Contemporary literature has two of the most outstanding authors that have ever lived. African – American authors Maya Angelou and Alice Walker undeniably epitomizes a woman of strength and substance.
Both women present a noteworthy resemblance in the lives they lead. Angelou and Walker narrate to their readers the kind of life they came to know while growing up. The life in the rural south was the subject of Walker’s essay compositions. Angelou, on her part presents hers by means of the autobiographies she has penned down.
Angelou and Walker resemble the same backgrounds. Both authors have a certain kind of manner that gives their audience the sense of being human in its very essence, without striping it off its authenticity and vigor, pleasure and pain. Misfortune hit both women at the tender age of just eight years old (Empire: ZINE NP). The former accidentally went blind on an eye while the latter was sexually abused (Empire: ZINE NP).
Both authors depicted their experiences as an element of a bigger endeavor. On her part, Walker narrated the incident that happened to her through an essay in the book entitled, In Search of Our Mother’s Garden (Empire: ZINE NP). On the other hand, Angelou’s account was contained in one of the chapters in the autobiography that goes with the title, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Empire: ZINE NP). Even though both women have their own painful experiences as subjects of their literary works, Angelou and Walker each has her own unique style of presenting the episodes to their audiences and both appears to be narrated for differing intentions.
Maya Angelou is an American author, poet, playwright, editor, actress, director and teacher. She is best known for the first installment of her autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Empire: ZINE NP). This work tells the story of a black girl growing up during the Great Depression.
Angelou continued to chronicle her life in Gather Together in My Name, Singin’ and Swingin’ and Getting Merry Like Christmas, The Heart of a Woman and All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes (Empire: ZINE NP).
Like much of her other writing, Angelou’s autobiographical works are realistic and exuberant. She has written several collections of poetry, including Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water and Oh Pray My Wings Are Gonna Fit Me Well. She has also performed in several stage productions (Empire: ZINE NP).
Angelou was born in St. Louis, Mo (Empire: ZINE NP). Her given name was Marguerite Johnson (Empire: ZINE NP). She later acquired the name she uses from the family name of her first husband.
She deals with the dangerous consequences of racial discrimination and isolation in the United States at a tender age. “She contemplates on the notion of beauty which is considered to be synonymous to blond hair and that she is otherwise. As she matures, she deals with more explicit and private encounters with discrimination. The unfair and communal veracity imprison and degrade her and their family. She arrives at understanding the way in which stresses of being in an exhaustively racially prejudiced civilization have greatly molded the moral fiber of her relatives, and she struggles to overcome all of them. She is transported in seven residences since she was three until she reached the age of 16. Overwhelmed by racial discrimination, prejudice and influence, she was demeaned and dishonored at each twist, leaving her incapable of tearing down her guard and sense that she may be at ease at a certain location. It was in San Francisco where she found her place along with all the other isolated beings who has found refuge at that place.
Angelou’s private dislodgment reverberate the greater communal forces that is responsible for the dislodgment of blacks around the United States. She recognizes that a lot of other frightened black youths completed the identical flight as she has. Their ancestors stoop from slaves. They are the ones who were displaced from their residences and native soil. They persisted to resist and seek for their rightful spot in a nation that remains unreceptive of their past.
Alice Walker came into the world on the ninth day of February in the year 1944 (Empire: ZINE NP). She was a daughter of sharecroppers of Georgia (Empire: ZINE NP ). She is certainly among of the most popular and well prized writers America has ever known.
She was accidentally hit by her brothers in the eye, causing her to lose it at the tender age of eight (Anniina Jokinen NP). She went to Spelman College. She has also been a student at Sarah Lawrence College. Here, she articulated her thoughts in opposition to the silence of the school’s set of courses especially in the subjects of the civilization and history of African Americans (Anniina Jokinen NP).
After completing her bachelor’s degree, Walker called New York City her home for a while. She was active in the civil rights movement during the 60’s (Anniina Jokinen NP). She employed her personal accounts as well as that of others as objects for her scorching investigation of politics and the dealings involving white and people of color in her novel that goes by the title, Meridian (Anniina Jokinen NP). And then in the middle parts of the year 1960’s and 1970’s, she spent time in Mississippi (Anniina Jokinen NP). By the year 1969, she bore a daughter and named her Rebecca (Anniina Jokinen NP).
By the year 1990, Walker is still a concerned advocate (Regents of the University of Minnesota NP). She has been vocal about her stand in issues like the women’s interest group, the defiant groups, movements that do not advocate the use of nuclear weapons. Moreover, she opposes FGM (female genital mutilation) and supports movements who share the same stand as her. In the year 1984, she initiated a publishing company that she owns which goes by the name Wild Trees Press (Regents of the University of Minnesota NP).
In her debut novel, Walker has concentrated on the prevailing conditions in her environment in the form of sexual and ethnic veracities that her race confronts including the inevitable links between the family as well as the community where they belong. Because of revealing the former, Walker has suffered criticism from fellow African – Americans, particularly the male detractors and theorists; and because of revealing the latter Walker has garnered several accolades at the same time as captivating the compassion and attention of numerous white and people of color.
