Overview

Students should be able to analyze and interpret the information they have read thus far, and express these observations and conclusions verbally in a large group setting. They also should synthesize what they have recently learned from the North by South presentations into their discussions about the characters in the novel.

Objectives

Students will analyze the novel in an informal group discussion.

Skills Attained

Students will be able to:

• Read of the text of The Color Purple closely.
• Analyze The Color Purple in the broader context of the history of slavery and the Jim Crow system.

Time Required

One class period.

Materials Needed

• The Color Purple novel
• Discussion questions (below)
• Discussion grading rubric
• Reading logs
• Notebook with activities and notes leading up to this discussion

The Lesson

Anticipatory Set

Arrange the classroom so that the seating is appropriate for a large-group discussion with possible room for students to break out into smaller groups and then reconvene in the large group at your discretion. Students should have completed their reading and reading logs through Chapter 47 and have the novel and their logs with them for reference during the discussion.

You will facilitate learning by allowing students to express themselves verbally in a structured atmosphere. Students who are strong verbal learners should be able to better comprehend information visually introduced to them through reading. By discussing the issues and even disagreeing on their conclusions, students will better understand and become more familiar with the novel's content, as well as the historical information and influences of the time.

Procedures

• Ask for opening comments, questions, etc. about the book.


• Then, move the discussion from there. You may use the list of suggested questions at various levels, but you should also feel free to add to these at your discretion based on your students' backgrounds, interests, and levels.

Assessment

Although you may want to create your own discussion rubric, you can use or alter the sample one that follows. This rubric bases 50% of the grade being on behavior and 50% on content. You also may comment on and/or grade students' reading logs, which they should turn into you after the discussion.

This lesson was written by ReBecca Hostler, a teacher at Centennial High School in Roswell, Georgia.

Please answer the following questions. Note, too, that chapter references are given after each question in parentheses if the chapter is not included in the question.

1. How did Nettie get to Africa? Where did they stop along the way? Describe her voyage. (57)



2. How does Nettie characterize the people of Africa? What do you think about this? (57)



3. What did Nettie think of Senegal and its people? (58)



4. What did she think of Monrovia? Why did the presidential palace of Monrovia resemble the White House? (58)



5. What is Celie's reaction to Nettie's letters? How does Shug reason with Celie? (59)



6. How does Shug distract Celie from her grief and give her something productive to do? What do you do when something is bothering you? How do you keep your mind off it? (60)



7. Why does Celie worry about her children's intelligence? Is this a rational fear? (61)



8. How were Nettie and the other missionaries welcomed to the village? What can you discern about the culture of the Olinka's from this passage? (61)



9. Why do you think the Olinka's believed that girls should not be educated? Why didn't whites in the South think African Americans should be educated? How are these reasons similar? (62)



10. What did the Olinka think about American women? Was that an accurate view at the time? What does this say about the condition of Olinka women? (63)



11. Why doesn't Nettie like the Olinka's attitude toward slavery? Why did Nettie want them to take some responsibility for the slave trade? Elaborate. (64)



12. Why was an English rubber factory building a road in Africa? From what international policy did this result? (65)



13. Describe the conversation between Coreen and Nettie in Chapter 66. What does Coreen suspect? Why would she think this? How did her suspicions affect her behavior?



14. What did Samuel tell Nettie about her family? How does this change the lives of Nettie and Celie? (67)



15. Why does Celie say that God "must be sleep?" What does she mean? (68)



16. What does Nettie mean when she says that "the hurt we cause others unknowingly ... is a terrible thing?" Give examples from the book of how someone caused pain to someone else unknowingly. How have you seen this in your own life? (70)



17. What situation was rectified before Coreen died? (71)



18. Why has Celie stopped writing to God? How could the events of her life have caused her to lose her faith in God? (73)



19. What does Shug think about God? Religion? Are God and religion the same thing? Explain. (73)



20. What does Celie think about God? (73)



21. What is discussed during the family dinner at Odessa's house? (74)



22. Mr. _________ tells Celie, "You black, you poor, you ugly, you a woman. Goddam, he say, you nothing at all." Is Mr. _________ right? Why or why not? (75)



23. How was Shug's dream house similar to Nettie's house in Africa? Why would the author make the two women in Celie's life similar? What are other similarities? (76)



24. How does Shug help Celie find something productive to do? What is the result? (77)



25. When Celie left Mr. _________ she cursed him. How did her curse come to fruition? (79)



26. What did "Jared Hunt" tell Nettie and Samuel about her treatment by Africans? (80)



27. Why did she choose to live in Africa? (80)



28. What does Alice Walker relate about Spelman Seminary (now Spelman College) in the book? Why would she include this information? (80)



29. Why is Adam so upset? What has changed when they return to the village? (81)