The Color Purple: Book Versus Movie Essay

Singing the Blues

Elegant, beautiful, and respected those only a few words that describe Shug Avery. An icon too many characters, in the movie as well as the book Color Purple, but superficial to others. Well admired by those who didnt even know her and sung her way into their hearts. Shug builds a different relationship with Mister in the book that is very different from the one she has in the movie.

Shug Avery a blues singer that is known all over the world. Shug is deeply admired by Mister in the book but he gives Shug different attention in the movie. In the book Mister is deeply fond of Shug Avery, a past lover, despite the fact that he is married. Shug is very arrogant and feels that the world evolves around her. A big time blues singer, with her face all over flyers in cities across the country, attracts attention wherever she goes. When she arrives in Misters house she feels that she should be pampered. She arrived drunk and gets bathed and fed as if she lived there. The royal treatment was out of the ordinary since Mister hasnt seen her such a long time and doesnt even have a relationship with her besides friends. But since Mister knows of her great popularity he brags about her to Celie every opportunity he gets. Celie knew how beautiful she was when she first saw a picture of Shug. Shug Avery was a woman. The most beautiful woman I ever saw. She more pretty then my mama. She bout ten times more prettier then me. I see her in furs. Her face rouge. Her hair like somethin tail. An all night long I stare at the picture. An now when I dream, I dream of Shug Avery. She be dressed to kill, whirling and laughing." (Walker 16)

Albert goes out of his way in the book to please Shug and make her happy. When Shug was coming to the house, he dressed all up and looked at himself in the mirror. And when she arrived and is introduced to the family he sits, chewing on his pipe all day and night to try to impress her. Albert had a sincere passion for Shug, Hard not to love Shug, she know how to love somebody back. (Walker 289)The book also shows the power of Shug because she calls him Albert instead of Mister. The unique thing about Albert and Shugs relationship is their sense of equality. Albert confesses later that "he loves her style" and by that he means that "she act more manly than most men," she is overbearing and honest about people. She out right tells Celie to let her sleep with Albert and then tells Celie to look at herself in the mirror and she does an example of her powerful presence. In a sense Shug is just like Sophia in the way she stands up for herself and has power. Alice Walker wanted to send the message that this is the type of woman that men like, those that dont submit to men, that later leads to Squeak and Celie standing up for themselves.

Albert was so fond of Shug in the book but was a completely different character in the movie. He barely showed any attention towards Shug except for her first day she arrives at the house. After her warm welcome, Albert barely ever talks about Shug throughout the movie. Shug stays in Alberts home and they hardly ever share a scene. In the movie her stay is short the first time and she returns after her marriage to another man. It seems weird that even though the relationship between Shug and Albert is almost nonexistent, she still comes when ever she wants and makes herself right at home. The movie focuses less on Shug and Albert but more on Celie and Shug. Shug tries to make Celie realize what she is going through and help her stand up for herself. Besides that, Shug is the driving cause to Celies sexual arousal in the movie. Spielberg knew that the relationship of Shug and Albert wouldnt go anywhere so he focused on Celie as Shugs target.

A powerful character named Shug Avery changed the movie and book. She was the focal point to all characters especially Celie and Albert, just in the book. Shug was a very sickly person, possibly with a sexually transmitted disease, and in the beginning of the book looked at as a bad person with bad traits. She smoked and sang in bars but was a leader in changing Celies life from a house wife who gets beaten, to owning a clothing store and standing up for herself. After the bad stigma they pin on Shug, in the end she goes to church and reunites with her father, who had exiled her from the family. She too had achieved total happiness through Celie.