Violeta Pantaleón

Professor Delorenzo

CW 215-12

Rhetorical Analysis: Alice Walker

WILD WOMAN: Rhetorical Analysis On Alice Walker's Possessing The Secret Of Joy

Life begins in the quivering pink walls of the earthly mother. This opening is not an abyss; rather it is an endless nurturing orifice possessed only by women, also known as-vagina. The world-renowned psychiatrist Freud mislabeled his theory of penis envy as women’s envy due to their lack of a penis. In reality men are envious of the vagina, because while they brag about their seed, they lack the soil to nurture life within the seed. Thus, it is women not men that give life. This point is not just merely feminist, but also a truth that is not acknowledged by some cultures around the world.

The vagina is not only the source life for women, but it is also a source of intense sexual gratification. Unfortunately, many men are raised in the blind belief that they are superior to women because they have an extended phallus and fail to recognize that women too have a right to sexual exploration and gratification. Such individuals insist on dominating women by subjugating them to the disgraceful deed of genital mutilation. This is one of the many causes that the internationally acclaimed author Alice Walker explores in her fiction novel, Possessing the Secret of Joy.

Walker is not just any other writer exploring the emotional, physical, and psychological damages of genital mutilation. Her writing transcends from mere exposure of a human violation against women to promoting socio-feminist change for women. Through her diction, symbolism, and delicate balanced between fiction and non-fiction Walker takes a non-traditional approach towards genital mutilation that promotes the exhibition of female sexuality.

In Possessing the Secret of Joy, the protagonist Mrs. Tashi Evelyn Johnson is a victim of genital mutilation in her native African tribe. She immigrates to the United States where with the help of friends and a psychiatrist she undergoes a series of self-discovery and sexual-discovery journeys. She eventually returns to her native village to kill the tsunga, the revered woman that performs genital mutilation on females. Tashi-Evelyn receives a death for killing a “monument.” Walker’s idea of fair justice is seen Tashi’s premeditated killing of the tsunga, M’Lissa. Tashi dies for resistance and breaking the silence surrounding women in general and circumcision in particular. By doing so the protagonist exposes the cruel reality of her society. Resistance to the lies of female suffering brings her the secret of joy, and she, in turn shares the joy of resistance and truth with other women who attend the execution, bringing ancient fertility dolls, wild flowers, and beads, in a feminist celebration of women’s harvest-the coming of age…Tashi Evelyn Johnson Soul faces a firing squad, hears a “roar as if the world cracked open” and is satisfied. (Moore 2000)

Throughout the novel Walker uses multiple titles to describe the cultural and psychological part of the protagonist that is experiencing: Tashi, Tashi-Evelyn, Evelyn-Tashi, Evelyn, Mrs. Johnson, and Tashi Evelyn Mrs. Johnson. Tashi denotes the hurt African self. On the other hand Evelyn denotes the liberated American self.

The multiple titles may seem confusing, but the title of each section brings attention to the development and emotional and psychological development of the character that is Tashi Evelyn Mrs. Johnson. In part six section, the first section is entitled Tashi-Evelyn. Walker intentionally brings both the African and American sides of Tashi and Evelyn. By doing so, Walker eventually merges the two clashing cultures together as one. In the following passage Walker illustrates Tashi’s realization and acknowledgment of her own sexuality.

Geneva Cobb Moore, the author of the article Archetypal symbolism in Alice Walker’s Possessing the Secret of Joy, writes the following in regards to Walker’s use of Tashi-Evelyn titles:

Tashi achieves the Self, Jung union of opposites par excellence, at the end of the novel she has reconciled the personal and collective unconscious contents of the Self and her relationships with others, particularly Pierre and Lisette…Tashi has accepted the truth of her experiences as opposed to the lies of the social order. (Moore 2000)

More importantly Walker wants to send a message to women living in cultures that prohibits them to talk, think, and/or in any sexual manner. According those man-made rules are myths of social order. Through the inner thoughts of Tashi-Evelyn, the following passage captivates the message that women have a mind, body, and soul of their own, and no one should try to stop their desire to exhibit their sexuality and sensuality:

I refocus on the young woman giving testimony. I think of the meaning of the word “testimony”. Originally it named the custom if two men holding each other’s testicles in a gesture of trust, later metamorphose into a handshake. I imagine the woman’s soft black hand cupping the young attorney’s balls, her shell-pink nail deep in the tangles of his pubic hair. What are doing in this sweltering courtroom, she is saying, brushing the ebony tips of her breasts against his smooth, hairless chest…The attorney’s face has that curious look of concentration sexually aroused men have…But I must pay attention…if I’m not careful I will have a torrid romance going and miss…my own trial. (Page 107)

This passage appears to be low density, but in reality it is high density. This excerpt from the novel provides several essential information regarding the character, the location, and Walker's intentions. It is pertinent to know that this passage takes place in the courtroom. Walker successfully accomplishes her intention of educating the reading audience. Tashi-Evelyn provides information on the origin of the word “testimony”. Yet, Walker also wants her audience to know the origin of the word testimony. She manages to do this in an untraditional way, because this novel is fiction. The words “I imagine” stand out in this passage. The beautiful syntax of words make a picturesque picture to the creativity of the mind of the reader. Tashi-Evelyn has reached the point where she allows herself to think in sexual terms and create in her mind an image that will appear horrendous to those present in courtroom and even to the native tribesmen.

