Q.

DISCUSS THE RACIAL DISCRIMINATION IN THE STORY

STRONG HORSE TEA.
Q. DISCUSS THE ART OF CHARATERIZATION IN STRONG
HORSE TEA, BY ALICE
WALKER.
Q. DESCRIBE THE MISERABLE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH
SNOOKS DIES IN THE
STORY STRONG HORSE TEA BY ALICE WALKER.
Characterization is the change that occurs in a character throughout the
story. The change can be either a physical one or an emotional one. In the
story "Strong Horse Tea," by Alice Walker the characters go through changes
that effect ending of story. Characterization also occurs in stories through the
eyes of other characters and how they view the main person in a story. A
character's change in the story will eventually lead to the result, and
inevitably the end of the story. In "Strong Horse Tea" change in the main
characters is very evident. Rannie Mae Toomer's change in the story is
apparent to the reader and audience. She goes through both an emotional
change as well as a change in her beliefs (both spiritually and on how she
viewed people). Rannie is a black woman living in America during its
oppressive years, with her infant son, Snooks. Her son is very sick and in
desperate need of medicine.
Rannie is convinced that a white doctor will come and visit her and take care
of her son. Rannie, however, does not realize her situation, and hopes still
that a doctor will come.
"Lord, why don't that doctor come on here?"
Rannie keeps on hoping, and not allowing Sarah, the witch doctor to help
her. Rannie believes that Sarahs help will be evil, and that the white doctor
will soon come. 'We going to have us a doctor,' Rannie Toomer said fiercely,
walking over to drive away a fat winter fly from her child's forehead.
'I don't believe in none of that swamp magic.'
Rannie is unaware of who she is and how others view her. She does not
realize that the color of her skin is oppressing her. Rannie is convinced that
the mailman who was her only connection to the outside world can help her
out. The mailman, however, has other views about Rannie.
He sees her as an animal with absolutely no intelligence.
"Rannie, leaning over him out of the rain smelt like a wet goat."
Rannie is convinced that the mailman will get doctor for her, but as the time
passes she comes to the realization that Sarah is her only hope. 'But I told
you,' Rannie Toomer said in annoyance, as if explaining something to a
backward child. 'I asked the mailman to bring a doctor for my Snooks.'
The reader can see the desperation that Rannie is experiencing when she
finally lets Sarah help the dying child. Rannie began to cry. the reader can
see the emotional change that Rannie is going through. Rannie has to give
up on her faith and view on life, with the small chance that it will save her
baby. 'Here, she cried, snatching up the baby and handing him to Sarah.
"Make him well. O my Lawd, make him well!'
At this point in the story, the reader knows that the conflict will be resovled.
Rannie is at a point of hopelessness and will do almost anything Sarah tells

her to do to try and save her son. "'I'll do anything you say do, Aunt
Sarah, she cried. The reader sees the visible change in Rannie's outlook.
She is now willing to accept the witch remedies that earlier in the story she
disregarded.
Sarah tells Rannie that the only way to cure Snooks, is if he drinks "Strong
Horse Tea," which the reader can derive is horses urine. Rannie proceeds in
the pouring rain to go and fetch some. Out of pure despair, Rannie is forced
to store the "tea" in her mouth because she has forgotten a container. The
ironic part is that the reader already knows that Rannie's baby has passed
away and Rannie will not be able to save him. The delicate breathing had
stopped with the thunder, not to come again. Rannie has gone through a
psychological change at the end of the story. She has come to the awareness
of her situation and now has to come to face it. She realizes that she is off
color, and that the world will treat her differently. In coming to this
realization, Rannie also has to put her beliefs aside so that she can try to
save her son.
Rannie understands that her beliefs will have to come second in trying to
save her son. Rannie's son Snooks also goes through a change, but his is a
physical one. Snooks at the end of the story dies, and therefore has changed.
The main character is actually the institution of the army itself and how it
goes through change as one of its members try to kill himself. Greaves is
enlisted in the army, and for reason the reader never really finds out, tries to
kill himself on several occasions. He says that he "^hates soldiers," and
therefore wanted to kill himself. The author never reveals more information
about Greaves. The reader is never really sure as to why Greaves want to kill
himself and is never informed.
The character that is most affected in this story is the Colonel. He goes
through an emotional change when he sees Private Greaves standing on the
ledge getting ready to jump; "From where Greaves leaned against the
circular iron rail." The colonel goes into regression and starts thinking about
the past, and how he was unable to save a life of a friend. The Colonel
decides that he needs to help Private Greaves because he was unable to
help his friend. Someone ruined him as I ruined Ralph. ^ Could I stop him if I
hollered to him? But Ralph never came back when I called. But the kid may
die in a minute.
The reader is able to see the Colonel emotional change in that paragraph. A
military colonel is supposed to be rigid and cold with no emotions, but this
Colonel is going thorough major problems in his head. He is remembering
when he could not save the life of his friend and hope and prays that he can
help Greaves not kill his life. The Colonel efforts however are not persuasive
enough to help Greaves, and he (Greaves) takes his own life; "Presently he
saw the shapeless, half-created bay between the rungs."
A Character plays a crucial role in the story, and how they grow as
characters helps the story come to an end. The character development helps
the conflict become resolved.