Maybe if Mr. _______ dies, Harpo and Sofia will have something more in common and could be there for each other and possibly get back together. It seems as though Mr. _______ has brought his failure upon himself. All of the horrible things he has done are now coming back to haunt him. We'll just have to see what happens.
--Leah
--Leah
Thursday, December 27, 2007
To page 210
I thought that Shug and Celie's conversation about God was very interesting. Because of all of the hardships Celie is going through, she is starting to lose faith in a God. She is thinking that if there really was one, her prayers would be answered. Shug knocks some sense back into Celie and reassures her that there is a god. Then Shug askes Celie what her god looks like. Celie is sort of a shamed to say, but I don't know why. She seems to tell Shug everything else. Then Shug gives a whole explanation about how God is in everything around us and that going to church means sharing the spirit of God. I thought it was a great point when she says, "Everything want to be loved" (page 198). I think that this is one thing that every living thing strives for. I think that Shug has been such a good influence of Celie and has really given her an eye-opening experience.
We finally get a reference to the color purple, but I don't really understand it. I don't know how that is going to tie the whole book together. Then, we hear more about Squeak and Harpo. Why is Squeak's daughter's name Suzie Q., and is that her and Harpo's child? I was really surprised that Shug announced that she and Celie were leaving. I had a feeling that Mr. _________ wouldn't take it very well. I also saw some more character changes. Celie was actually standing up for herself and yelling at Mr. _______. She would have never done that in the past. Also, Mr. _________ sounded a little nervous. He was stuttering and didn' t know what to say. He actually showed a little bit of weakness, which I had never saw before. Their fight ended up becoming very heated. It surprises me that Harpo and Mr. _______ are letting the girls leave. It seems like they could do more about it if they really wanted to. Lastly, Mr. ________ is one of the meanest people I have ever seen. He treats people so badly!
--Leah
We finally get a reference to the color purple, but I don't really understand it. I don't know how that is going to tie the whole book together. Then, we hear more about Squeak and Harpo. Why is Squeak's daughter's name Suzie Q., and is that her and Harpo's child? I was really surprised that Shug announced that she and Celie were leaving. I had a feeling that Mr. _________ wouldn't take it very well. I also saw some more character changes. Celie was actually standing up for herself and yelling at Mr. _______. She would have never done that in the past. Also, Mr. _________ sounded a little nervous. He was stuttering and didn' t know what to say. He actually showed a little bit of weakness, which I had never saw before. Their fight ended up becoming very heated. It surprises me that Harpo and Mr. _______ are letting the girls leave. It seems like they could do more about it if they really wanted to. Lastly, Mr. ________ is one of the meanest people I have ever seen. He treats people so badly!
--Leah
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
to page 210
Well things are really starting to change.
In the beginning of the reading Nettie tells Corrine the truth (page 185). Corrine is dying and Nettie feels that she won't live if she doesn't know the truth because she won't be fighting to live as hard. Nettie proves that Celie is the children's mother and not her by having her remember what Celie looked like. Corrine does believe her after time but still dies. I wonder if now that Corrine is dead that when the family returns home Celie will get her children back? I really think she will.
I found this quote in the book that really made me think and believe that this is true throughout the whole book, "...unbelief is a terrible thing. And so is the hurt we cause others unknowingly." (page 186)
The workers then come to the village again and one even tries to learn their language before "it dies". What I found is so weird, is on page 190 it says the the Olinka people feed the workers. Why would they be nice to people who are destroying their village?
Shug and Celie then go to Pa's house to learn and find out the truth about Celie's real father. I was confused throughout this part. I am guessing that Celie's father could not take care of his children because he could not afford it, so Pa took them and that was that. Pa didn't even care, he was just like, "oh you found out." However, I wasn't really expecting him to show much emotion. He was too busy fussing over his not even 15 year old wife. That is disgusting.
On page 193 Celie talks about not believing in God anymore. I think the last straw for her was the talk with Pa about her real father. She feels that God has done nothing for her and her life is a wreck. Which it kind of is. While Shug is trying to fill her belief back up again she talks about the importance of the color purple on page 197. I was wondering if it had to do with the title of the book. She didn't say much just about enjoying life and noticing everything. Like the color purple in the field. I'm not sure what the significance is, but I thought I'd point it out.