Of all places, Walker choose the courtroom, as the place where Tashi-Evelyn visualizes the young woman and the attorney taking their clothes off, their obvious physical changes in the hardening of the breasts, and the intense arouse look. I couldn’t help, but wonder why Walker put this thought in a serious location. Should the reader reprimand Walker for placing a ludicrous act in a serious place of castigation that is hell for many, purgatory for others, and heaven for few? Walker raises the issue of sexual exhibition in this novel.

Many Sub-Sahara African and Middle Eastern cultures discourage women to think sexually and even prohibits them from accessing romance novels. These male driven patriarchal societies try to make it seem as if women are incapable of thinking for themselves. The location of this internal thought by Tashi-Evelyn helps bring more attention to the passage since it takes place in the courtroom. In addition, the last line in this passage adds a hint of humor to the novel.

In the last line, Tashi-Evelyn decides to stop and concentrate on what’s going on in courtroom. Regardless of her torrid romantic thoughts, the character manages to control herself.

Self-control and sexuality are not two separate entities for women. According to Walker, men created genital mutilation, as a way to dominate women by curtailing women’s uncontrollable sexual drive. Furthermore, Walker suggests that in reality it is men that are unable to control their sexual drive. Men’s inability to control their sexual drive is the real cause for the suffering of all women like Tashi-Evelyn and Tashi.

In the following passage, her adopted son Pierre is a champion towards women’s human rights. This character is a creation of Walker’s feminist utopian mind's attempt to suggest a world where duality coexist and differences are set apart. In other words, Pierre represents an ideal world where equality exists. As long as genital mutilation and degrading domination over women exist there is no gender equality.

In the following low-density passage from part seventeen, entitled Tashi, Pierre portrays how genital mutilation came about as a result of men’s uncontrollable sexual drive:

“The Creation itself began with the mutilation and rap…God wanted to have intercourse with woman…And the woman fought him. Her clitoris was a termite hill, rising up and barring his way…one that clearly resembles a phallus. When the clitoris rose, God thought it looked masculine. Since it was “masculine” for a clitoris to rise, God could be excused for cutting it down. Which he did. Then…God fucked the hole that was left…Religion is an elaborate excuse for what man has done to women and to the earth…Your little smiling goddess was destroyed. (Page 130)

This passage comes before part six. Throughout the novel Walker retreats back and forth in time. The first half of the novel is characterized by creative stories that are just bits and pieces of memories of Tashi-Evelyn and Tashi. It seems almost like a struggle for Evelyn to extricate some memory revelation from Tashi. These memories are actual dialogues that happen all within Tashi's mind, making it difficult to distiniguish between story been told and an actual dialogue. Walker purposedly does this to place the reader in the protagonist mind. This passage is similar to the In this dialogue with Pierre and other close friends Tashi is one of the listeners while after hearing this from Pierre. This passage is a source of revelation for Tashi. After listening to this passage from Pierre, Tashi withdraws within her intricate cobwebs of childhood memories. This revelation triggers one of Tashi’s haunting memories of the tsunga chanting a rite before performing a mutilation. The following Tashi’s stream of consciousness that follows Pierre’s revelation:

No termites, no “white ants,” no structural similarities between genitals and insect dwellings were discussed. And who would not laugh at the notion that a clitoris, like a penis, can rise?” Only a part of me is sitting in the midst of my family and friends. Another part is watching myself as a small child bring a tray of food…Because I am small they do not completely stop their talk.

Number one: A man is blind

Number one: Man is God’s Cock

Number two: the tsunga’s stitch helps the cock to know his crop

All: Woman is Queen

Number three: If left to herself the Queen would fly

Number four: And when she rose up…As a man would!

Number three: God struck the blow that made her queen!

Number four: Beautiful enough to fuck.

Number two: God liked it tight.

(Page 234-238)

Walker places a delicate interconnection that shows the parallelism between Pierre’s explanation and Tashi’s narration. Pierre's explanation is a more of a non-fiction, low-density account, while Tashi's piece is a more fictional, high-density account. The level of complexity and symbolism in this dialogue between the elders requires a deeper understanding into the text. The words "axe", "queen", "stitch", "struck", "fuck" create a violent symbolism of the queen as man's orifice and sexual sustenance. Both stories share the notion that man created genital mutilation as a sacred cultural excuse.

Walker questions this notion of the view of the African women as an anthill queen. The image of the queen forced to eat, lay eggs, and even before that suffered a violent crime at the hand of God/man. Walker portrays the violence of this image in picturesque details of the blind ant queen axed by God/man. Throughout the novel Walker uses the symbolism of the anthill queen for woman in societies. The female is the Queen of an anthill. She is attempting to turn this violent image into a positive image of the queen. Walker places power and life-giving powers to women in all societies. Through violence men dominate women around the world. Surprisingly enough, the leaders in Tashi’s remembrance acknowledge women as queen.

