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Alice Walker, The Color Purple (1982)
The stark depictions of sexism and racism in The Color Purple have won it many fans, but its frank discussions of those themes, coupled with its violent scenes, have made it a controversial and often challenged novel by censors and parents' groups alike. Winner of both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, Alice Walker's book, told through a series of letters and documents, was adapted into a hit movie directed by Steven Spielberg, as well as a Broadway play. Strong relationships among women and the power of those relationships are at the novel's heart. Many said the book perpetuated racial stereotypes, but just as many people praised Walker's prose for its feminist themes. |