TheFlowers

byAliceWalker
AnalysisandEssays

TheStory
ItseemedtoMyop assheskippedlightlyfromhenhousetopigpentosmokehousethatthedayshadnever
beenasbeautifulasthese.Theairheldakeennessthatmadehernosetwitch.Theharvestingofthecornand
cotton,peanutsandsquash,madeeachdayagoldensurprisethatcausedexcitedlittletremorstorunupher
jaws.
Myop carriedashort,knobbystick.Shestruckoutatrandomatchickenssheliked,andworkedoutthebeatof
asongonthefencearoundthepigpen.Shefeltlightandgoodinthewarmsun.Shewasten,andnothing
existedforherbuthersong,thestickclutchedinherdarkbrownhand,andthetatdetatataof
accompaniment,
Turningherbackontherustyboardsofherfamily'ssharecroppercabin,Myop walkedalongthefencetillitran
intothestreammadebythespring.Aroundthespring,wherethefamilygotdrinkingwater,silverfernsand
wildflowersgrew.Alongtheshallowbankspigsrooted.Myop watchedthetinywhitebubblesdisruptthethin
blackscaleofsoilandthewaterthatsilentlyroseandslidawaydownthestream.
Shehadexploredthewoodsbehindthehousemanytimes.Often,inlateautumn,hermothertookherto
gathernutsamongthefallenleaves.Todayshemadeherownpath,bouncingthiswayandthatway,vaguely
keepinganeyeoutforsnakes.Shefound,inadditiontovariouscommonbutprettyfernsandleaves,anarmful
ofstrangeblueflowerswithvelvetyridgesandasweetsudsbushfullofthebrown,fragrantbuds.
Bytwelveo'clock,herarmsladenwithsprigsofherfindings,shewasamileormorefromhome.Shehadoften
beenasfarbefore,butthestrangenessofthelandmadeitnotaspleasantasherusualhaunts.Itseemed
gloomyinthelittlecoveinwhichshefoundherself.Theairwasdamp,thesilencecloseanddeep.

TheStory
Myop begantocirclebacktothehouse,backtothepeacefulnessofthemorning.Itwasthenshe
steppedsmackintohiseyes.Herheelbecamelodgedinthebrokenridgebetweenbrowand
nose,andshereacheddownquickly,unafraid,tofreeherself.Itwasonlywhenshesawhisnaked
grinthatshegavealittleyelpofsurprise.
Hehadbeenatallman.Fromfeettoneckcoveredalongspace.Hisheadlaybesidehim.When
shepushedbacktheleavesandlayersofearthanddebrisMyop sawthathe'dhadlargewhite
teeth,allofthemcrackedorbroken,longfingers,andverybigbones.Allhisclotheshadrotted
awayexceptsomethreadsofbluedenimfromhisoveralls.Thebucklesoftheoverallhadturned
green.
Myop gazedaroundthespotwithinterest.Verynearwhereshe'dsteppedintotheheadwasa
wildpinkrose.Asshepickedittoaddtoherbundleshenoticedaraisedmound,aring,around
therose'sroot.Itwastherottedremainsofanoose,abitofshreddingplowline,nowblending
benignlyintothesoil.Aroundanoverhanginglimbofagreatspreadingoakclunganotherpiece.
Frayed,rotted,bleached,andfrazzledbarelytherebutspinningrestlesslyinthebreeze.Myop
laiddownherflowers.
Andthesummerwasover.

TheWritingPrompt
InawellorganizedessaydiscusshowAliceWalkerconveysthe
meaningof"TheFlowers"andhowshepreparesthereaderforthe
endingofthisshortstory.Consideratleasttwoelementsofthe
writer'scraftsuchasimagery,symbol,setting,narrativepace,diction,
andstyle.

Discuss!

PromptAnalysis:
Readandanalyzetheprompt
Whenyoureceiveanessayprompt,askyourselfthefollowing
questions:
1.DoIunderstandthetopic?
a.Ifyoudo,brieflydefinethetopicinashortphraseorsentence.This
willhelpstreamlineyourthoughtprocesslater
i.InawellorganizedessaydiscusshowAliceWalkerconveysthemeaningof
"TheFlowers"andhowshepreparesthereaderfortheendingofthisshort
story.Consideratleasttwoelementsofthewriter'scraftsuchasimagery,
symbol,setting,narrativepace,diction,andstyle.

b.Ifyoudont,referbacktothetextandanalyzetheterminology.
Whatofthequestiondoyouunderstand?Whatcanyoufindthatyou
understand?

