Why You Should Read the Book The Color Purple Before You See the Musical
By now I am sure that everyone has heard of the musical “The Color Purple” that is being produced by Oprah Winfrey. It is currently playing on Broadway and has a very talented cast. But there are several reasons why you should do more than just see the play. You should take the time to read the book as well. The book was written by an author named Alice Walker. Following are some reasons why you should take some time to experience the book itself:
1. The author uses a different type of writing style. Unlike most books this one focuses on letters that are written from one sister to the other. Most writers tell you a little bit of background on the characters. But with this book you are forced to focus on the specifics of each letter.
2. The book covers a long time from of about thirty to forty years. You don’t realize it when you first start reading the book, but it really does cover a long time frame. It really helps you to feel what the characters were going through and how long they dealt with their situation.
3. Different type of dialect. As you will notice in the play the dialect is slightly different than most. Because of the time period the author really wanted you to understand how African American people who were uneducated spoke back then. When reading the book you will notice that the letters Celie writes to her sister are written this way. It may seem difficult to understand at first but if you allow yourself some time after the first few chapters you will begin to get used to it.
4. The book gives you a little bit more detail of Celie’s feelings of herself. By reading Celie’s letters you will see how she felt about her self. She felt like she was not worthy of anything and that no one cared for her, not even God. By reading her words in the letter you will understand better what she was going through.
5. Through the course of the book you see the characters slowly begin to mature. This is what makes this book so worth reading. As you get towards the end of the book you will see that this woman, who once had no confidence in herself, emerges into a very confident African American woman, with a loving family.
These are just a few reasons why you should take the time to read the book before you see the musical. It will make the entire experience that more meaningful to you. You will already understand the story behind it, and you will also be able to relate to the characters themselves. The book really helps you to understand what people went through in that time and how one woman chose to turn her life into something meaningful. So if you are thinking about going to see the musical, just take a little time to experience the book.
