The Third Life of Grange Copeland

by Alice Walker

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Summary

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The Third Life of Grange Copeland chronicles three generations of the Copeland family, starting in the 1920s in rural Georgia and concluding in the 1960s during the dawn of the Civil Rights movement. The novel highlights the persistent shadow of racism and poverty on the family, focusing on the struggles faced by individuals and underscoring the importance of kinship as a powerful tool against injustice. Through the experiences of the Copeland family, the story poignantly captures the toll of social and economic oppression.

The Struggles of Grange and Margaret

The narrative unfolds with a conventional chronological plot, using an omniscient third-person perspective to explore the lives of Grange and Margaret Copeland. Despite their relentless efforts to improve their circumstances, they remain trapped in a cycle of poverty and despair, unable to secure a better future for themselves and their son, Brownfield. This unyielding reality is starkly depicted through their daily struggles and the oppressive conditions they endure.

The Sharecropper's Burden

Grange toils as a sharecropper under a white landowner named Shipley, yet he remains ensnared in perpetual debt. This never-ending cycle of poverty leads Grange to hide his true self, becoming emotionally distant and harsh towards his family. The oppressive environment fosters fear in Brownfield and Margaret, sowing the seeds of resentment and desperation. As tensions rise due to Grange's infidelity and neglect, he becomes increasingly discontented, ultimately choosing to abandon his family.

Margaret and Brownfield's Tragic Paths

Grange's departure leaves Margaret and Brownfield struggling to survive on their own. Margaret, overwhelmed by despair and entangled in a relationship with Shipley, reaches a tragic end, taking her own life and that of her infant child. Brownfield, bereft of family support, embarks on a journey towards hope, aspiring to a better life in the North, but only manages to reach a nearby county. There, he finds temporary refuge with Josie, Grange's former lover.

Brownfield's Attempts at Family

In this new environment, Brownfield falls for Mem, Josie’s kind-hearted niece, and marries her, hoping to establish a loving family. However, Walker illustrates that Brownfield is ill-equipped for this role, having never learned how to nurture or cherish familial bonds. As children enter their lives, Brownfield resorts to sharecropping, mirroring his father’s struggles, and his self-loathing manifests in his treatment of Mem, perpetuating the cycle of domestic strife.

Grange's Search for Redemption

Meanwhile, Grange makes a new life in New York City, confronting his oppressors head-on and realizing the limits of individual resistance against systemic racism. Returning to Georgia, he seeks solace and independence, aided financially by Josie, who owns a juke joint. Grange marries Josie and attempts to rectify past mistakes by becoming a caring grandfather to Brownfield's daughters, recognizing that helping his grandchildren is his path to redemption.

A New Beginning for Ruth

After Brownfield's violent murder of Mem, Grange steps in to raise his granddaughter Ruth, determined to provide the guidance and love he previously failed to give Brownfield. His other granddaughters are sent to live with Mem’s family in the North. Through this act of responsibility, Grange becomes the nurturing figure he was not for his own son, symbolizing hope and the possibility of breaking free from generational cycles of oppression.

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