As a final reading project in my AP Literature class, we were given an assignment to compare and contrast the novel, "The Color Purple," and it's movie adaptation. Although the main story lines, plots, and cast of characters were pretty much the same for both versions, there were a few small changes to different scenes in the movie that set the two versions apart. Let's take a few moments to examine a few of these minor differences.
One initial difference in the two versions is the way the conflict between Celie's husband Mr. and her sister Nettie is portrayed. In the movie, Mr. tries to sexual assault Nettie and when she rejects his advances, he throws her out his house. In the novel, however, Mr. tries to sway Nettie with compliments and without getting physical. When she rejects his advances in the novel, he simply tells her that she has to leave. The physical advances were probably placed in the movie version to add more intense drama to the scene. Next, in the movie, the sexual relationship between Celie and fellow female character Shug Avery was briefly insinuated. In the novel, however, the extent of their sexual encounters were more drawn out and revealing. These two examples, along with a few other changes, did not take away from the substance of the original novel but were needed to appeal to the movie-goer watching the adaptation on the silver screen. Although both versions are critically acclaimed, I personally enjoyed the novel version the most.
I would recommend this novel because it makes for interesting reading. It explores the untraditional relationships between the main character Celie, her family and relations that surround her. Celie is initially a weak, timid character who in the end, finds confidence and strength. Morever, the novel relies on the subject of religion but also explores controversial content such as incest, homosexuality, and dysfunctional family units to give it depth and dimension.
