BEAUTY When the Other Dancer Is the Self_ Alice Walker Born in Eatonton, Georgia, in 1944, Alice Walkers the youngesof ‘tht children Her ftherwasasharcropper and her mother eas Imai. graduate of Sar Laerence College, Walker bat book oh active worker for cil rights. She hasbeen fellow ofthe Radcfe Institute @ contributing and consulting editor for Mx magaang ada teacher of literature and wnting ata monber of collacs ol ‘esiversities. She bas published posts, esay, short stoien and foe novels: The Thied Life of Grange Copeland (1970), Mesias (1976), The Coloc Purple (1982), for which she wom the Pulitce Pri, The Temple of My Fania (1989), and By the Light of ty Father Smile (1998). "Beauty: When the Otber Dancer oh ee sppcared fist in Ms. magazine and later na collection of exaye ta Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens (1983) When anked'p ike serites, Walker sid, “Vm relly paying borage to people love the eople who are thought 10 be dumb and backed bat who in, "he ones who frst aught meta ee beauty.” Ic is «bright summer day i 1947. My fates, fat, fonny man wih beaut eyes and a subversive it, i eying to decde abi of Mca, birn be wil take with him to the county fix My motte of one net go. She i kiocked out fom ging most of ts seat] hol ee sti agsns the pressure of her knuchie as she haath oeplocn be hen ing and then berisboning of my bar My father ithe deve forte is Mis Mey. Sh owas all the land for mile around af walla the eos wich ws ive All remember about he tat se one ollecd esas tmoer hi-fi cents for cleaning hes howe, aking sp pce olin eaves, and wathng her fam closen ad thers ey 10 money, ciaht chen, and ashton earrche=sehind' tea Tee a {hk of chs in 1947-Lamewo ands hall years old. I want tose een ah By day goes. Lam exe tae prope of told me fear fan That nd avendes socks, cassing my headin aay | stand, hands on hipe, before my faheg “Take me, Daddy," say with assurances“ the pesca ‘Latest dors not surprise me co find myself in Mise Mey shiny Back a shacing che bak set with the ober a Fichold white dy upthe road. Her mame lucky ons. Dees not surprise me © hate vay hhc A mest igh hacky canon shoe my giana wa ne [Seeing ose Tis Eater Sunday, 1950, 1am dressed in green locked, salloped bem des (handmade hy my adoring see Ruth that ha st on sth Fein pricont and ny hor pink one tucked int each slop. My tho, flew Tsuap patent leather again highly bseuie-polsed. Lam soe yer ld td he ar one ofthe et Es etch ar hat ny E toa unlike the spec Isaidwen I was ra “Easter Us! pure [sre Mors neh morning ight." When I seco give my spec do ons gest wave of lowe and pide and expectation, People inte church Sop easing ter new eoolines, They scem to hold the breath Tan [thy amie my des, bur ts my spe, bordering on ssn woman- Foe, hey secre appl. “ah giballene hg whips och ies le aa sy sec ithaca pk oe wh sete tamer, or wor o al ore. Ths beloe the word “bent ‘exists in people's vocabulary, but *Oh, ian she the cutest thing!” frequent Bip face my way. "Aad got s0 mach arse!” hey gf ado Tam cight years old and 2 tomboy. have a cowboy ha, cowboy boots, ‘Beckered shire and pana all ed. My playmates are my bothers, 0 ad Be oc anch we cd we ace Tom Mix Hoplong Cae, Lat ase Free ecnnrel oto ud ath Lar ech ac te fc F (Gow cnting car Sng ona delveng danse fom ares Then tyre dee bay hy bret gan hae ao sel pans Tay 20a" copper pel wy boty wi leds: Bere Fam Bi do ic gee nasa 1 ckftedt the poston a nue Bow here appear ee dtc: Bowen They sot ad shots Fy ceytng wk ow got iy apap ih ny be lao Bo Gae ay le am send on top cout maken Ec oft ae! nas soe Plo elgg ny ow snd tee i alan incedide wn mye eT ok dun ews my bohe owe has Both brothers rush to my side. My eye stings, and I cover it with my | dye "emi ohio a ta cat do “Few nape ee spe ie betes fella p bom the rok “tp you topes om one cad oft ad tot“ RscrnlAvs ond Hamat Waseneney 4s flew up and hit you.” The pain i egising co stare "Yes" sy, “Ye, wi ay thats wha happened." If donot ay thi