Page 201 and 202 was a complete shocker. Shug announces that she is leaving. However Celie is going with her. On page 202 Celie completely chews out Mr. ____ and tells him how horrible of a person he really is. I was not expecting this at all and I didn't know she had it in her. Good for her though, I wanted that to happen for a long time.
Squeak is going along too, I wonder what their new future will hold for them. Fame and money for Shug and Squeak I am guessing. Maybe a new love and family for Celie?
---BethAnn
In the beginning of the reading Nettie tells Corrine the truth (page 185). Corrine is dying and Nettie feels that she won't live if she doesn't know the truth because she won't be fighting to live as hard. Nettie proves that Celie is the children's mother and not her by having her remember what Celie looked like. Corrine does believe her after time but still dies. I wonder if now that Corrine is dead that when the family returns home Celie will get her children back? I really think she will.
I found this quote in the book that really made me think and believe that this is true throughout the whole book, "...unbelief is a terrible thing. And so is the hurt we cause others unknowingly." (page 186)
The workers then come to the village again and one even tries to learn their language before "it dies". What I found is so weird, is on page 190 it says the the Olinka people feed the workers. Why would they be nice to people who are destroying their village?
Shug and Celie then go to Pa's house to learn and find out the truth about Celie's real father. I was confused throughout this part. I am guessing that Celie's father could not take care of his children because he could not afford it, so Pa took them and that was that. Pa didn't even care, he was just like, "oh you found out." However, I wasn't really expecting him to show much emotion. He was too busy fussing over his not even 15 year old wife. That is disgusting.
On page 193 Celie talks about not believing in God anymore. I think the last straw for her was the talk with Pa about her real father. She feels that God has done nothing for her and her life is a wreck. Which it kind of is. While Shug is trying to fill her belief back up again she talks about the importance of the color purple on page 197. I was wondering if it had to do with the title of the book. She didn't say much just about enjoying life and noticing everything. Like the color purple in the field. I'm not sure what the significance is, but I thought I'd point it out.
Page 201 and 202 was a complete shocker. Shug announces that she is leaving. However Celie is going with her. On page 202 Celie completely chews out Mr. ____ and tells him how horrible of a person he really is. I was not expecting this at all and I didn't know she had it in her. Good for her though, I wanted that to happen for a long time.
Squeak is going along too, I wonder what their new future will hold for them. Fame and money for Shug and Squeak I am guessing. Maybe a new love and family for Celie?
---BethAnn
Sunday, December 23, 2007
To page 192
Ok... well nothing is really getting any more interesting but here we go...
At the beginning of this section, Celie seems kind of different. She seems so happy and optimistic as she describes the beauty of spring. It kind of seems like Celie is seeing some brightness for her future. Maybe she this book will have a happy ending after all of this depressing stuff. Anyway, I found it very strange when Celie says, "But then I remember, he not my daddy, just my children daddy." (page 181). This was when it really hit me about Pa. It really wasn't her dad who raped her. It was another guy. I was confused as to how he was related to the family. I thought it had to be very sad for Celie to find out that she no longer has either of her parents. I think that it would be so hard for someone to grasp the concept of no longer having any parents. I think that I would feel so alone and scared because Celie doesn't even have her sister to be with. Just a side note: they mentioned the word lynched a couple of times and it was one of the first words in the whole book that I didn't know the meaning of. I was also confused about what Shug says at the end of page 184. What does she really mean about this? I know that I talked to you about this but the quote on page 186 also really stuck out to me. Unbelief is a terrible thing, but how do we know when we are believing too much? I was really sad that Corrine died. The one thing that I was glad to see was that she ended up understanding Nettie and actually believing her. I can't even imagine losing a spouse. Samuel has to be in so much pain, and no one can really do anything about it. I know someone who this happened to and I know how painful it is to watch a someone suffer through it. They also mention how the white men keep coming back. I want to know why the Olinkas keep catering to them. Why would they keep helping them?
