Analysis of Alice Walker’s ‘Roselily’
‘Roselily’ serves as the opening story in Alice Walker’s poignant short-story collection In Love & Trouble: Stories of Black Women, published in 1973. This narrative intricately examines the emotional turmoil of a young African-American woman on her wedding day, as she grapples with leaving behind her children and her southern roots in Mississippi to embrace a new life in the North.
Summary
The plot centers around the marriage of Roselily, an African-American woman, to her fiancé, a man from the northern states. Walker adeptly structures ‘Roselily’ by intertwining the preacher’s words, delivered during the wedding ceremony (presented in italics), with a third-person narration that reveals Roselily’s inner thoughts and uncertainties.
As the couple prepares for their union, it is revealed that Roselily’s husband hails from Chicago, a city vastly different from her Mississippi home. Roselily is acutely aware that her fiancé harbors disdain for the customs and traditions of her family and friends from the South. Moreover, there are hints that while Roselily’s family practices Christianity, her husband may belong to a different faith, likely Islam, which he perceives as more enlightened, suggesting that Roselily’s community worships ‘the wrong God.’
Through Walker’s masterful narration, we dive into Roselily’s psyche, discovering her perception of her husband’s religion as one that constrains her—symbolized by metaphors such as ropes, chains, and handcuffs. She grapples with feelings of fear about the pollution and chaos of a bustling city like Chicago, yet acknowledges that this move might offer her children a chance to rise above their current circumstances.
Roselily is a mother to four children, one of whom she had to give away to the child’s father—an educated man who had attended Harvard. This decision weighs heavily on her, as it implies that he considered himself too superior to remain in the South with Roselily, choosing instead to take their child to New England, which symbolizes a further disconnect for her. She hopes her child will grow into a stronger individual than his father.
Throughout the ceremony, Roselily feels increasingly isolated from her husband. His attire appears overly formal and severe, mirroring the rigidity of his beliefs, while she contemplates the expectations that will come with their marriage, including wearing a veil—a common requirement in his faith. As she contemplates her new life, the thought of losing contact with her children becomes more pronounced. She realizes how daunting it will be to abandon her former life and adapt to this new one.
With her mother deceased and her father seemingly indifferent, Roselily’s thoughts drift to the idea that her husband might have preferred to marry one of her younger sisters instead. The weight of loss and the inevitability of her grandparents resting together in their graves haunt her. She envisions her future filled with domesticity, raising children, and being confined to the role of a wife, a prospect that brings her little joy. The warmth of the sun and the freedom she once enjoyed now feel like distant memories.
In a moment of clarity, Roselily realizes she hastily entered into this marriage without fully understanding her fiancé’s expectations. Doubts about whether she truly loves him begin to surface, and she fantasizes about disrupting the preacher before he can finalize the ceremony.
As the wedding continues, she becomes increasingly detached from her surroundings. Her husband’s grip on her hand feels like an ‘iron gate,’ symbolizing her confinement. She acknowledges her ignorance about Chicago, her impending new home, and all she can do is press her ‘worried fingers’ into his hand, signaling her anxiety about the unknown.
Analysis
Alice Walker’s choice to name the story after its protagonist adds layers of symbolism to Roselily’s character. The first part of her name, ‘Rose,’ evokes the passionate and sensual experiences she has lived through, being a mother to three children, potentially from different fathers. In contrast, the ‘lily’ aspect of her name symbolizes purity, as lilies are often associated with innocence and virtue. This duality—representing passion and purity, sensuality and respectability—creates a rich tension within the narrative.
As the story unfolds, we learn that Roselily was eager to escape a life filled with the hardships of work and parenting alone. However, she begins to realize that she is merely trading one challenging existence for another. Her new husband will likely expect her to bear additional children, thus perpetuating her responsibilities as a mother, even as she gains the support of a husband.
Roselily also faces the daunting prospect of losing her support system—comprised of her father, younger sisters, and the broader community of Mississippi. She understands that the residents of Chicago will be different from those she knows, and her husband’s pride creates a barrier that alienates her further.
But what drives her to marry this man? Notably, he is never given a name in the story, emphasizing how little Roselily knows him. This marriage seems to be a pragmatic choice, allowing Roselily to escape poverty and gain respectability through her union with a man of perceived worth. Yet, the lack of genuine love between them casts a shadow over the prospects for happiness in their life together.
Themes
‘Roselily’ explores several themes that resonate throughout Alice Walker’s body of work, including societal expectations, gender roles, and the pressures placed on women. The story delves into religious constraints, economic struggles, and the quest for a better life—all viewed through the lens of a black woman’s unique experience.
Narrative Style
One of the remarkable aspects of Alice Walker’s storytelling is her ability to convey Roselily’s internal conflict effectively. The narrative immerses readers in her inner thoughts, exposing her anxieties about leaving behind her familiar surroundings, sacrificing her autonomy, and the potential hardships awaiting her in the new city.
Walker employs an omniscient third-person narrator to articulate Roselily’s monologue, allowing us to witness her emotional struggles. Yet, she skillfully narrows the distance between Roselily and the reader through the use of free indirect discourse, which merges the narrator’s voice with Roselily’s thoughts in subtle ways. This technique captures the complexity of her emotions, from excitement to trepidation.
For instance, while the narration predominantly reports Roselily’s musings (‘She wishes’, ‘she thinks’, etc.), there are moments when the narrator channels her thoughts directly, showcasing her emotional state through exclamations of anticipation and fear (‘A new life!’, ‘Free!’) or posing questions that reflect her uncertainty (‘Full of what? Babies?’). These elements echo the questioning nature of Roselily’s mind as she grapples with her future.
Final Thoughts
The story concludes without resolving Roselily’s inner conflict, leaving readers to ponder the implications of her choices and the obstacles she faces. The outcome of her marriage remains uncertain, as does her ability to adapt to life in Chicago.
Walker urges us to contemplate the sacrifices involved in marriage, particularly for Roselily, whose journey entails not only leaving her past behind but also embracing a new home, a new religion, and a new identity—trading the passionate ‘Rose’ for the pure ‘Lily.’