what happened, kaw others wil nd ways to make me wish Thad But now Twi say snyhog ‘that get me to my mothe Controned by ovr parents we stick to the lie agreed upon. They place ‘me on a bench on the porch and I close my lft eye while they examine te ‘ight There is 2 tree growing from underneath the porch tee cine pace '8e raling to the roo! It isthe lst hing my cght eye sees T watch a te trunk; its branches, and then is eaves ate Bloted out bythe ning lead "am in shock, First chet is intense fever, which my fate tes bere sing ily eaves bound around my bead. Then thete ate chill; mp shes {rcs wo get me teat soup. Eventually | donor know hovn may pane ee iat has happened. A week aftr the “aceident” they take me ee a dee ‘or, “ Why did you wait o long to come?” he ask, looking into ny epee 4 Shaking his head, “Eyes are sympaches,” he says If ones lind, ox vil ikely become blind to." This commens of the doctors terrifies me. But eis relly how I ook 2 thac bothers me most. Whece the BB pellet struck theres ylobof whee scar est, x hideous cataract, on my eye, Now when I sate people a favorite pastime up co now—they will are back: Nota the “eae” lie Bic, bur at her sear For sx years donot states anyone, Becase donee raise my head {Afet months of torre atthe school, my parents decide to send me fuck to our old community, to my old schol. live with my sesadporene andthe teacher they board ut there is no racm for Phocby ony cat By te time my grandparents decide there room, and task for Tay cache cane ‘sot be found. Miss Yarborough, the boarding teacher, takes ine ase aoe Wing, and begins ro teach me #0 play the piano, But soon she msecncs can—a “pines,” she sys~and is whisked away to his continene ‘Ac my old school there is atleast one teacher who lores se She tthe teacher who “knew me before Iwas horn” and bought my fine bate f tltbes. et she who make ie bearable rs her reece tht aly hele me tron the one child at the school who continual alle me core ood bits.” One day T simply grab him by his coat and beat hm wath Tay Satisfied. I's my teacher who tll me ny moves fil ‘My mother i ing in bed inthe mide ofthe day, something Thave ‘never seen, Shei in too much pain o speak. She hasan abe inher oor {sts looking down on hey, knowing that if she dis I eannor lve, She ‘ing reared with war oils and no bricks held agin er chee, Fall 8 doctor comes, But I must go back wo my grandparents house, The weeks ess but Ham hardly aware of. AIL know is that my mashes gle oe, ty father i not so jolly, my brothers stil have tei us and Tameee oo sen away from home ©) "You did not change,” they say. ‘Years ates, in the throes of mid-life crisis, ask my mother and sister Did | imagine the anguish of never looking wp? whetec I changed afer the “accident.” “No,” the sy, pasted, “What ie What do 1 mean? 1am eight, and, for the firs ime, doing poorly in school where Ihave been something of iz since Iwas fous, We have juse mowed tothe pac ‘here the “ascent” occurred. We donot know any ofthe people ead us because this i different counry The only tne Ise the eds koee 's when we go back ro our old church, The new shoal is the fooner eve Beniteniary Isa lage stone building, cold and dea, emma owing with bosterous,il-discitined children. On the tied feet teens ‘huge cular mprine of some prtition that hasbeen vars ous “What used tobe here?" Tak a sullen gil next to eon out way pas lunch. "The cletricchaig” says she 4 Ar night Ihave nightmares about the electric chat, and about all the eople reputedly “fed” in it Lam afraid ofthe schol, wher all he ae Ants ee fo be budding eraial, “What's the marr with your eye?” they ask, crcl [When I don’ answer (I cannot decide whether it wat an “accident” ‘ot they shove me, init on ihe, ‘My brothes, the one wh created the sor about the wie, comes tomy rescue, But chen brag so much about “proteesing” me: bosons nee “area twelve. When relatives come to visi hide in my room. My cousin F Breda, just my age, whowe facher work nthe pos