WALKER/Beauty

Alice Walker's short story "Beauty", captivated my attention from start to finish. Her ability to use such detail and imagery, allowed me to paint a picture of what was going on in my head. When she described her "accident" and the condition it left her in, I was surprised she still had self confidence. Walker handled her difference in a complete opposite way of Lucy Grealy. The fact that Walker was able to keep her self respect and stand up for her self made me want to keep reading. She was a fighter and it takes a lot of courage to keep your head up high when you are the odd one out.

When the doctor was finally able to remove the white fluid from her eye Walker's attitude takes a turn for the better and the story completely won me over when she stated the following:

"Almost immediately I become a different person from the girl who does not raise her head. Or so I think. Now that I've raised my head I win the boyfriend of my dreams. Now that I have raised my head class work comes from my lips faultlessly as Easter speeches did, and I leave high school as valedictorian, most popular student, and queen, hardly believing my luck."

She only goes on to prove that your life is what you make it. Walker's closing was really good as well. I liked how she came eye to eye with what happened and was able to accept it when she said, "Yes, indeed, I realized, looking into the mirror. There was a world in my eye. And I saw that it was possible to love it: that in fact, for all it had taught me of shame and anger and inner vision, I did love it."