Alice Walker's 1983 Publication in Search of Essay

Open, View, and/or
Download this Document

Total Length: 642 words ( 2 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 1

Page 1 of 2

Alice Walker's 1983 publication In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens: Womanist Prose addresses the role of creativity in women's lives. Creativity is the essence of womanhood, and therefore a symbol like that of the titular mother's garden. "Guided by my heritage of a love of beauty and respect for strength-in search of my mother's garden, I found my own."(Walker 675). Imagery of gardens and life contrasts sharply with imagery of abuse and death, which Walker acknowledges in Search of Our Mothers' Gardens. Both the suppression or repression of creativity, and the stimulation and expression of creativity, are critical components of women's lives.

Creativity is the means by which women of color have mitigated their oppression and subjugation. On page 357, Walker states, "I went in search of the secret of what has fed that muzzled and often mutilated, but vibrant, creative spirit that the black woman has inherited, and that pops out in wild and unlikely places to this day." The imagery of popping out in "wild and unlikely places" ironically conveys creativity to be like a weed. Yet the garden flourishes.

Stuck Writing Your "Alice Walker's 1983 Publication in Search Of" Essay?

View All Our Example Alice Walker's 1983 Publication in Search of Essay

Have A Custom Example Essay Written

What Walker likely means is that the contributions of African-American women to dominant culture have been viewed and treated like weeds; the women themselves have been treated like invasive species to be clipped out and cut away. Yet the weeds still grow, no matter what the political motivations of the pruner. The garden of creativity grows, even when its plants, the weeds of self-expression, are stigmatized or labeled as unwanted. Women's creativity has been like "butterflies trapped in honey," notes Walker (232). It was for generations -- centuries -- illegal for women of color to express themselves. Their buried impulses have become the seeds of creativity for modern women. This is why Walker notes that the grandmothers who made sacrifices have "not perished," (235).

Creativity is the vehicle of liberation. Walker also refers to the scores of women of….....

Show More ⇣

     Open the full completed essay and source list


OR

     Order a one-of-a-kind custom essay on this topic


sample essay writing service

Cite This Resource:

Latest APA Format (6th edition)

Copy Reference
"Alice Walker's 1983 Publication In Search Of" (2013, May 05) Retrieved May 12, 2025, from
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/alice-walker-1983-publication-search-100136

Latest MLA Format (8th edition)

Copy Reference
"Alice Walker's 1983 Publication In Search Of" 05 May 2013. Web.12 May. 2025. <
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/alice-walker-1983-publication-search-100136>

Latest Chicago Format (16th edition)

Copy Reference
"Alice Walker's 1983 Publication In Search Of", 05 May 2013, Accessed.12 May. 2025,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/alice-walker-1983-publication-search-100136
   

Open, View, and/or
Download this Document
order custom essay example