office and hon meine _ ous, comes to find me, “Hell,” she sys. And then she sos ooking fay recent school picture, which I id nor want taken, and on which the Salo” as I think oft is clearly visible, "You all cant se out of tat eyar= & > *No," I say and op back on the bed over any book Eo, Ta nigh, as I do almost every nigh, T abuse my eye. Trane and rave itn front of the misorI plead with ito clea up before movting [ell state and despise it donot pray for sight. pay for Seaone “You did not change,” they say, Lam fourtecn and baby sting For ay brother Bil, who lives in Boston. $e is my favorite brother and there ses strong bond benecen wt, Une standing my feelings of shame and ugliness he adh wife ake me ros lea Hospital, whece she "glob" is removed by a doctor named O, Honey. Tne tll «small bloish crater where scat tsue was, but the axle ahve nett one, Almost immediately I become a diferent person itm the pl who doce ot rise her head, Orso I think. Now that Ive tased my head Toa [Porkind of my deeams, Now that Ive raised my head | have peegy of fends. Now that I've eased my head classwork comes from my lips fale aly as Easter specches did, and Lleave highschool as valedictorian, osslac scent and use, hardly being my ck, onc the eh {2 voted most benuafl nour ls (and was) wa later shor tice though the ches by» male compton, sing "teal" un, while she was regan Busts another rym uel Or “Su did ot change” they 9. Isis naw tity year since the “accident” A beri ours comes to vst and vo interview te, Shes going o write a corer story for her ma bine that focuses on my latest book. "Decide how you want fo look om he coves" she says. "Glamorous, whatever” ‘Nevermind "amorous, itis the “whatever” that Beas Suddenly all an think oft whether I wll get enough slep the right before che photo- raphy session: fT dont, my eye will be tied and wandes as lind eyes wil. ‘At ight in bed with my love I think wp reasons why I should not appear onthe cover ofa magavine. “My meanest critics wil say ve sold tout Tsay. "My fly will now realize Terie seandaous books.” ‘tut what’ the real reason you don't want to do this?" he asks, “Because ll probability,” Tsay in aus, "my eye won't be straight.” “tril be seaghs enough,” he says. Then, "Besides, Thought you'd sade your peace with that. ‘And I suddenly remember that Ihave. remember ‘am talking ¢o my brother Jimmy, dsking if he romembers anything ‘umasoal about the day I was shoe He docs ot know I consider that day the Tae ime my father with hs weet home remedy of cool iy leaves, chose me, and cht Tsullered and raged inside because of eis. “Well” he sys, "aT remember is standing by the side ofthe highway with Daddy, ying co flag down eat A white man stopped, but when Daddy sad he needed ‘Somebody to take his Il gilt the doctor he drove of" ‘remember: amin the desert forthe firs time fall stall in love with it, am so overwtlined by its beauty, 1 confront forthe fist time, conscious the ‘meaning of che doctor's words years ago: Eyes are sympatheoe. fone i bind, the other vl kely become Min to.” realize have dashed about the world eady looking at this looking at that, toring op nage apie he fading ofthe light. But Tight have missed secing the desert! The shock (of har postibly—and grastade for over twenty Sve years of sight ‘ends me Healy to my knees Per ater poem comes-—vthich is perhaps how poets pea. {Lam so thankful Ihave seen The Desert And the creatures inthe desert ‘And the sere Ise “The desert has its own 000 Which Thave seen ‘With my own ee “There tno fag on “Trees of he desert have acme Allof which are always up Tae i Because the mom sop ‘The sun i up ‘leo the sky ‘The ware Clouds ‘None with a 1 chere wore fags, I doube the tes would point. Would you? Bt most remember hs Iam twenty-seven and my baby daoghe is slost thre. Since her bint Thave worted about er discovery that her mothers eyes are ferent from ater peoples, Wil she beembarestied? | thine. What wl he sy? Every day she watches a reeison