--Leah
At the beginning of this section, Celie seems kind of different. She seems so happy and optimistic as she describes the beauty of spring. It kind of seems like Celie is seeing some brightness for her future. Maybe she this book will have a happy ending after all of this depressing stuff. Anyway, I found it very strange when Celie says, "But then I remember, he not my daddy, just my children daddy." (page 181). This was when it really hit me about Pa. It really wasn't her dad who raped her. It was another guy. I was confused as to how he was related to the family. I thought it had to be very sad for Celie to find out that she no longer has either of her parents. I think that it would be so hard for someone to grasp the concept of no longer having any parents. I think that I would feel so alone and scared because Celie doesn't even have her sister to be with. Just a side note: they mentioned the word lynched a couple of times and it was one of the first words in the whole book that I didn't know the meaning of. I was also confused about what Shug says at the end of page 184. What does she really mean about this? I know that I talked to you about this but the quote on page 186 also really stuck out to me. Unbelief is a terrible thing, but how do we know when we are believing too much? I was really sad that Corrine died. The one thing that I was glad to see was that she ended up understanding Nettie and actually believing her. I can't even imagine losing a spouse. Samuel has to be in so much pain, and no one can really do anything about it. I know someone who this happened to and I know how painful it is to watch a someone suffer through it. They also mention how the white men keep coming back. I want to know why the Olinkas keep catering to them. Why would they keep helping them?
--Leah
Thursday, December 20, 2007
to 178
Where do I begin?
There is more and more coming from Nettie, all of her adventures in Africa. She is now helping to teach and nurse somewhat a tribe called Olikna. Their major crop that cherish is the roofleaf. All their huts are made from this and it's in an abundant there. On page 151 some trouble begins because the Olinka people keep asking if Samuel and Nettie are husband and wife. Corrine then starts to wonder if they had a previous affair.
Nettie is so happy to be in Olinka. She teaches children and even adults. However there is only one girl who attends class, Olivia. Leah, I read that quote that disturbed you, but the quote that disturbed me was on page 161, "Our women are respected here. We would never let them tramp the world as American women do." Tashi, a young girl who strived to learn, was not allowed to be educated because of her father, and he was the one who said that. He said she was becoming "too thoughtful". That to me is just pathetic. Then Nettie said, these men remind her of Pa. How both men alike treat and respect women. That made me upset too.
Leah this is the most degrating quote I found in the book, "A girl is nothing to herself; only to her husband she can become something." That quote is on page 156, and you know what they are talking about when they say, she becomes that something? A mother. That's all, a mother. They even put down Nettie because she said, well I'm not a mother. They were like, oh yeah you aren't much. I would've been so upset!
Then a bigger problem arrived. A road was being built. The people of Olinka were so excited for this road to be built. When they thought it was finished because it came right up to their village they invited the road workers for a feast and celebration. The next day the road workers came to level down their houses to make way for the expansion of the road. It was a huge betrayal towards the Olinka people. Now their whole village is in danger. The cheif went to talk to the man in charge, but the man didn't even think twice. This might be the end of the Olinka village.
---BethAnn
There is more and more coming from Nettie, all of her adventures in Africa. She is now helping to teach and nurse somewhat a tribe called Olikna. Their major crop that cherish is the roofleaf. All their huts are made from this and it's in an abundant there. On page 151 some trouble begins because the Olinka people keep asking if Samuel and Nettie are husband and wife. Corrine then starts to wonder if they had a previous affair.
Nettie is so happy to be in Olinka. She teaches children and even adults. However there is only one girl who attends class, Olivia. Leah, I read that quote that disturbed you, but the quote that disturbed me was on page 161, "Our women are respected here. We would never let them tramp the world as American women do." Tashi, a young girl who strived to learn, was not allowed to be educated because of her father, and he was the one who said that. He said she was becoming "too thoughtful". That to me is just pathetic. Then Nettie said, these men remind her of Pa. How both men alike treat and respect women. That made me upset too.
Leah this is the most degrating quote I found in the book, "A girl is nothing to herself; only to her husband she can become something." That quote is on page 156, and you know what they are talking about when they say, she becomes that something? A mother. That's all, a mother. They even put down Nettie because she said, well I'm not a mother. They were like, oh yeah you aren't much. I would've been so upset!
Then a bigger problem arrived. A road was being built. The people of Olinka were so excited for this road to be built. When they thought it was finished because it came right up to their village they invited the road workers for a feast and celebration. The next day the road workers came to level down their houses to make way for the expansion of the road. It was a huge betrayal towards the Olinka people. Now their whole village is in danger. The cheif went to talk to the man in charge, but the man didn't even think twice. This might be the end of the Olinka village.
