Process Paper #4 The Century Quilt serves to connect the speaker’s life to her diverse background. First of all, the quilt brings her back to her youthful days. The speaker describes her dreams of “wrapping [herself] at play with [the blanket’s] folds and [play] chieftains and princesses.” This quilt connects her to her past and thus to her family. She reminisces about her first blanket, which serves as a doorway to her past experiences and emotions. She wants a blanket to “have good dreams for a hundred years.” The speaker makes a connection with Meema, who “dreams of her yellow sisters” and “about Mama.” She recalls her father coming home from his store and the family cranking up the pianola.
One can see this in the way she handles the situation with her daughter Dee. In the end, Dee wants to take her grandmother's quilts to "display them". She says '"these are all pieces of dresses grandma used to wear. She did all the stitching my hand. Imagine!"
She uses flashbacks and memories to describe her memories in a peaceful way. The quilts colors and narrator's nostalgic tone are significant in highlighting how significant her roots are; they created her identity. When the speaker describes the colors of the quilt “six Van Dyke brown squares, two white, and one square
The women of the time made quilts that were put to "everyday use" that were then passed down from generation to generation. The quilts during this time were used to symbolize the love of the slave’s mothers and the things they had to go through just to make the quilts. A lot of times every square in a quilt symbolizes something of its own. One square may symbolize the love of a person and the other may symbolize the death of another. Each quilt is prepared differently which gives it a since of purpose.
The author seems to tell a story about her grandmother and her basket that she always has with her. An example from the book would be “my grandmother had a little white oak basket, left from the farm, from years of keeping chickens, gathering eggs. My mama says it was her kitchen basket when they moved to town. It might have peaches in it, pot holders, roses, scissors in the bottom sometimes.” At the very end of this book was a little story the grandmother sang to her. It is like a verse that rhymes and repeats.
The yellow glove Homer wore on his and Miss Emily’s buggy rides represents the friendliness of Homer that the town seemed to enjoy but the yellow pillow that Miss Emily’s head rested on when she passed most likely represented her mental state at that time. Lastly there is the color red. Red is the color of love and the bedroom in the upstairs of the house was decorated in red symbolizing her love for Homer. Through color, Homer Barren, and Mrs. Emily’s house and actions symbolism is used to express the different perspectives of new and old generations ideas on changes in society. Emily staying true ideals and traditions.
Throughout the story, Chopin describes of Désirée while setting up a scene. For example, when Madame Valmonde, Désirée’s mother, went to visit Désirée and the baby for the first time, Chopin let the reader know that Désirée was wearing “…soft, white muslins…” (1073). Chopin goes on to describe Désirée as having “...long, silky brown hair…” (1074) as well as having gray eyes and fair skin (1075). Désirée is again described wearing a “…thin white garment…” (1076) as she leaves her home at the end of the story. In addition, as Désirée is leaving her husband Armand’s residence the sun’s rays shine upon her and “…brought a golden gleam from its [her hair’s] brown meshes…” (1076).
In African American tradition the elderly women continue the tradition to pass on cultural meaning, such as the value of children and self-reliance, to succeeding generations (Peterson, page 213). The “wise” women continue to enlighten people about the importance of human relationships. In the social sense grandparents try to build a relationship though the care of children. Between 1979 and 1980 the African American population in the Pacific Northwest continued short periods of fieldwork. In that time family matters were defined culturally as “women’s area of concern” (Peterson, page 214).
Navajo women used their sheep's wool to weave blankets and clothing for family use and for inter- and intertribal trade. By the early nineteenth century, Navajo blankets were prized within a wide regional market for their quality--so tightly woven they were waterproof--and their beauty” (Moore, 2001). Today the Navajo people are still practicing many of the traditions that were around in the past. Although some things have changed, gender roles are no longer as strict as they once were. Many men are now the farmers of the household and it is not uncommon for women to join the army.
“In her teens, Addams had big dreams- to do something useful in the world. Long interested in the poor from her readings of Dickens, and inspired by her mother’s kindness to the Cedarville poor, she decided to become a doctor, so that she could live and work among the poor.” (Wikipedia, Jane Addams) Addams was inspired to do great things as a young woman, and would soon become the change that she wanted to see in the