Conceivably Walker’s most popular novel is The Color Purple, carried to the awareness of the conventional American audience by means of the motion picture edition of Steven Spielberg (Regents of the University of Minnesota NP). In this particular work, Walker spoke about lesbian relationships, incest, as well as sibling affection as she launched the blues kind of music to be the fusing strand that binds the lives lead by most of her characters (Regents of the University of Minnesota NP).
Declining to pay no attention to the twist of individual and opinionated arguments, Walker has generated six novels to her name, two short stories compilation and several other literary works in the form of poetry and essays (Regents of the University of Minnesota NP). Even while Walker has achieved distinction and credit the world over, she has never forgotten her humble beginnings. She still knew herself to be hailed from the South. She still has that sense of gratitude to the woman, her mom in particular, from whom she learned what an artist’s life truly demands.
Penning down of this crucial incident, Walker in her essay entitled, In Search of Our Mother’s Gardens, speaks about seeing her mother as the sun sets after a long day strenuous labor working in the field, not their own (Regents of the University of Minnesota NP). As she heads home after a day’s work, she would have to thread a long stretch to reach the well where she could get some water for the plants in her garden.
Walker has witnessed how her mother planned that whole garden of hers. The tall plants are on the background. Her mother keeps planting so more so as to see them bloom at beginning of spring in anticipation of the ending of the summer season.
Though back then, she was still that innocent with the things that unfold right through her very eyes, Walker has already labeled her mother an artist. For her, she was one filled with ardor, a sharp judgment for balance, as well as a strong faith that life with the absence of beauty is understatedly agonizing.
The label in the essay make a case for women who have been victims of slavery as well as the generations that came thereafter, the sole appearance of creative expression accessible to those concerned was the very lives they lead. In the usual household tasks of food preparation, sewing and cultivation – duties where their continued existence rely upon – they sought a means to articulate the longing of the spirit for optimism and splendor, and even the aspiration not to be forgotten. Not being able to understand writing and inscribe their personal accounts, the lives these women lead turns out to be their utmost masterpieces.
The essay authored by Walker brings up more than a few significant tests to the human theories concerning the subject of art. Initially, she stretches out the description of art to incorporate further than what is commonly assumed about it. Oral traditions are regarded to be more significant than their written counterparts. This is because the former maintain a heritage which goes far back as more than a hundred years ago. Furthermore, Walker normally utilizes the representation of a quilt as an image of not just a common duty that has taken an art form, save for like a symbol for the mélange of figures and utterance that when combined makes up the legacy of ages long gone.
She also asserts that present-day artists carry with them a responsibility to narrate the stories of their female ancestors, something that the latter were not able to do in their lifetime. Walker even perceives in the years gone by a legacy of narrative as well as of everyday verbal communication where present-day writers may be able to revive the living remembrance of ages past. Certainly, she fervently considers that along with the liberty to produce as well as their advantaged right of entry to public influence by means of literature, she and even her contemporaries share a nearly consecrated responsibility as guardians of racial remembrance.
Verbs in the present tense, incorporated in concise statements are Walkers means of conveying the information to her audience. She selects vocabulary that draws out a powerful poignant reaction coming from the readers. Walker’s style and selection of vocabulary builds in her audience the consciousness that she was on her own and was also full of apprehension. She was alone in her struggle with no one to count on to but herself.
Angelou recounts her story in an informal manner. “She makes use of the past tense to imply to her readers that she has indeed moved on from such painful experience in her childhood. The language in her works liberates itself from ruthlessness.
Both authors persuade their audiences to take a glimpse of optimism even in the presence of sorrow. Rather than attempting to draw out a certain moving reaction, Angelou requests her readers to take part in her views and stance. Her audience senses an association with the ache that she feels, nonetheless do not fail to recognize that redemption is still within accessible reach.
Walker’s style is different from that of Angelou. She conveys the manner wherein she was met head-on by her folks. There has been no inkling of aggressiveness. Nevertheless, the presence of kindness and concern may be felt.
Once more, Angelou draws her audience in. If Walker requests sympathy from her readers, Angelou draws hers to experience with her. Both authors accomplish their goals by guiding their audience’s concentration towards definite sentiments.
The arousing focal point of Walker’s narrative is wrath, burning and isolating. In reading her account, Walker’s audience may turn out to be enraged, though not on such notion with respect to her disturbing wound as well as the clear disassociation of her relative, but even to the author herself. It seems that Walker still has not moved on from the pain that haunts her. Rather, Walker appears to clinch her rants as it is still there nursed in her heart.
Conversely, Angelou’s rage is faint and stunted. Although her readers are furious with her childhood experience, Angelou silently kept firm and is determined to leave just let go the painful incident in her past. She kept her focus not as much of on her rage and rather more on the love and support she can solicit from her family.
It would be not be possible to steer away from dealing with the manner by which Angelou and Walker convey the powerful physical sting they bore during their childhood. Even while Walker offers slight explanation of her pain, it is still undeniably apparent. It would not be surprising if a reader’s body act in response to the author’s ache.
