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Imagining Precious
Sapphire didn't want her 1996 book about a teen who endures unspeakable abuse to be sentimentalized.
Beyond the red carpets and talk shows, Oscar buzz and celebrity cameos, Precious remains rooted in two key figures: its titular protagonist Claireece “Precious Jones” and Sapphire, the woman who wrote Push, the nearly 15-year-old novel on which the film is based. Precious, the character, played by Gabourey Sidibe is a flow-chart of human misery. Slipping through the cracks of a social services system fated to fail her, she is taunted for her size, teased for her dark skin, and nearly tossed aside for her lack of schooling. But mostly, Precious is invisible—a faceless, voiceless outlet for her father’s lust, her mother’s rage, and a crack-fueled 1980s culture of expendability.
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Yet within Sapphire’s hands, Precious is brutally and honestly rendered human. “Ralph Ellison spoke of an invisible man, but girls like Precious are our invisible young women—not seen by their own people let alone white society,” says Sapphire, who counts everyone from Allen Ginsberg to Ellison himself as literary totems. “But Precious is a deeply introspective, deep-thinking character and this propels the narrative,” she continues. “[The novel] is not a ‘violence in Harlem’ story, but the rich inner life of a girl who at times may feel crazy or seem paranoid—but is merely reacting to what is actually going on around her.”
• Stephen Farber talks to Precious director Lee Daniels about his own remarkable odyssey.Startlingly realized in Precious’ teen-ghetto patois, the book, which is now called Precious to coincide with the film’s release, heaves with the alienation of the urban poor. Sapphire describes this “period language [as] a magical thing,” gleaned from the decade she lived in Harlem teaching literacy skills to children and adults. Broken and incorrect, Precious’ vernacular may feel foreign to folks below 125th Street. But evolving and enlivening over the pages of the novel, “Precious is transmuting the horror of all that’s around her through the process of learning,” Sapphire says.
That process is propelled by the guardian angel Ms. Rain, a formally educated and unapologetically lesbian teacher clearly unimpressed with conventional thinking. Despite the obvious parallels (Sapphire worked as a literacy teacher in Harlem and the Bronx for seven years), Precious is not an autobiography. Rather, Sapphire sees her book as a tribute to the armies of behind-the-scenes activists—educators, social workers, shelter volunteers, HIV counselors—committed to keeping the Preciouses of the world from lifelong obsolescence.
They’re all on the screen. And in a touching twist of verisimilitude, Sapphire is too, briefly back among young people as an extra in a day-care center scene. “The film helps put Harlem on the map and Precious on the map, but also these young professionals on the map,” Sapphire says. “These are vital, involved people who are mostly absent from typical images of the ghetto.”
Precious is a brazen tale and Sapphire is a ballsy storyteller, well aware of the cultural—and box office—limitations of a character like Precious. She never doubted, however, that there was a movie her book, certain it “could be an artistic success, maybe with a two-week run at the Film Forum” and an afterlife as an art-house DVD.
But having held out for more than a decade, Sapphire also recognized an ally in director Lee Daniels, who spent years convincing Sapphire he possessed both the creative and emotional depth to make Precious whole. It wasn’t an easy sell for the young filmmaker, who produced Halle Barry’s Oscar-winning film Monster’s Ball in 2001. “Because of the material, I needed to know he wouldn’t sentimentalize or exploit Precious,” Sapphire says. “It couldn’t become some horror story, some sort of story from The National Enquirer.”
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I saw the movie and honestly....I cried more on the trailer than I did seeing the movie. Which was a bit disappointing. Glad to see black actresses get meaty roles that are Oscar worthy, but when I left the movie, I didn't feel moved with sympathies or to join a movement. And that's what movies like this are supposed to make you do; right?
Come on, did Silence of the Lambs make you want to go out and catch serial killers, or did Amadeus make you want to write an opera? Judge the movie on its own artistic value please, and if would take a movie to make you feel sympathy for the world's downtrodden, that is pretty shallow. I have been living in the 3rd world for the past 15 years, it didn't take a movie to make me do this.
Easton:
Well put. But Im afraid the person who posted that message really is that shallow and misguided. Im not sure if this shallow point of view is the consensus though...man, I REALLY hope its not.
Chicago48- no offense, but that post is very odd. It's like someone served you steak and you complained that it didn't taste like lemon custard. Just weird, but I have to say that is why I discuss movies, etc, with only a very select few.
Umm....nope. They're supposed to get you to cough up some cash so they can make money for the people who produced them. That's it.
I simply hope the entire world wakes up after this story is told. Abuse happens and it destroys a human being. Stop hurting children. If you think it is ok to slap and spank the beautiful children you were blessed with, get some help.If you mentally and emotionally abuse them too, just stop and try loving them.
I read the book. While the story is brutal and heart wrenching, it opens the door on the lives of many children who are either seen and not heard or not seen or heard at all.
"and we are not saved..."
This movie is going to hit home to many! There is so much child abuse in this country...hell, in this world that it's not funny. The social workers are overworked and underpaid, the abusers never get caught, and the abused suffer and lash out and become abusers themselves. It's a vicious cycle that needs to end and I think this movie is a stepping stone to that process. God Bless women like Sapphire!! Please continue pouring out your imagination on paper and let's get something done about our children!
I had to buy the book from Amazon because my library (in a conservative country) did not carry it. When black high school students have asked the school's librarian why they don't carry more black novels/books the reply was "they are too pornograhic!" In a sense this book too borders on pornography, so I have to take it in doses. I did not get to see the debut of film here (had to go to airport), but hopes it opens here.
