Dec 29, 2009
Possessing the Secret of Joy | Possessing the Secret of Joy
At a glance:
- Author: Alice Walker
- First Published: 1992
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Social realism
- Time of Work: The 1930’s to the 1980’s
- Setting: California and Olinka, in Africa
- Genres: Long fiction, Psychological fiction, Social realism
- Subjects: African Americans, North America or North Americans, Suffering, United States or Americans, Africa or Africans, Tradition, Sexism, Blacks, Sex or sexuality, Murder or homicide, Twentieth century, Gender roles, California, West, U.S., Pain, Women’s issues, Adultery, Multiculturalism, Women, Revenge, Rites or ceremonies
- Locales: Africa, California
Characters Discussed
Tashi Evelyn Johnson, the protagonist. She is born in Africa and
reared until she is a young woman as a member of the Olinka tribe, then moves to America, where
she lives for most of her adult years. She returns to Africa when she is middle-aged. She intends
to murder M’Lissa, who performed a female circumcision on her. Tashi experiences a
number of cultural shocks in her life, from the British takeover of her country to moving to
America and trying to adjust to being an “African American.” In her moves, she
marries, has a slightly retarded son,...
[The entire page is 1585 words long]
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