On the other hand, Angelou’s account generated a different result. Rather than a physical response, the reader may experience a blow in the heart. If Walker concentrated her audience’s interest on the wound that has been inflicted in her young soul, Angelou concentrated hers on the poignant marks that the incident has left.
For the most part the dominant poignant reaction that both narratives may generate from their audiences was one of unbelievable sadness. They may experience the great burden that sorrow and misery can cause that ache in the heart, not solely for the ordeal it inflicted on their young lives, but even for the disturbing ramifications that misfortune can cause – loss of pride, person – esteem and youth in its very essence.
Yet, as the reader draws near the conclusion of Walker’s story, comfort seems not to suffice. The woman needs some sort of guard for her wounds still hurt, it has not healed just yet.
Although in Angelou’s autobiography, her readers longed to soothe the younger Angelou, however, it was clear that protection is not amongst her list anymore while she matures. Familial love has not been scarce as far as Angelou is concerned. It was the light that saw her through in the dark tunnel of her misfortune. With hope and love, she was able to move on, and her family kept by her side.
These women are without a doubt, exceptionally brave writers. Their readers gain a extraordinary and moving present from reading their intelligent pieces of literature.
Walker confronts her readers to seek for resolution even in the midst of seclusion and desolation. Angelou, on her part prompts her readers that seclusion and desolation by no means have the final statement. She softly directs her readers towards a porthole of optimism. Walker and Angelou sanctify their readers with the tints of the essence of humanity.
The way in which literature is able to capture the strange and complex reality of life is really amazing. It satisfies man’s natural curiosity and desire to make sense of the world.
Through it, man learns about the innermost feelings and thoughts of his neighbors – the truest and most real part of themselves. Therefore, an understanding of not only his neighbors, but most importantly of themselves and of life itself is achieved.
Every page narrates incidents man commonly find himself in and unconsciously, he fits into the character and eventually see in a different perspective the very same situation he is at in real life. In the like manner, he finds solutions to problems when he meets people in books whose problems are like his own. He sometimes finds solutions to problems he could not otherwise have done in real life.
It is also the magic of literature which gives him the ability to cope with life because of the understanding of human nature that it imparts. This new perception of life and of people adds new dimensions to life in the form of more profound receptivity and consciousness, enhancement of emotions, dignity of reason, supplemented civilization and noble ideas.
Life is literature. It is a story someone wrote. It is lived from the beginning to the end.
One may find similar stories but never exactly the same. Some may be a source of inspiration, others may cause him to give harsh judgments and still there are those to whom one will not even care.
Yet each one is personally written by the one whose pen never blots. The Author creatively collected his thoughts to make a masterpiece that he wished to be an instrument to reflect His love and beauty. As in every piece of writing, it is the reaction of an original heart and mind upon life and all that it encompasses.
Always a source of inspiration, it enriches one’s mental life by making him realize the fundamental truths about life and human nature by stimulating his thoughts. He gathers fresh delight and new insights from it. It opens new worlds of meaning and experience every time one takes time to read.
Its capacity to inspire elevates the spirit by bringing out moral values which make them better individuals. It moves them deeply and stirs their feelings and imagination, giving and evoking visions beyond ordinary existence.
One may read because he wants to escape the walls that usually surround him. Reading may serve as a jet plane that speeds him away from himself into the worlds of other people. It may be because he realizes that reading become part of his storehouse of experiences giving him a wealth of understanding to face new experiences.
Long before, he may have already known that the values were not limited to one place or to one period of time. That the characters seem to be real people who face real problems and express feelings that people everywhere might have had at that time. And it may also be because of the feelings of independence and self – esteem that makes a marked difference in assuming responsibility for the actions he makes and in shaping his attitude towards life.
Whatever the reasons may be, it is clear that he knows that there is a backward and forward flow between books and what happens in real life. As children, he uses real life experiences to understand books and books have helped him understand real life.
He may not have survived life without knowing that he is not alone in all his struggles. He may have given up unless he knew that there are more people who have been through much more hell that he has ever had.
Real life and fantasies may have long been gone but it was kept alive by countless retellings to generations and generations thereafter. It was all because of literature. It was all because people cared to share what he knew to those who might have been in need of an inspiration, a hand to hold, someone to relate to all this time.
Through it, life may be celebrated. Not just its joys but as well as its pains. It may be just a piece of paper but every world has its meaning that endures and outlives its author. In this it has been made known and may every word translate the magic that life has written for each and every soul.
Works Cited
“Alice Walker.” 2006. Regents of the University of Minnesota. Retrieved April 25, 2008,
from http://voices.cla.umn.edu/vg/Bios/entries/walker_alice.html.
“Anniina’s Alice Walker Page.” 27 December 2006. Anniina Jokinen. Retrieved April 25, 2008, from http://www.luminarium.org/contemporary/alicew/.
“In Search of Our Mother’s Gardens: The Creativity of Black Women in the South (1974).” 2002. Ms. Magazine. Retrieved April 25, 2008, from http://www.msmagazine.com/spring2002/walker.asp.
“Maya Angelou.” 2008. Empire: ZINE. Retrieved April 25, 2008, from http://www.empirezine.com/spotlight/maya/maya1.htm.
