The Color Purple

In my absence, I spent much time reviewing my notes and thoughts on the reading for class yesterday, and came up with a few things I would like to share with the class. Hopefully, someone will respond, and we can flesh this out a little bit, but if not, I will bring this to class tomorrow for further discussion if time allows for it.
To begin, I had read the novel once before, but I revisited it, and my notes on it, with a new lens. I read it as a young woman right out of high school, and had not much care at that time for the dialectical element, the symbolism in the writing, or some of the not-so-apparent themes. As I revisited the writing, I found myself drawn to the way in which the dialect makes the expression of Celie more valid for me, and how it communicates emotion much more fully than if it had been written in standard English. I was confirmed in this when I read the supporting article about Willie Jordan: "Our process of translation exploded with hilarity and even hysterical, shocked laughter: The Black writer, Alice Walker, knew what she was doing!" (159). The students had found out, after their initial, uninspired reading that the dialect was necessary, or the story would immediately seem inauthentic. I thought it was particularly interesting that this professor noted the resistance from African American students to the dialect, and the acceptance of the white audience. How odd! Wouldn't you think that it would be exactly opposite? When you think more on it, however, as the article pointedly says, the students had never been allowed or encouraged to see their language in print, but rather only to write or read in Standard English.
One of the symbols in the novel that I hadn't really picked up on before this reading was that of the sewing. I had never thought about the fact that it symbloizes the African American woman's channeling of her creative energy into something productive, something tangible. This was a way to rebel against those who had hurt them, to focus their anger, hurt, and talent at sewing. It represented success to Celie, who turned the sewing into a business that would allow her to escape her station in life initially and support herself.
I don't know if anyone brought these things out in the discussion, but I would like to share this tomorrow in class. Please respond if you have the time.
Thanks!