Men were living believing that they were better than women because they had a phallus. Through high density Tashi’s story, Walker informs the reader why men created genital mutilation; men learns that women too had a phallus, thus making them both equal. In order to make his self feel bigger men created a hole in women. Walker’s crude language intensifies as the novel progresses. She uses the words, fucks, hole, and God. She exposes a crude artificial nature that exists in many patriarchal societies. Her phrase, “God fucked the hole that was left,” mocks the religious excuse that man uses as a God imposed rite for centuries. She also labels this “God” as a rapist.

This “God” that Walker speaks of is really man or accordingly to religious scriptures the original man. According to Walker man continues to rape women emotionally, physically, and psychologically. It is because of this rape that men in patriarchal societies try to deprive women of sexual awareness. In her novel, Walker creates character that is part of ideal vision. For example, Lisette, a Tashi’s friend describes her childbirth:

...my...midwife...my aunt Marie-Thérèse, whose radical idea it was that childbirth above all should feel sexy. I listened to…music during my pregnancy…My vulva was oiled and massaged to keep my hips open and my vagina fluid, I was orgasmic at the end. Petit…slid into the world at the height of my amazement. (page 101) Walker is unafraid of using words such as vulva. She repeatedly writes the word to bring awareness to women and their sexual pleasure. This passage would shock men and women alike, but it will bring awareness to the blameless vulva, that would bring pleasure even in childbirth. Which has become victim of an infected rusty blade. To prove that genital mutilation did not always exist in ancient civilizations Walker concocts a story in the words of woman that makes clay fertility dolls:

In ancient times…the people repainted the paintings…[one showed a clay doll] touching her genitals If the word “MINE” were engraved on her finger, her meaning could not be more clear…[other] photographs shows a figure with her hand around the penis of the figure next to her, another…figure with her finger inside a woman’s vagina…She is smiling…Many of the figures were destroyed. Especially those that show both a woman’s vagina and her contented face. (page 106)

The women telling this provides a non-fictional view in the novel that is represents anthropological findings. This is another example where Walker creates a delicate balance between fiction and non-fiction. The passage is low-density and contains simple syntax. The word “smiling” and “contented” illustrates women’s enjoyment of sex. While many believe that it is the man that receives sexual pleasure, Walker points that women receive sexual pleasure as well. Furthermore, they don’t need men to be cause of this sexual enjoyment. In all respects the women of this past were "wild women," because they surrender their sexual energy.

Walker places characters with opposite situation to illustrate, what would happen if the world is a more accepting place. Lisette is a character she creates that represents a 'wild woman'. Lisette’s attitude towards her birthing experience represents what psychotherapist Jocelyn Chaplin describes as a “Wild Woman”:

The closest description I have read recently comes from Alice Walker's Possessing the Secret of Joy. She uses the term “Pan-sexual” to describe a woman raised by pagan parents’, who makes love with stones and trees, and has orgasms on horses and seems ‘fully alived’…This is what patriarchy can’t handle; this sexuality requires a kind of surrender, not to another person, (men’s greatest fear), but to the forces of life, to whatever energies are actually present. (Chaplin 1992)

Jocelyn Chaplin suggests that a Wild Woman has the freedom to love and live fully. Yet men’s insecurity of being abandoned if their partner becomes “Wild” or sexually free and creating of a competitive hierarchy have led them to trample women. Chaplin advocates a world where women live outside social convention. Walker, takes Chaplin’s suggestion further, in a fair world where traditional men need to accept women outside of social convention as well. Walker promotes resistance to patriarchal social convention as a tool to fight the lies regarding females “loose” sexuality.

Previous writings by Alice Walker have had a profound effect on my understanding of female sexuality. Possessing the Secret of Joy made me realize that Walker is fighting for both women's human rights in regards to circumcision and the exhibition of female sexuality. Walker takes a very serious controversial issue and creates a balance between non-fiction and fiction. This allows a wider audience to be expose to the awareness of women's rights and sexuality. This world is still for the most part male-dominated and Walker proposes a radical idea that will many individuals angry enough to burn her writings. Yet, it is for these people that ignore the female that Walker writes. She wants this ignorant audience to realize that female sexuality is a natural ad righteous. The controversial sexual exhibitionist singer Madonna put it best, "women can be smart, sexy, and intelligent."

Walker's message is best seen by Evelyn's newfound truth of her own sexuality realization, Tashi's realization of her natural body functions, and Tashi-Evelyn's acknowledgement that she is a whole pure woman, with her mind, body, soul, vulva and all.

WORKS CITED

Chaplin, Jocelyn. “Enter the Wild Woman.” Body Politic (1996). 8 May. 2002

<http://www.body.arc.co.uk/body4/wild.html>

Moore, Geneva Cobb. “Archetypal Symbolism in Alice Walker’s Possessing the Secret of Joy”. The Southern Literary Journal. 33.1 (2000) 111-121. 8 May. 2002 <http://muse.jhu.edu/demo/slj/33.1moore.pdf>

Walker, Alice. Possessing the Secret of Joy. New York: Pocketbook, 1992.