2.Whatisthepromptaskingmetodo?
a.Identifytheinformationyouprovide.

PromptAnalysis:
Readandanalyzetheprompt
b.Analyzetheverbsthepromptisusing
i.Explain:makesomethingclearbygivingreasonsor
examples;tellhowandwhy
ii.Discuss:givedetailsabout;illustratewithexamples
iii.Define:brieflytellwhatsomethingmeans
iv.Analyze:examineeachpartofthewholeina
systematicway,thenevaluate
v.Inwhatways/How:

 vi.Argue/defend/justify/support:giveevidenceto
showwhyanideaisrightorgood
vii.Categorize/classify:sortintogroupsbasedona
givensetoftraitsorfeatures
viii.Compare&contrast:pointoutsimilarities
(compare)anddifferences(contrast)
ix.Determinecause&effect:decidewhatleadstoan
eventorcircumstance(cause)andwhatresultsfroman
eventorcircumstance(effect)
x.Evaluate/judge/assess:Determinetheworthor
wisdomofanopinion,belieforidea

PromptAnalysis:
Readandanalyzetheprompt

3.Howisitaskingmethequestion?
a.Analyzetheterminologyused.
i.Lookatthekeywordsthepromptusestodefinetheissueorexigency.
ii.Example:wellorganizedessay,discusshowAliceWalkerconveysthemeaningof"The
Flowers,"andpreparesthereaderfortheending, [c]onsider atleasttwoelementsof
thewriter'scraft

4.Istheremorethanoneparttothisquestion?

a.Makesureyouareansweringthequestion.
b.Istheremorethanoneverbpresent?
c.Istheremorethanonetermpresent?
d.WhatmustIdefineinordertoanswerthequestion?

5.WhatdocumentsorsourcesdoIthinkIwillneedforsupport?
a.Begineditingortrimmingawaywhatyouneedfromwhatyoudontneed.
i.ConsiderLISTINGthefactsyouneedtoknow.

LiteraryTermstoKnow
imagery theuseofvividlanguagetocreateimagesinthereaders
mind.
symbol somethingthatstandsforitselfandsomethingelse.
setting thetimeandplaceinwhichastoryoccurs.
narrativepace thespeedatwhichanauthortellsastory;the
movementfromonepointorsectiontoanother.
diction thechoiceofwordsusedinaliterarywork.
style Awriterswayofsayingthings,oraphilosophythat
influencestheauthorsviewpoint.
theme anabstractideathatemergesfromaliteraryworks
treatmentofitssubjectmatter,oratopicrecurringinanumberof
literaryworks..Themesincludelove,war,revenge,betrayal,fate,
etc.
epiphany anilluminatingdiscovery,realization,ordisclosure

ExemplaryProsePassageEssayfor"TheFlowers"byAliceWalker
EssayQuestion:InawellorganizedessaydiscusshowAliceWalker
conveysthemeaningof"TheFlowers"andhowshepreparesthe
readerfortheendingofthisshortstory.Consideratleasttwo
elementsofthewriter'scraftsuchasimagery,symbol,setting,
narrativepace,diction,andstyle.
"...thedayshadneverbeenasbeautifulasthese...eachdayagolden
surprise."SurpriseistheelementAliceWalkerpresentsinherstory
"TheFlowers."Itisattheheartofthemeaningofthisstorywhichis
drivenforwardbyimagery,setting,anddiction.
Inthebeginningofthestory,Walkerutilizesdictionthatcreatesan
atmosphereofeuphoricchildhoodinnocence.Myop,themain
character,"skippedlightly."Walkerdescribestheharvests,which
evince"excitedlittletremors"inMyop assheanticipatesthenewday.

Thisjocunddictioncontinuesintothesecondparagraph.Specifically,Myop
feels"lightandgood"intheheatofthewarmsun.Inaddition,tenyearold
Myop createsherownworldinwhichnothingexists"buthersong."Inline8,
theuseofonomatopoeia,"tatde'ta'ta"reinforcestheideaofahappy,
carefreeyouth.
Paragraphthree,however,marksasmallyetsignificantshiftinthepassage.
Walkerbeginstheparagraphwith"Turningherbackontherustyboardsof
herfamily'ssharecroppercabin,Myop..."Myop's worldisnotbehindher,but
movesforwardtothefamiliarwoods.
Asthestoryprogresses,thereisasignificantshiftinparagraphsfourandfive.
Walkerbeginstopreparethereaderforherprofoundconclusion.WhileMyop
hasoftenexploredthewoodsbehindthehousewithhermother,todayshe
setsoutaloneand"madeherownpath."Asshewalksthroughthewoods,
shecautiouslykeepsaneyeoutforsnakes.Thesolitude ofherjourney,and
thepossibilityofdanger,buildssuspenseandpreparesthereaderforthe
darksurpriseoftheending.

