Summary:
Alice Walker, came from unspectacular roots, was thought originally to be exceptionally average, and had to prove herself to achieve a goal that was thought unattainable. To some people who are fortunate to be rich or have other allowances, her accomplishments would have been easier to achieve.
According to the Swiss psychologist, Karl Jung, we are all part of a collective unconscious. This means that we all fit into some archetypal pattern that describes our experiences and the experiences with others. The American writer, Alice Walker, came from unspectacular roots, was thought originally to be exceptionally average, and had to prove herself to achieve a goal that was thought unattainable. To some people who are fortunate to be rich or have other allowances, her accomplishments would have been easier to achieve. However, Alice Walker's background made it harder for her. Alice Walker fits into the archetypal character of local girl makes good because of her trials as a young African American woman in the south, personal problems she overcame, and her overwhelming success as a poet, novelist, essayist and editor.
There were many obstacles in Alice Walker's early life that she had to overcome. Life for Alice and her family was hard and difficult. They lived in a three-room shack on a farm in a small rural community in Eatonton Georgia. Her parents were sharecroppers and had not attended school (14). Caroline Lazo, who wrote Alice Walker Freedom Writer, says that this is why her mother was so devoted to Alice's education (14). She had to fight with the white landlord in order for Alice to be allowed to go to school. This was just one of the many hardships Walker had to triumph over in her early life. The fact that Alice Walker grew up in a segregated environment and was very poor were not the only hindrances she had. At the age of eight she lost eyesight in her left
eye after her brother shot her with a BB gun. Her family could not afford to see a doctor, so she never received treatment for it ("Anniina's Alice Walker" 17). Throughout her school days, she always had a disadvantage to the other students and this decreased her self-esteem. She thought of herself as ugly and abnormal. However, she was able to conquer these problems. In 1961 she graduated from high school and was named valedictorian of her senior class. Her peers also elected her prom queen, something she thought she would never be pretty enough for (Anniina's Alice Walker 17). In addition, she was able to overcome her troubled early life to attend Spelman, a college for black women in Atlanta. Her junior year she transferred to Sarah Lawrence College in NY, becoming one of the few blacks to attend the prestigious university (Anniina's Alice Walker 17). This was a major accomplishment and shows that she was able to rise above her poor, young life. Alice Walker did not have an easy childhood and faced many roadblocks. Still she was able to overcome these obstacles to become a young educated lady.
Personal problems in Alice Walker's life helped lead to her success as a writer. Alice Walker had great success in college academically, however personally she faced many problems. Her senior year in college she became pregnant by a boyfriend of hers (Smith, 12). After weighing her options she decided to have an abortion. This lead to severe depression during her last semester in college. She was so depressed that she considered suicide on many occasions (Smith, 12). This was a gloomy part in Walker's life but she was able to rise above it. While recovering from her depression she wrote, "To Hell with Dying," and sent it to popular poet Langston Hughes. Hughes enjoyed the poem
and gave her much praise. The story later went on to be published (Muellero, 17). Perhaps without all of her problems, she would not have had the inspiration to write the story, therefore never starting her writing career. Life after college for Walker was also problematic. In 1967 she married Jewish civil rights law student, Mel Leventhal. This relationship was not easy and the couple received many problems because of their inter-racial marriage. The marriage ended in 1976 when Walker filed for a divorce (Alice Walker, 19). Nevertheless once again Walker was able to rise above this and use it to make her a stronger writer. Many of her viewpoints reflected in her writing came from her own personal hardships and experiences. Nick Smith says "her writing draws elements of her life and incorporates them perfectly in her novels," (Smith, 13). Her personal problems developed her viewpoints on issues such as, sexism, racism, domestic violence, feminism, and the struggle of black people. It is quite possible to say that without her personal experiences the famous characters in her novels would not exist. Alice Walker's personal struggle with herself and the world were a vital part in her success as one of American's writers.
Alice Walker has had extraordinarily success as a writer. Even in college she had success. Many of her stories written in college were published like "To Hell with Dying," and she won many prestigious writing awards (Smith, 13). Alice's early success in college was a foreshadowing to the great success she would achieve. After college she also won many other writing contests. Her
essay, "The Civil Rights Movement: What Good Was It"" won her first place in the American Scholar Magazine Annual Essay Contest (Smith, 13). Alice has also written many other successful books that include, In Search of Our Mother's Garden, Meridan, and Her Blue Body. However none of her other books can compare with her success with The Color Purple. The novel was published in 1982 and won her the Pulitzer Prize in 1983. Since then it has become a best seller and many generations have enjoyed it. In 1985 she and Steven Spielberg teamed up to make the movie. She sold her movie rights to Warner Brothers for $350,000 enabling her self to become financially stable (Reisman, 14). The movie was a huge success and she found joy in watching it in her hometown where she was once not allowed in the theaters. Alice Walker's writing career has been a huge success and she is now enjoying the fruits of her work in Mendocino California.
Alice Walker's life is the quintessential of the archetype local girl makes good. Her struggle through life and her many hardships molded her into this archetype. Walker came from unspectacular roots that she had to overcome. She lived in a small three-room shack and was blind in one eye. However she did not allow these things to stop her and was able to get a good education. Also, Alice had to prove herself by achieving a goal that was once thought to be unattainable. No one thought that a poor African-American girl would be able to attend college, and then become a successful writer. She has broken down barriers and is now at the top of her career. The archetypal character of local girl makes good, connects with Alice Walker because of her trials as a young African American woman in the south, personal problems she overcome, and her overwhelming success as a poet, novelist, essayist and editor.
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