AP Practice Essay ( what I finished in class )

In Alice Walker’s short story, “The Flowers”, Walker conveys the meaning of the flowers by entailing the sharp contrast between the symbols of life in death within Myop’s- the main character- journey from her home into the woods. Walker uses imagery, and symbols to create a dark and seemingly haunting mood to conclude her story.

Imagery was a very important element in Walker’s writing, not only to capture the full essence and feel of the setting, but to convey the contrast between Myop’s view of the forest before entering, and after. Myop sets off away from her cabin, and onto what is described as “her own path” with “ various common but pretty ferns and leaves, an armful of strange blue flowers with velvety ridges…” and more wildlife. The reader can imagine the beautiful scenery; it seems blissful and lively. The scene then suddenly changes when the setting changes into a “ gloomy little cove” and Myop finds a dead body. The reader can practically envision what Myop is seeing, and the thought of the beautiful scenery and life quickly begin to vanish.

Walker also uses symbol to carry the ending of the story in the beginning of the story, flowers and wildlife become a symbol of life and happiness; of care free feelings and serenity. In the closing scene of the story, there is only one small pink rose that is surrounded by endless amounts of dead flowers, plants and leaves; even a dead man. It turns from a lively, beautiful scene, to a morbid, gloomy ending. The “rotting oak” symbolized something that was alive once, but that was slowly dying away; losing beauty, just like the man Myop found in the brush. Myop also symbolizes the one lively thing in the woods that day, just like the rose. At the end of the story, it says that summer came to an end for Myop. It was as if the life had gone and everything was dead, just like summer coming to an end before the next season; everything turns dark and gloomy around Myop.