---BethAnn
To page 178
Wow...
We first find out that a road is being built to the village (Olinka). When I was reading this, I had the feeling that something bad was going to come out of this. But not knowing any better, the Olinkas welcomed the road builders and even had a huge celebration with them. It turns out that the road was scheduled to go right through their village. Huts, crops, the school, and the church were all destroyed. The Olinkas felt very betrayed. I felt so bad for them because they didn't know that it would have such a bad effect on them. We also find out that Tashi's father dies from Malaria. It is so sad to see someone lose their dad. It sounded like he got proper funeral rights and that he will be honored forever. Tashi's mom is now open to the idea of her daughter getting an education. Other girls in the village are also attending school. This does not go over well with the men, but who cares about them. Men and women should get equal rights. This quote really angered me: "The men do not like it: who wants a wife who knows everything her husband knows?" (page 172). It is a women's right to know just as much!
I also found it interesting that Corrine was suspicious of Samuel and Nettie. She specifically told Nettie that she cannot have Samuel over without her. Corrine then gets out a bible and makes Nettie swear that she never met Samuel prior to the trip. I feel that she wrongly accused Nettie and jumped to conclusions way too fast. She did then apologize, but I think she was wrong for what she did. This made Nettie really unselfconscious. She was worried what Corrine thought of her. She didn't want Corrine to worry about that.
Then came the story from Samuel. I got really lost during this whole thing. So he says that a man's shop and blacksmith shop were burnt to the ground because white men were jealous of his business. The man and his brothers were hanged and beaten. I got really confused as to which person had which children and which one was Celie (if she was even in the story at all). Somehow, Nettie finds out that Pa isn't their father.
I find Celie's last entry very interesting. I think that it really shows her emotions, and I am not sure what she is going to do about all of these stresses.
One other thing I noticed was how Nettie wrote with such proper English. She was able to write a lot and her letters were much easier to read than Celie's. You can really tell that she has had an education.
Somehow, I believe that Celie and Nettie are going to meet up and figure this whole thing out. I think that they have a lot of investigating to do!
--Leah
We first find out that a road is being built to the village (Olinka). When I was reading this, I had the feeling that something bad was going to come out of this. But not knowing any better, the Olinkas welcomed the road builders and even had a huge celebration with them. It turns out that the road was scheduled to go right through their village. Huts, crops, the school, and the church were all destroyed. The Olinkas felt very betrayed. I felt so bad for them because they didn't know that it would have such a bad effect on them. We also find out that Tashi's father dies from Malaria. It is so sad to see someone lose their dad. It sounded like he got proper funeral rights and that he will be honored forever. Tashi's mom is now open to the idea of her daughter getting an education. Other girls in the village are also attending school. This does not go over well with the men, but who cares about them. Men and women should get equal rights. This quote really angered me: "The men do not like it: who wants a wife who knows everything her husband knows?" (page 172). It is a women's right to know just as much!
I also found it interesting that Corrine was suspicious of Samuel and Nettie. She specifically told Nettie that she cannot have Samuel over without her. Corrine then gets out a bible and makes Nettie swear that she never met Samuel prior to the trip. I feel that she wrongly accused Nettie and jumped to conclusions way too fast. She did then apologize, but I think she was wrong for what she did. This made Nettie really unselfconscious. She was worried what Corrine thought of her. She didn't want Corrine to worry about that.
Then came the story from Samuel. I got really lost during this whole thing. So he says that a man's shop and blacksmith shop were burnt to the ground because white men were jealous of his business. The man and his brothers were hanged and beaten. I got really confused as to which person had which children and which one was Celie (if she was even in the story at all). Somehow, Nettie finds out that Pa isn't their father.
I find Celie's last entry very interesting. I think that it really shows her emotions, and I am not sure what she is going to do about all of these stresses.
One other thing I noticed was how Nettie wrote with such proper English. She was able to write a lot and her letters were much easier to read than Celie's. You can really tell that she has had an education.
Somehow, I believe that Celie and Nettie are going to meet up and figure this whole thing out. I think that they have a lot of investigating to do!