An educated person can understand and get over the ghetto vernacular or BVE and read the book. Sapphire puts some salty and sexy words in the mouth of Precious. That's par for the course I think. I too have taught in the urban ghetto and most of the words, except for "bastard" they don't use that word, are X-rated.
Will these types of black or taboo films catch on? That's a big ? because black only seems to sell to black audiences. Whites are only slowly warming up to the heat of blackness.
Heloise
The Trough
most librarys can obtain a book not in their library by "borrowing" it from another library. I'm sure this isn't a conservative plot to "make" you buy a book! Anybody can "donate" a book to the library if you think they are lacking.
Read your book and donate it to your conservative library, they will thank-you.
Most people who enjoy books (myself) don't usually only buy books by one race of people, bookreaders tend to "love" good books. period, I live in a "blue" area, try to find Michelle Malkin, not likely. So don't feel like the lone ranger!
I really don't want to sound heartless and ignorant, but do any of you really see some kind of change happening if the people who live in these situations don't make the change happen for themselves?
Some can and some cannot. I have seen some so wounded that nothing helps.If they are the unlucky ones, look out. I wish it was this easy to make changes. Deep seated anger and pain can take years to change.
yes..and many like precious from every RACE creed and religious background.. have MADE the change with the HELP of others and the realities of themselves..that is wha tis WRONG with PPL today..they sit back in there little
SNOT filled lives..and say not in my backyard..and these ppl don't wnat to CHANGE..who wants to like like that collectively and WILLINGLY?..
..and to futher answer you question..this is what MAKE HUMANS different as in made in GOD's image..is the CHOICE and WILL to HELP others WHO CAN'T help themselves for several reasons..
I'm certain YOU at one time or another ..and maybe not as severe as such like Precious..but I'm certain SOMEONE HELPED you when you couldn't help yourself..
I have watched and, at times, lived in communities where the Preciouses of the world live and it has always torn me up in ways I can't describe. This movie is already making me cry, and I am sure it will stand on it's own merits.
But if it makes you look a little more sympathetically to that girl on the subway, that would be good too.
Thank you, bryan. I will try my best to look at people more sympatheticallly. It is difficult in my world. I certainly don't live the life of country club leisure, but my family and I are lucky enough to live in a community where one would probably not find a "Precious".
you don't know that.. nor should you be naive to not know .. Precious is ALSO from a (6) figure families.. she is not ONLY from as the film depicted..
The Chinese are now selling Obama-Mao t-shirts, now that's precious!
PLEASE! RHONDA! ENOUGH OF THE OBAMA-MAO T-SHIRT GARBAGE!!!
Ok, did you hear the "wise latina" has to have her government Obama minder ok her clothing? It's shocking! To be so "wise' and not be able to pick out your own skirt, blouse and jacket. I'm trying to share news the NOTETAKERS forget.
I'm a Hispanic women with a college degree. Many call me a "wise latina", you have problem with that? Oh I forgot, you republicans prefer that we clean your house or take of your kids. Gee and you wonder why you lost the election? Hmm, I guess its time to stop wondering.
Looks like "celluloid chloroform." If you really want to see what it's "like" then go and volunteer at a homeless shelter for a month.
I do not make this comment in haste. I've actually worked for and managed low-income, after school youth programs in some of the toughest "hoods" in Southern California.
My prediction is that it will highlight some of the major social ills, and like a bad accident on the freeway, we will rubberneck to see the bad parts, and then drive away to our homes not to give it much thought..
I'm sorry, both the movie and book are complete garbage. It's nothing more than soap opera melodrama. The writer of the book should be fined for impersonating an author. The movie was only made as a heart string tugging Oscar vehicle.
I disagree with mutter on every level. Of course I assume he/she/it is indeed critical of the book and movie because he/she/it has read and seen it.
That's cute. You're right, I didn't read it, as I treasure my intelligence and wouldn't want it muddled by some hack author's gimmicky treatise on childhood abuse.
"Ralph Ellison spoke of an invisible man, but girls like Precious are our invisible young women-not seen by their own people let alone white society,"
WTF did I do?
And the role of the teacher couldnt be more Hollywood cliche.
"gimmickty treatise on childhood abuse" How do I word this without coming across as snide or uncaring, you were/are a victim of childhood abuse and think you know of what you speak?
No, I was really more the abuser than the abusee...
uh oh, another Mao lover uncovered in the Obama administration Ron Bloom, Manufacturing Czar outed as Commie. News, you'll never see on the MSM!
I can see why our world is so F-up when I read some of the comments. Very strange and sad individuals. This blog is about a movie about a human being that has been physically and sexually abused.
No, it is about a badly written amalgamation of stereotypes.
Rhonda, Rhonda, Rhonda, if you could only see yourself as others see you, perhaps then you would stop. Do you see yourself as changing minds? Do you see yourself as bringing others around to your point of view? I see you as a petulant child seeking attention trying to disrupt the conversation while the grown ups are talking. Ok we get it, you don't like Obama but Mao? Really?
That's all you got? Nanny nanny boo boo? Speak about the issue at hand, speak intelligently or in the words of that great political thinker Dick Cheney, "*uck Off!"
Dave, can you not understand that you're doing nothing more than feeding a troll here? He/She is doing this for attention. Ignore it, and it will go play elsewhere.
Thank you.
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