A Sudden Trip Home in the Spring

by Alice Walker

Laura, Jenna, Jenni, Zandra

Biographical InformationAlice Walker was born February 9, 1944 into a family of

sharecroppers in Eatonton, Georgia. Alice had a very strained relationship with her father growing up, he believed that education would put a barrier between him and his children. When Alice left home to attend Spelman College in Atlanta, her relationship with her father ended completely. Alice transferred from Spelman to Sarah Lawrence college. After graduating she became very involved in civil rights movements and also taught at several colleges including Wesley College, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, University of California at Berkeley and Brandeis University. She is most well known for her book, The Color Purple, and is famous for being a significant advocate for women’s rights.

Historical ContextAlthough there is no date specified in “A Sudden Trip

Home in the Spring” the story is most likely set sometime in the late 1960s or early 1970s. We know this because the author makes it clear in the story that airplane and train travel are quite common and easily accessible modes of transportation. There is also a reference to Richard Wright who was a prominent writer in the 50s. The author really tries to convey the point that at this time period, although everyone is legally equal, there are still racial stereotypes and African Americans from the south are still very misunderstood by white people in the north.

SettingThe setting of the story starts off with the main character, Sarah, at her

college in New York and takes her back to her home in rural Georgia.

Literary Criticism“These early stories, too, seem to draw a lot from Ms. Walker's own life.

No expert on her biography but what is known commonly about her life shows up in these stories, for example that the young woman attends an all-girl, prestigious private college. The images and attitude about the black church seems to be culled from Ms. Walker's upbringing, too. I'm undecided if knowing a little of her background unduly distracts me from the details of the story. In other words, do I pay too much attention to the connection between fiction and fact.”

ThemeA Sudden Trip Home in the Spring focuses on the conflict that Sarah

has regarding her father, not only that but regarding the confidence she has in herself as well. The story implies that in coming to terms with her own personal struggles, Sarah will be able to deal with living in a place where she is very misunderstood by her peers.

ConflictSarah finds it impossible to draw or paint black men because she only

has one negative view of them based on what she saw in her father- “There was a full wall of her own drawings, all of black women. She found black men impossible to draw or paint; she couldn’t bare to trace defeat onto blank pages”. Throughout the story however the conflict resolves when Sarah begins to get a better understanding of the other men in her family, her grandfather and brother. She returns from her trip with a new outlook on black men and is able to express herself more creatively and freely.

SummaryIn this story the main character, Sarah, struggles

with leaving her newfound home at a northern college, to go to her father’s funeral in Georgia where she grew up. Sarah’s perspective of black men, which was heavily influenced by her father growing up, changes when she returns home and interacts with her grandfather and brother. Once she has freed herself from that single image she had of black men she feels she can finally portray her grandfather in a work of art made of stone. The scenarios in this story are very reminiscent of Alice Walker’s personal experiences and also shows a lot about the complex relationships between white northerners and African Americans from the south.

Work Cited

• http://www.enotes.com/topics/alice-walker

• http://www.shelfari.com/groups/10111/discussions/45451/Next-Up-A-Sudden-Trip-Home-in-the-Spring

• http://www.enotes.com/topics/sudden-trip-home-spring/in-depth