“Elethia” And “A Sudden Trip Home in Spring”: Alice Walker’s Womanist Response to the Issues of Black People

Abstract

Alice Walker (1944-) has brought a new dimension to black feminism with her theory of womanism, which she explains in In Search of Our Mothers’ Garden (1983). She aims at achieving universality by extending her struggle to all people around the world, regardless of race, gender, and ethnical differences. According to Walker, it requires people to acknowledge their history, matrilineal descent, and black and non-black authors’ works inspiring them to struggle. She represents her womanist understanding in “Elethia” and “A Sudden Trip Home in Spring,” two short stories in You Can’t Keep A Good Woman Down (1981). The title character of “Elethia” and Sarah in “A Sudden Trip Home in Spring” face with their problems and realize how to struggle against them. Thus, analyzing Walker’s selected stories, the study indicates that she presents a womanist way out for black people in the racist and sexist society through Elethia and Sarah.

Keywords

• Alice Walker,black feminism,womanism,Elethia,Sarah.

“Elethia” Ve “İlkbahar'da Eve Ani Yolculuk”: Alice Walker’ın Siyahilerin Sorunlarına Kadıncı Cevabı

Abstract

Alice Walker Annelerimizin Bahçesinin Arayışında (1983) adlı eserinde açıkladığı kadıncılık teorisiyle siyah feminizme yeni bir boyut getirmiştir. Amacı; ırk, toplumsal cinsiyet ve etnik farklılıklara bakmaksızın mücadelesini dünyadaki tüm insanları kapsayarak evrenselliğe erişmektir. Bunun için, Walker’a göre, insanların tarihini, ana soyunu ve onlara mücadele etmeleri için ilham veren siyahi ve siyahi olmayan yazarların eserlerini kabullenip bilmesi gerekir. Walker, Kadının Hası Kolay Ezilmez (1981) başlıklı eserindeki “Elethia” ve “İlkbahar’da Eve Ani Yolculuk” başlıklı iki öyküsünde kadıncı anlayışını temsil etmektedir. Walker’ın kadın sorunsalına ilişkin evrimleşen duruşunu yansıttığı için adı geçen öyküler çalışmada incelenmektedir. “Elethia” ’nın başlık karakteri ve “İlkbahar’da Eve Ani Yolculuk” öyküsündeki Sarah sorunlarıyla yüzleşir ve onlarla nasıl savaşabileceğini anlar. Böylece, çalışma, Walker’ın seçilen öykülerini inceleyerek, yazarın Elethia ve Sarah adlı karakterleriyle ırkçı ve cinsiyetçi toplumda siyahilere kadıncı bir çıkar yol sunduğunu göstermektedir. 

Keywords

• Alice Walker,siyah feminizm,kadıncılık,Elethia,Sarah.

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