SARAH+JANG

(Point of View Analysis) Point of View in “Roselily” & Its Impact
“Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony” (Walker 1). As the quote from the story suggests, Alice Walker’s “Roselily” starts with an introduction to a woman’s wedding ceremony. Narrated by a limited, third-person point of view, the story takes the readers to an unexpected introduction about the mind of Roselily, the central character of Walker’s story. Although the story lacks both dialogue and action, the narration in the third-person point of view creates an intense feeling throughout the story by introducing to the readers about Roselily’s worries and recollection of the past. Throughout the story, the readers see everything in Roselily’s point of view. From Roselily’s dream to childhood memories and her present feelings about the groom, readers continuously encounter series of different ideas in total of 11 segments, all beginning with lines spoken by the preacher during the ceremony. Due to the third person limited point of view, readers are unaccustomed to both the feelings of characters other than Roselily and what’s really happening in the wedding, thus allowing the focus of the story to be solely on Roselily’s perspective and feelings. Also, the third person point of view helps the author to successfully keep the focus of the short story on one main character, Roselily. By using “she” instead of “I”, Walker creates a situation in which Roselily can be seen from an external point of view, facilitating the readers in noticing Roselily’s doubts and insecurities. Though Walker briefly mentions other characters, their roles in the story compared to Roselily’s are very small. For example, although Roselily’s father is mentioned, he is only brought up in a single line: "stands in the yard, like a man waiting for the train" (2). This method of excluding characters other than one main character plays a vital role on focusing the story’s perspective on Roselily’s feelings. The intense internal monologue created by the story’s point of view also contributes in getting across Walker’s message about the status of black woman. "She blinks her eyes. Remembering she is finally getting married, like other girls... as a rat trapped, cornered..." (3). This description of Roselily’s marriage as “a rat trapped and cornered”(3) reflects the social bindings and helplessness that black women had to endure. The narrator also describes the way in which Roselily felt her husband’s hand as “the clasp of an iron gate” (3). Although Roselily expresses her hope, it is evident that the position of black women in a society is quite limited. The shifting patterns of Roselily’s thoughts and feelings narrated in the third person limited point of view distinguishes the main character and helps to keep the focus of the story.

Citation: Walker, Alice. "Roselily." Google docs. 1967. Web. 2 Sept. 2009. .

(Writing in Different Point of View) My Husband Believes in Bigfoot
The problem is his expansive delusion.

The problem, as I noticed ever since our first day after the wedding ceremony, is his expansive delusion. A lot of people look at me and say, sure Trudy, your husband can’t be that crazy. It makes me sad to see it, the look of doubt in each person’s eye. But every night in the bed he tells me about Bigfoot; how a hairy man who can’t drive stares at me when I work in the garden wearing my casual outfit, weeding, planting, watering. I mean it was obvious. I was too busy taking care of the house chores all the time that I didn’t even notice my own husband going insane.

In the two and a half years we were married, I often had the feeling that I would come from the garden and something would be funny. Oh, he’d say things: One of these days Bigfoot is really going to get you, things like that, things like only a crazy man would ever say. How stupid of me not to see them as signs of his insanity. When I’d get out of bed in the early afternoon and walk in the garden, I always saw him standing in the sink talking to himself. When I’d get back inside to hear him out, he would say things I just didn’t know how to respond: he’s watching her too. He’d probably been watching her all summer.

So, in a way it was my fault. But what could I have done? Call a psychiatric and have someone take my husband in a strap jacket? The man’s so crazy that he goes around saying that Bigfoot will steal his wife. I mean: even if you’re home, it’s going to be a mess.

When I left the house it was about eight thirty. I knew that he would come back around eleven, so I took my lovely dog Buster, afraid that he’ll be bored if I left him in the house. I also took half of my clothes. I thought I’d give my husband what he wants, so I intentionally fabricated some signs of struggle. My husband will probably think that I’m taken by Bigfoot anyways. After taking a sip of Dr.Pepper I pushed it to the counter and left the fridge open. There was a rotten fish inside the fridge, so I guessed that the room will reek later on, but I didn’t care.

Then I saw a picture of my husband and me together leaning against my Toyota taped to the fridge door. I felt sorry for leaving him like this, but I’ll be back in a month from my trip to Florida. When I get back, I hope he’ll drop his fancy notion about Bigfoot.

My husband is crazy.