--Leah
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
To page 163
Celie is feeling much better now that she knows Nettie is alive. Again, we get more letters from Nettie. She is now getting off of the boat to enter the village where she will teach. The people helping them on the boats didn't seem very friendly. They just threw some of their stuff into the water. I'm not sure that this gave Nettie a good first impression. They then went to see the native people. The people had so many questions for Nettie, Corrine, and Samuel. They asked if the children were Nettie's because they looked so much like her. (I wonder why? :) ). The people then told the story of the roofleaves. Many people died because the chief was selfish and got rid of the roofleaves. They died of illness and animal attacks and because of this, they now worship the roofleaf. Nettie then begins to teach. She notices that there are only boys who are educated except for Olivia (Celie/Corrine's daughter). Olivia then tries to teach another little girl, Tashi. Tashi's parents approach Nettie because they say that their daughter is changing. They don't want her to be educated- they just want to follow old tradition where women do house chores. I was glad that Nettie defended Tashi and said that she was a very intelligent girl and should be a nurse or a teacher. The dad says that there is no place for her to be a nurse or a teacher in their village. It made me really angry to know that Tashi's own father didn't have hope for his own daughter. Nettie is trying to explain that things are changing. He does not except the fact that women might be gain some rights. I also found it scary that not many people make it out of the village alive. I really hope (and I think that) Celie and Nettie will be reunited. I guess we will have to see.
--Leah
--Leah
To page 147
These letters have been going on for a really long time. I wonder how long Nettie has been sending them. How many are there? Anyway, I am really happy that Nettie is finally enjoying herself. She is seeing that the world really isn't all about being abused and judged. Her time in Africa seems really exciting, and I hope that everything goes well with her return. On the other hand, Celie just wants to literally kill Albert for hiding these letters from her. She doesn't even like him in the first place, so not she absolutely hates his guts. I am also glad that she has Shug to talk to because if she didn't, I'm sure Albert would be dead. What would Celie do if she had no one to talk to? How would she deal with all of these hard feelings? Shug has really reached out and protected Celie. The pants do sound quite interesting. We will see how they turn out.
Let's cross our fingers for some exhilarating action!
--Leah
Let's cross our fingers for some exhilarating action!
--Leah
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
to page 147
In this section it's mostly about Nettie's letters. She tells Celie of all the places and things she has seen. She talks about the huge boat she is on, the Malaga and how great everything is. She was in England and talked about the tea that she got to drink, and she even got to drink out of the same glasses as everyone else. This is strange because black people never could do that. On page 141 Nettie talks about Africa. Then she also says how strange it was for her to see a white person at first. Most people even now think Africa has no white people. I then remembered how one girl from our school came from Africa, and she is white. When she talked about it, the way she described it was nothing like America, but I immediately thought of her when Nettie mentioned a white African.
Nettie now wants to kill Albert. She is so upset that he has lied and kept Nettie's letters away from her. However Shug calms her down and tells her if she kills him then she won't be able to see Nettie and nobody will be able to look at her the same. Celie is lucky she has Shug to help her when she is upset, or I think she would've done many things that she would've regretted. Shug is also there to just talk to her and be a friend, which Celie really needs. Now Shug talks about making Celie some pants. Women don't usually wear pants so it should be interesting to see and hear everyone's reactions of Celie's pants. I wonder how they will turn out.
Oh and Leah, that whole idea for getting the book done is great. We can easily do that and we'll have plenty of time to make a cool project to present. Plus with all these great entries it will be easy to collect notes and make whatever we can imagine! :)
BethAnn---
Nettie now wants to kill Albert. She is so upset that he has lied and kept Nettie's letters away from her. However Shug calms her down and tells her if she kills him then she won't be able to see Nettie and nobody will be able to look at her the same. Celie is lucky she has Shug to help her when she is upset, or I think she would've done many things that she would've regretted. Shug is also there to just talk to her and be a friend, which Celie really needs. Now Shug talks about making Celie some pants. Women don't usually wear pants so it should be interesting to see and hear everyone's reactions of Celie's pants. I wonder how they will turn out.
Oh and Leah, that whole idea for getting the book done is great. We can easily do that and we'll have plenty of time to make a cool project to present. Plus with all these great entries it will be easy to collect notes and make whatever we can imagine! :)
BethAnn---
Monday, December 17, 2007
For over break, I think that we should try to get a large portion of the book finished. As of now, we have 157 pages left. I think that we should read small sections and comment on each so that we don't end up with one huge comment. It might also be helpful if we get together over break to start thinking about what we are going to present.
