Lots of things can make a book tough to teach in high school. And The Color Purple has all these things in abundance. Sex? Check. Abuse? Check. Racial slurs? Check. Alice Walker sure didn't go easy on her readers, and this sure isn't an easy book to teach. In fact, The Color Purple is chockfull of all the things we teachers tend to avoid in our classrooms, but don't give up yet. This novel might be tough, but it pays off big in the end.

Set around 30 years before World War II, The Color Purple tells the tale of Celie—a young woman who experiences racial, sexual, and physical hardships. Life for Celie isn't anywhere close to easy. And to make matters more complicated author Alice Walker doesn't leave us guessing. No sir. Walker leaves all her cards on the table as she fully details the rape, beatings, and sexual encounters in Celie's life.