Conservative Point of View

In the final unit of our class Forbidden Books, we learned about censorship. We did not do an action project for Unit 2 because our teacher thought this project hold more substance. In the 3rd unit, we learned about the censorship of books. We read Sherman Alexie's "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian." We had weekly book clubs to discuss the book. We visited our local public radio station, WBEZ, to meet with their south-side correspondent Natalie Moore. Ms. Moore wrote a book about the South-Side that was banned in Illinois prisons. We talked with her about what it was like to be an author of a banned book. At the beginning of this class, we chose one of five banned books. The options were: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton.The Color Purple by Alice Walker. Animal Farm by George Orwell. Lord of the Flies by William Golding, and The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. I chose The Color Purple because i've seen the movie before and really enjoyed it. We then had to read the book and write an essay about why it was banned. I wanted to take a spin on this essay and write about the banning in a conservative point of view.

Conservative Point of View

Love has traditional values in the way it should be shown, given, and more importantly in the way it should be written. Love is the theme that was portrayed in The Color Purple. For example, Celie and Shug in a rather odd way, shifting between a very physical attraction to her to a sisterly love, and then right back to the love a daughter has for a mother. She says "I love looking at Shug." (Walker, 77) and "I work on her like...she mama." (Walker, 55) Even in the very beginning of the book, you get this feeling that Celie envies Shug's life, and really wants to be like her. Then it transforms from an admiration to a genuine love for Shug as she gets to know her, and then settles in on a sisterly love. The Color Purple is written in the form of letters that Celie (main character) writes to God. Celie is a uneducated, poor, African American 14 year old girl. The letters she writes to God talk about the trials and tribulations she faces. Her father Alphonso is mentioned heavily throughout her letters because of the damage he has done to Celie. Celie's father beats her harshly and rapes her continuously, she has been impregnated twice, but the children were both been abducted by her father. Eventually Alphonso marries Celie off to a man who is just as bad as him. The name of Celie’s husband is not mentioned, only written as Mr.__. Mister marries Celie to take care of his four kids, look after the house and work in the fields. Celie seems somewhat content with her marriage because she can take her younger sister Nattie out of her Father's house. Soon enough Mr. kicks Nettie out after Nettie rejects his sexual advances. After Nettie leaves, Celie’s life gets worse as she’s now separated from the only person whom she loves and who loves her back. Shug is Mr._ mistress, she becomes Celie's friend and eventually her lover. Shug remains a mentor who helps Celie evolve into an independent and assertive woman. Celie tells Shug how Mr._ beats her repeatedly and decides to stay to protect her. Shug and Celie’s relationship grows intimate, and Shug begins to ask Celie questions about her sexual habits. Celie grows admiration for Shug as she was the first person to show her signs of affection towards her. This form of love is not one that is rooted in traditional roots and should not hold educational values because of it. The Color Purple does not hold any educational values in the school system; therefore, it should be banned.

The Color Purple does not have any educational values based on the non systematic theme that it holds. West Virginia took action and banned The Color Purple in 1986, like several other school boards because of its troubling ideas about abuse, man’s relation to God, and human sexuality. Bernard King, a member of the school board said, "It could lead to different sex games and violence and other things" (Washington Post). The long established curriculum keeps the students formulated into a systematic ideology and detain from the toxicity emotional attachment does. Ultimately, these are topics that have no matter in a school system that holds the majorities inclination.

There are several examples in The Color Purple that school system point to as reasons it should be ban. For example, “He [Pa] never had a kine word to say to me. Just say You gonna do what your mammy wouldn’t. First he put his thing up gainst my hip and sort of wiggle it around. Then he grab hold my titties. Then he push his thing inside my p****. When that hurt, I cry. He start to choke me, saying You better shut up and git used to it”(pg. 1). This quote was problematic because its explicit depictions and language. Secondly, “Ain’t no way to read the bible and not think God white, she say. Then she sigh. When I found out I thought God was white, and a man, I lost interest. You mad cause he don’t seem to listen to your prayers. Humph! Do the mayor listen to anything colored say?”(pg. 194). This quote depicts the controversy of religion in a demeaning way. Quotes like these are throughout the book and holds no value. They are only expressing vulgarity with no necessity. The Color Purple influences political, religious, and diversity disputes, but because the delivery speaks figuratively the vulgarity outweighs the significance. That being said, it was problematic from the fact that the book hold text that triggers every social aspect. The Color Purple touched on religion when talking about God being a white male, politics when talking about the government not listening to colored folks, and lastly the diversity in race.

The ideologies the book expresses holds no substance in any systematic matter. This ratifies how the banning of The Color Purple is justified to be out of reach for kids. Reasons be the vulgarity in the depictions of violence, the lack of educational values based on the non systematic theme that it holds, and how love has traditional values in the way it should be shown, given, and more importantly in the way it should be written and with that being The Color purple portrayed love being an unhealthy in every standpoint. Alice Walker the author of The Color Purple implemented these ideas with a purpose, her controversial text was apart of her creative writing to expose a certain system that has been oppressed by the majority. As she states, "Also, I think it is anyone’s right to do what they feel they have to do. They have a job. I have a job. I will write what I think is right for me to write. They will oppose it. In a way that makes us equal. Though when one’s work is completely suppressed this is a bitter acceptance."(GuernicaMag).

The censorship of books has been a necessity for many years, whether they were banned because of vulgarity, suggestive themes, religion, or just plain hate against a certain group. The "forbiddance" of a book keeps us safe from a world thats created with ideologies and nonsystematic themes. Looking into a school system we should feel safe that our kids are going to school filled with factual strategic knowledge and no unhealthy ideas. In conclusion The color Purple holds no matter in any learning environment.

“The Pipeline of Book Censorship.” Tavaana, tavaana.org/en/content/censorship.

Works Cited:

“WEST VIRGINIA SCHOOL BOARD BANS 'THE COLOR PURPLE'.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 9 Nov. 1997

“Why was the book "The Color Purple" banned? What was done to allow the book "The Color Purple" not to be banned?” Enotes.com, Enotes.com.