This is just a thought:
--Leah
This is just a thought:
- 138-147 (TUES)
- 148-163 (WED)
- 164- 178 (THURS)
- 179-192 (SUN)
- 193-210 (WED)
- 211-228 (FRI)
- 229-244 (SUN)
- 245-259 (TUES)
- 260-281 (WED)
- 281-294 (THURS)
--Leah
To page 138
This section also confused me.
We know that Celie misses Nettie so much, and had no idea that she was receiving letters from her. We find out that Mr. _______ was hiding them because Nettie hurt him when he tried to rape her. Then Shug started talking about how Albert used to be. She was in love with him because of his sense of humor and his awesome dancing skills. I wonder what made Albert change? Why isn't he the same fun-loving person that he used to be? No wonder Shug like him. He actually had a personality and feelings. I find it interesting that Shug says, "Who he? I don't know nothing, I think. And glad of it." (page 125). She now sees how Albert has changed, and she is glad that she doesn't have to deal with him everyday. Then, Celie and Shug go to Albert's trunk to get the letters. I have a feeling that Albert is going to find out that the letters are missing, and it is not going to be good. I also found it ironic that Nettie is living with the people whom Celie met in town. It is also ironic that the son and daughter are really Celie's children. Nettie becomes really interested in Africa, and reads all of the books that Corrine and Samuel have. She becomes so interested that she decides to accompany them on the mission trip to Africa. First, they stop in New York, and Nettie gets to see Harlem. I think that Harlem is a sign of hope for Nettie. She sees that black families are driving nice cars and living in houses with desired amenities. She now knows that there is a hopeful future. Well, I think that towards the end of this section, Nettie has reached Africa. I think this because she says that she writes to Celie the whole way and then gets so frustrated with not hearing from Celie that she rips the letters and throws them into the ocean.
I predict that Nettie is going to have a life-changing experience in Africa and then return back to the United States. I then think that Shug is going to play a very important role in getting Celie and Nettie back together. I'm not sure how they will get past Mr. _______, but I think that he is going to be responsible for his own downfall.
****I think that the action is sort of slow. There is no "on the edge of your seat" action, and I think that it is all starting to jumble together. I hope something good happens soon so that everything gets a little more easy to understand.
--Leah
We know that Celie misses Nettie so much, and had no idea that she was receiving letters from her. We find out that Mr. _______ was hiding them because Nettie hurt him when he tried to rape her. Then Shug started talking about how Albert used to be. She was in love with him because of his sense of humor and his awesome dancing skills. I wonder what made Albert change? Why isn't he the same fun-loving person that he used to be? No wonder Shug like him. He actually had a personality and feelings. I find it interesting that Shug says, "Who he? I don't know nothing, I think. And glad of it." (page 125). She now sees how Albert has changed, and she is glad that she doesn't have to deal with him everyday. Then, Celie and Shug go to Albert's trunk to get the letters. I have a feeling that Albert is going to find out that the letters are missing, and it is not going to be good. I also found it ironic that Nettie is living with the people whom Celie met in town. It is also ironic that the son and daughter are really Celie's children. Nettie becomes really interested in Africa, and reads all of the books that Corrine and Samuel have. She becomes so interested that she decides to accompany them on the mission trip to Africa. First, they stop in New York, and Nettie gets to see Harlem. I think that Harlem is a sign of hope for Nettie. She sees that black families are driving nice cars and living in houses with desired amenities. She now knows that there is a hopeful future. Well, I think that towards the end of this section, Nettie has reached Africa. I think this because she says that she writes to Celie the whole way and then gets so frustrated with not hearing from Celie that she rips the letters and throws them into the ocean.
I predict that Nettie is going to have a life-changing experience in Africa and then return back to the United States. I then think that Shug is going to play a very important role in getting Celie and Nettie back together. I'm not sure how they will get past Mr. _______, but I think that he is going to be responsible for his own downfall.
****I think that the action is sort of slow. There is no "on the edge of your seat" action, and I think that it is all starting to jumble together. I hope something good happens soon so that everything gets a little more easy to understand.
--Leah
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