Alice Walker vs. Maya Angelou

Alice Walker and Maya Angelou are two contemporary African-American writers with almost a generation apart in age. Each has written about her experiences growing up in the rural South, Ms. Walker through her essays and Ms. Angelou in her autobiographies. Although they share similar backgrounds, each writer has a unique style that gives the readers the gift of their exquisite humanity with all of its frailties and strengths, joys and sorrows. Ms. Walker and Ms. Angelou display a remarkable similarity in their lives. Tragedy struck both of these writers at the age of eight: Ms. Walker lost her sight in one eye, and Ms. Angelou was raped. In addition, each writer described the traumatic incident as part of a larger work. Ms. Walker related her experience in the body of an essay published in her book, In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens, and Ms. Angelou told her story as a chapter in her autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Although both wrote about their traumatic experience, the way each depicted the incident was distinct and seemed to be told for very different purposes. Alice Walker reports the facts to the reader with short sentences written in the present tense. She chooses words that elicit a forceful emotional response from her audience. For example, in telling how her brothers were given BB guns and she was not, Ms. Walker writes, "Because I am a girl, I do not get a gun. Instantly, I am relegated to the position of Indian. " The word "relegated" causes the reader to be irate and indignant. Most people do not like being "relegated" to anything. Another illustration of Ms. Walker's use of dynamic words can be found in her description of the encounter with her parents following the accident. She speaks of being "confronted" by her parents. "Confronted" is a combative word. When people are confronted by others, they want to launch an attack. Her style and choice of words make the reader aware that she is alone and fearful. She is left to fight her battles by herself. Unlike Alice Walker, Maya Angelou narrates her account in a conversational tone. She uses the past tense that tells her audience "it's over" for her. Her words are free from severity, which encourages the reader to see hope in the midst of sadness. Instead of trying to elicit a particular emotional response, Angelou invites her audience to share in her thoughts and feelings. For instance, having given an account of the rape, she writes, "I thought I had died--I woke up in a white-walled world, and it had to be heaven. " The reader feels a connection with her pain, yet realizes redemption lies close at hand. Whereas Walker tells how she was confronted by her parents, Angelou explains, "she [mother] picked me up in her arms and the terror abated for a while. " There is no impression of combativeness. There is only tenderness and care. Once again, she invites the reader in. Walker wants the reader to feel for her; Angelou wants her audience to feel with her. They achieve their objectives by directing the reader's attention to specific emotions. Another difference between the two writers lies in how each draws the reader’s emotional attention. The emotional focus of Alice Walker's story is rage, red-hot and isolating. As reading this piece, the reader might become livid, not only at the thought of her devastating injury and her family's apparent disassociation, but also at Ms. Walker herself. It appeared to the reader that she never let go of it. Instead, she seemed to embrace her anger. On the other hand, Ms. Angelou's anger is subtle and short-lived. Though the reader might have been incensed by what happened to her, she quietly insisted that the reader leave it behind. She concentrated less on her anger and more on the warmth and support of her family. In conclusion, Alice Walker and Maya Angelou are both extremely courageous writers. From each, the reader receives a rare and poignant gift. As her book suggests, Alice Walker challenges the reader to search for resolution in the face of loneliness and despair. Maya Angelou, who "knows why the caged bird sings, " reminds her audience that loneliness and despair never have the last word. She gently points the audience to a window of hope. Both women bless their readers with shades of being human.