"Women" By Alice Walker

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 Women

By Alice Walker



Alice Walker's poem "Women" is a powerful tribute to the resilience, determination, and sacrifices of African American women of previous generations, especially those of her mother's era.


Women
By Alice Walker

They were women then
My mama's generation
Husky of voice—stout of
Step
With fists as well as
Hands
How they battered down
Doors
And ironed
Starched white
Shirts
How they led
Armies
Headragged generals
Across mined
Fields
Booby-trapped
Ditches
To discover books
Desks
A place for us
How they knew what we
Must know
Without knowing a page
Of it
Themselves.



Summary,

This poem celebrates the women of Walker's mother's generation, acknowledging their strength and the battles they fought to ensure the next generation had access to education and opportunities that they themselves may not have had.

The poem opens by referring to "My mama's generation," situating the reader in the context of African American women who lived through times of intense struggle, possibly during the Civil Rights Movement. Walker describes these women as strong and formidable, using phrases like "Husky of voice" and "stout of Step" to emphasize their physical and emotional resilience. These women are portrayed not only as caretakers but also as warriors who fought on behalf of their families and communities.

Walker highlights the tangible ways these women labored—"battered down doors" and "ironed Starched white Shirts"—depicting their everyday efforts as forms of resistance and survival. The women are likened to generals, leading "armies" and navigating "mined Fields" and "booby-trapped ditches," metaphors for the dangers and obstacles they faced in life.

The ultimate goal of these battles was to "discover books / Desks / A place for us," suggesting that the women of this generation fought to create educational opportunities for their children. They did this despite lacking formal education themselves, showing their intuitive understanding of the importance of learning.


 The poem captures the spirit of a generation that, despite facing systemic oppression, managed to create a legacy of strength, hope, and opportunity. Walker's portrayal of these women as warriors, generals, and leaders redefines traditional narratives about women's roles, celebrating their power, wisdom, and enduring influence on future generations.

Themes:

  • Strength and Resilience: The poem emphasizes the physical and emotional strength of African American women, presenting them as warriors and protectors of their families. This strength is not just in enduring hardship but actively fighting against it.

  • Sacrifice and Struggle: Walker pays tribute to the sacrifices these women made, often at great personal cost, to secure better futures for their children. The imagery of battle highlights the intense nature of their struggles.

  • Generational Legacy: The poem underscores the idea that the freedoms and opportunities enjoyed by later generations are the direct result of the previous generation's efforts. It speaks to the legacy of these women and the impact of their uncelebrated labor.


Imagery and Symbolism:

  • Warrior Imagery: Walker uses war imagery to depict the women as "generals" leading battles. This metaphorical language elevates their everyday struggles to acts of heroism, highlighting the courage required to fight against societal barriers.


  • Domestic Chores as Resistance: Actions like ironing and battering down doors symbolize both the traditional roles these women played and their defiance against those roles when necessary. These chores, often seen as mundane, are reimagined as powerful acts of resistance.

  • Books and Desks: These objects represent education and progress, symbolizing the opportunities the women fought to provide for the next generation, even though they may not have had access to such opportunities themselves.



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