program called “big lve Marble fe begins with a pcre ofthe earth ast appear from che moon. ei ssh, 1 ile bare looking, ba fll of lithe, with whisah lous swing fuound it Everytime Ise itt weep with love, ne i isa pictur of Grandmas hour. One diy when Tt puting Rebecca down fo he py ‘he sadly fines on my ee Sum nde ne tinge es fad try to proc mse All chien ae cruel aout phyla fren 1 Keow from expenence, and that they dont always mean to es another rmttecTasume Rebeca wil be he sre Tut no-oro. She sie my face nel as we tnd; he inside and ime ouside herb. She even hols my face mateally between het dimpled lle hands. Then, looking every bit as serous an lawyer as ie fhe, she a7 a8 may je ponibly have slipped say menton Mommy, theres world in your ee™ (As In Dont be alse ot do snything cre") And then, ently but with grea interes "Mommy, white id you ger tat word in your ey?” For the mos par, the pain lef chen, (So wha, my brothers sew to uy even moce powefl pall guns for thee sos and tocar eal gus ‘hence. So whi, ifs young "Morchowse man’ once nearly lof he ‘Moroonse man: A aden 3 Morehouse Cols saicoally black co leg far tenn Aaa, Georgi Bs)steps of Trevor Amett Library because he thought my eyes were be) Crying aad laughing I canto ch bathroom, while Rebeces mumbled and sang herself off co sleep. Yes indeed, I realized, looking into the mise ‘There war a word in my eye. And I saw that it was posable to love fe that. infact, oe all had eaught me of sme and angee sn inner vision, td love i: Evento seit ding out of orbit in boredom, of rolling up ou fatigue, not to mention floating back at attention in excitement [beating wines, 2 fend has called) deeply suitable to my personaly, and ere, Character of me. That nigh dream am dancing to Stevie Wonder’ song “Always” (the fame of the song is realy "As," but [hea it as “Alwaye®) ArT dace ‘whirling nd joyous, happier than I've ever Been in my fe, another bight faced dancer joins me. We dance and kis each other and hold each othe: "hough the night. The other dancer has abviously come through al igh 51 have done, She is beautiful, whole and fee. Ang she alsa me Questions 1. Walkers esay moves forward in time through abrupe though steady Progressive descriptions of epscdes. Whi ells onthe reader doc tha structure prodace? Why do you soppose Walker chose this frm instead ‘of providing transitions irom one epnode tothe next? Consider Walkers method of conensting ones peoples mestoris with hee own, What effect is ceated by the repetton of “You didnot change? 3. Consider Walker's choices of episodes or examples of beauty, How doe «ach one work toward developing a definition of beasey? 4. In whar ways does this essay play with the posible meanings of the familiar adage, "Beauty ii te ee ofthe beholder"? 5. Onetheme ofthis ay could be that of coming terms witha disfigre ment or with an imapined loss of physical beauty. Recall an eves (or ‘sccident) in your own fe that changed your pecetion of yoursee Wane & teleive narrative in which you ase Walker's tethod of chronlogs cally arranged episodes including reflections on the time belore the hangs the change tel and episodes following the change Like Wale, you may want t0 contrast (or compait) your memory with tose of Other. 6 Recalls memorable event that occrsed year or more ago. Temight be an event in your faly’s Ife or a public event at which you and your friends were present. Write down your memories ofthe ext, nd tea interview your family or fiends and write down ther recllections Compare the various memorier of the event, Come #0 # conclason shout the difeences or similarities you find and pethaoy about the MakiNG CONNECTIONS Sars dur ation Mary, he + (Gammpraph 47), va anscendent moment esis et [ees section coal alia be sido have 9 wor inh 1 ple Cac] Saga’s description of how insight depends ftesrcon p15 closely elated to Walker theme from ths “Reflecting” secon, and show how Walkers Kind ee cam blp us underand the dcoreris hat thes P esay aking