Thedictionofparagraphsfourandfivealsocontributestothesudden
shiftinthepassage.Whilethedictioninthebeginningwasblithe,
describing"beautiful,"thelanguageinparagraphfiveisnegative,
foreshadowingtheconclusion.Specifically,Myop isdisorientedbythe,
"strangenessoftheland."Itwas"notaspleasant"asherusual
expeditions.Furthermore,wordssuchas"gloomy"and"damp"
reiteratethedarksettingandpreparethereaderforthegrotesque
conclusionofthestory.
Paragraphsix,whichisonlyonesentencelong,marksabrieftransition
intotheendingofthepassage.Myop wantstoreturntoherhouse,to
the"peacefulnessofthemorning."But,whileshewasabletoturnher
backontherealityofherpoverty,shewillnotbeabletoignorethe
nexttruththathitsher.

"Steppingsmackintohiseyes,"Myop encountersdeath,butis
unafraidasshe"freesherself."Sheisfilledwithinnocentcuriosityand
gazes"aroundthespotwithinterest."Ironically,asshepicksher"wild
pinkrose,"asymbolofbeauty,shespotsthenooseandhasher
epiphany.
Thetransitioninimage,setting,anddictionallpropelWalker'stheme
thecomingofage.InthelastparagraphMyop picksuptheflowersand
placesherbouquetinfrontofthelynchedman.Itisasifsheisata
funeral,asifshehassoberedfromhercarefreestatetooneof
realization.For,inthelastline,theimagesofthebeginningarefinally
crushed.Myop cannolongerreturntotheworldofflowergathering
orsunlitskipping.ForMyop,the"summerisover."

Thisisahighrankingessayforthefollowingreasons:

Indicatescompleteunderstandingoftheprompt

Citesappropriatedetailstosupportthethesis:imagery,diction,and
setting

Thoroughlyexplorescontrasts

Presentsuniqueinsightsintotheunderlyingtheme

Adhereswelltotopic,exhibitstransitions,andconnectivetissue

Hasadefinite,clearprogressionofthoughtandastrongwriter'svoice

*Thisessayfallsintothehighrangebecauseitpresentsasolid,mature,
andinsightfuldiscussionandanalysisofMyop's "epiphany"andhow
Walkerpreparesthereaderforit

AnotherApproach
InawellorganizedessaydiscusshowAlice
Walkerconveysthemeaningof"TheFlowers"
andhowshepreparesthereaderforthe
endingofthisshortstory.Consideratleast
twoelementsofthewriter'scraftsuchas
imagery,symbol,setting,narrativepace,
diction,andstyle.

LiteraryTermstoKnow
imagery theuseofvividlanguagetocreateimagesinthereaders
mind.
symbol somethingthatstandsforitselfandsomethingelse.
setting thetimeandplaceinwhichastoryoccurs.
narrativepace thespeedatwhichanauthortellsastory;the
movementfromonepointorsectiontoanother.
diction thechoiceofwordsusedinaliterarywork.
style Awriterswayofsayingthings,oraphilosophythat
influencestheauthorsviewpoint.
theme anabstractideathatemergesfromaliteraryworks
treatmentofitssubjectmatter,oratopicrecurringinanumberof
literaryworks..Themesincludelove,war,revenge,betrayal,fate,
etc.
epiphany anilluminatingdiscovery,realization,ordisclosure

