SSRJ#1: Walker
Reading through Alice Walker’s Roselily brought me back to a time when I was a little boy, 5 years
old, lost in a supermarket. It was a
horrible feeling of confusion and terror, much like what the young woman is
feeling in this story, and much like I felt reading through it. I didn’t get it. I still don’t completely get it, but I guess
that’s the point. This story scared the
hell out of me. Even though she’s up on
the porch surrounded by people she is still all alone, unsure of things to
come.
The literary element I believe holds the most weight in this
story is structure, specifically the conflict occurring in our central
character’s head. Also I like the way
the story is broken up and how each verse relates to its italicized caption. Through our central character’s inner
conflict I think Walker is making a statement about gender and the role of a
man and a woman in a marriage. Here she
is, independent woman with 4 kids (3 whom she takes care of) marrying a man whose
beliefs are contrary to her way of life.
She’ll be moving from a Christian lifestyle down in Mississippi to a
Muslim household in Chicago. The
narrator repeats the idea of her wearing a veil, robes, and covering her head
and emphasizes her uncertainty of the situation. A couple lines that hit me were, “Her place
will be in the home, he has said . . . Her hands will be full. Full of what? Babies. She is not comforted.” And “She does not even know if she loves him.” Can you imagine? Committing yourself to someone you don’t even
know if you love? Scary stuff. In the end she makes a full transformation
from our single mother to dependent wife even though “She feels ignorant, wrong, backward,” and the thought is reaffirmed when the story
closes with her just following behind her now husband as he doesn’t even look
back. I got the feeling she was just
being led like a lost puppy.
Obviously the situation has its pluses and minuses. At the climax of the story she seems to just
go with it. She doesn't even hear anything
past “his peace” and just follows. Is
she happy? Does she think she will be or
is she doing this for her children?
Excellent blog, Jordan! I can relate to your example of being lost and confused; I think that's exactly how Roselily felt. The guiding light was her need to create a better life for her children. "Even though she’s up on the porch surrounded by people she is still all alone, unsure of things to come." EXACTLY. How ironic that she was surrounded by people, even the man she was going to MARRY, but yet she was alone with her thoughts. She was completely lost in her thoughts on perhaps the most important day of her life. I agree, I think structure played a major role in the story. Having the italicized captions helped the story flow and brought it back to reality. The fact that she committed herself to someone she wasn't sure if she loved showed what a good mother Roselily was. She was willing to marry someone that she wasn't even sure if he loved her, and willing to be chained by his religion. What a huge sacrifice. Regarding your question, I don't believe that she is happy, nor will she ever be. She entered into the relationship just to provide a better life for her children. The daydream she has where her sister is laughing at the absurdity of the marriage shows that she didn't think it was right; however she did it anyway.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, your analysis is pretty thorough. In answer to your question, I don't believe Roselily is happy. The main emotion I got from the story was worry. Her mind just keeps wandering, and during a person's own wedding ceremony, that hardly indicates excitement. I don't think Roselily figures she'll be happy upon marriage, but maybe more comfortable. She won't have to work in a sewing factory any more, with the promise of being a stay-at-home wife. But still, she reflects back on being bare in the sun, free, so obviously freedom has provided some joy that she will now sacrifice. In terms of her children, while I sense that Roselily loves them, I think the decision is largely a selfish one. She came first, then the children; clearly she doesn't do great future planning if she's managed to have four children without having the means to take care of them. She wants a break for herself.
ReplyDeleteShe doesn't seem happy to be taking that step, but then again she doesn't seem happy in Mississippi either. I think she feels like marrying this man is her best, or only, option to escape her difficult life. I do think she is doing it for her children, to give them an easier, more secure life. I felt a mix of emotions coming from Roselily, definitely worried and sad, but maybe some optimism too. I think she is on the brink of something so different than her life up until that point, and she's feeling very anxious and unsure.
ReplyDeleteI like your post :) I really liked Walker's writing style in this piece as well. Personally, I don't believe she's happy. She had all these negative and stressful thoughts WHILE she was at the altar, ABOUT to be married to a man for (probably) the rest of her life. I figured that if you were a woman about to be married to a man who loves you, you would be rapturously excited, which Roselily, definitely was not. She had all these bitter memories about her hard work, previous children and their fathers and etc rush back up to the surface of her mind as she was about to married. However, I definitely think she's doing this for her children at most. I remember reading how badly she wanted to be "free" but she can't be, because of all her obligations. It's very sad :(
ReplyDeleteGood question. No I don’t think she is happy. I don’t think happiness was part of her decision making process. It seems to me she was tired of all the work and responsibilities of being a single mother. It seems as this was her main deciding factor, no more work. And no I don’t think she did this for her children because there is nothing in the story pointing in that direction.
ReplyDeleteI dont believe she is happy at all but from a mothers perspective I can see why that doesnt matter to her. I think she is just truly getting married to this man for the sake of her children and a little bit for herself. too.Like she said in the story, her kids will finally have a chance at life. So by her giving her children a chance at life, she no longer needs to work so hard to help them get that chance. I believe she thinks that getting married will help alot of her problems.
ReplyDelete