TheFlowersbyAliceWalker
AnAnalysis
Inthisveryshortstory,AliceWalkertellsofayoung,AfricanAmericangirl
who,whilegatheringflowers,stumblesquiteliterallyuponthebodyofadeadman.
Theatmosphere,languageandsubjectmatterofthestorysuggestthesouthern
UnitedStatesasasettingsometimeinthemid tolate20thcenturyseemsan
appropriatetimeperiod,thoughthisisfarlessclear.
Thecontrastbetweenthestory'sbeginningandendisstriking.Webegin
withalighthearteddescriptionofthelifeofMyop,ayounggirlsheskipsalongand
tapsherstick,enjoyingthesummerbutendwiththelossofherinnocence.Indeed,
thekeyimageofthestorycomesatitsclimax:Myop,pickingapinkroseforher
bundleofflowers,noticesthenoosewithwhichthedeadmanwashanged,realises
howhisdeathrelatestoherheritage,andlaysdownherflowersoutofrespect.
ThefirstthreeparagraphsaredevotedtosettingthescenedescribingMyop
("...herdarkbrownhand...")andputtingherincontext("...herfamily'ssharecropper
cabin...","...thespring,whereherfamilygotdrinkingwater...").Effectivedescription
providescredibilitytotheenvironment,andmakesthelatereventsallthemore
shocking:"Myop watchedthetinywhitebubblesdisruptthethinblackscaleofsoil
andthewaterroseandslidawaydownthestream."

TheFlowersbyAliceWalker
AnAnalysis
TheendthethirdparagraphseesMyop collect"anarmfulofstrangeblue
flowers..."Theseflowersgoontobecomethemainobjectofthestory,hencethe
title,andholdsymbolicmeaningtheflowers,representingMyop's innocence,are
ultimatelylost.
Inthefourthparagraph,Walkerhintsattheeventstocomewithachangeof
atmosphere:"Theairwasdamp,thesilencecloseanddeep."Comparethistothefirst
paragraph:"Theairheldakeennessthatmadehernosetwitch."AsMyop becomes
increasinglyuneasyaboutthestrangenessofhersurroundings,thestorypivots
abruptly:"Itwasthenthatshesteppedsmackintohiseyes."Despitethegradual
darkeningoftonewhichprecedesit,thisturningpointisshocking,forbothitsbrevity
anditsstrangeambiguity:how,exactly,doesonestepintoapairofeyes?

TheFlowersbyAliceWalker
AnAnalysis
Thesickeningexplanationis,ofcourse,soondivulged:"...lodgedinthe
brokenridgebetweenbrowandnose..."WhatfollowsshowsMyop tobestrangely
unafraid,hintingateitherexperienceofsomethingsimilar,oratcompleteconfusionin
analiensituation:"Itwasonlywhenshesawhisnakedgrinthatshegavealittleyelp
ofsurprise."Iaminclinedtotakethelatterviewthemouthistheonlythingthat
Myop canuseasareferencepoint,giventhedecayingnatureofthebones,andshe
onlyexperiencesfearuponrealising thatshehassteppedintoahumanskull.
Detaileddescriptionofthebodyfollowsthis,whichaddscontextand
meaningtothedeath,leadinguptothestory'sconclusion.Fromthe"threadsofblue
denimfromhisoveralls",wecandeducethatthemanwasaworker,and,although
sweepinggeneralizationsmustbeavoided,hislargebonesandteeth,combinedwith
hisoccupationandcauseofdeath,indicatehisprobableethnicityAfricanAmerican,
likeMyop.

TheFlowersbyAliceWalker
AnAnalysis
Thefinalparagraphisverypoeticinitslanguage,suitingthestory'spoignant
conclusion.Thecrucialmoment,atwhichMyop seestherose,isdescribedwith
flowingalliteration:"...araisedmound,aring,aroundtherose'sroot.","...blending
benignlyintothesoil."Thepenultimateandultimatesentencesarebothshortand
simple,thelatteralsobeingforegroundedforincreasedemphasis.Althoughthestory
isveryfinalinitsconclusion,questionsareleftunanswered:who,exactly,arethegirl
andmandepicted,andwhere?Thisambiguityisclearlyintentional,allowingthestory
tobeappliedtomanypeopleandplaces.
Whilethereasoningbehindanyworkofliteraturecanneverbeconclusively
deducedbyanybodybuttheauthorthemself,itwouldappearthatAliceWalkerwrote
TheFlowerstohighlightboththeviolentlyracistpastofAmerica'ssouthernstates,
and,throughthelinkwithMyop,therelationshipthatallAfricanAmericanshaveto
thatparticularperiodofhistory.Onalesserscale,racismisstillcommoninsuch
regions,andWalker,asblackwoman,wouldpresumablywishtodrawattentiontothis
continuinginjusticeagain,thestory'sambiguousnatureallowsittoremainrelevant.

TheFlowersbyAliceWalker
AnAnalysis
Toconclude,throughTheFlowers,Walkermanages,inonlyeight
paragraphs,toconveyaneffectiveandmeaningfulstory,showingtheeffectthat
America'sviolenthistoryhasonitschildren.
Discuss!