It is often said that blue is the color of sadness. This may be why the protagonist of Alice Walker’s short story “Am I Blue” feels so despondent. The narrator, a black woman, tells the story of her close friendship with a horse named Blue. She describes how they would spend hours together, talking and sharing their innermost thoughts.
The woman is clearly emotionally attached to Blue, and she is devastated when he is sold to a new owner who mistreats him. She begs the new owner to let her buy Blue back, but he refuses. The woman then decides to take matters into her own hands and sets Blue free.
While “Am I Blue” is ostensibly about a woman’s relationship with a horse, it is also about the struggles of being black in America. The woman feels a deep connection to Blue because he is one of the few creatures that truly understands her. In a way, Blue represents the black community, which has been oppressed and mistreated for so long.
The title of the story, “Am I Blue?”, is a reference to the blues music genre, which was created by black Americans as a way to express their pain and suffering. The protagonist’s feelings of sadness and despair are representative of the blues tradition.
Alice Walker is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author who is best known for her novel “The Color Purple.” “Am I Blue” was first published in 1978 and has become one of her most popular stories.
For most of her life, Walker has been an activist. To assist fight for the poor and downtrodden, she travels throughout the globe. She is also a champion for those who want to improve the world in fundamental ways. She is a supporter not only of human rights but also of animal rights.
In “Am I Blue”, Walker explores the psychology of blue. Emotionally, blue can represent sadness, anger, or even depression. But it can also be seen as a color of hope and resilience. For Walker, blue is the color of her people and their struggles. She writes that “the blues are not only music; they are also a way of looking at the world”. To Walker, the blues are a way of life.
They are a way of understanding the world and its problems. And they are a way of fighting back against oppression. Walker’s writing is beautiful and powerful. She has a gift for words and for emotions. Her writing will make you feel everything she is feeling. It will make you think about the world in a different way.
In “Am I Blue,” she explores the emotions of a horse named Blue. The essay’s aim is to show another side of animals as well as demonstrate human-like qualities in horses. She compares the treatment of African Americans and American Indians with how we now treat animals, implying that similar oppression may have occurred in both cases.
She believes that we should all be kind to animals because they are living, breathing creatures that feel pain and suffering just like us. Walker uses the story of Blue to show us that animals are not so different from us after all.
In comparing Blue to the oppressed, Sharon may be seen to offer light to a different perspective on animals. By making Blue’s emotions seem similar to those of a human, the reader is able to relate and feel for him.
She also uses emotions to draw the line between humans and animals to show how we are not that different. Emotions are powerful, and Alice Walker does a fantastic job of using them to her advantage in “Am I Blue”.
Walker begins by discussing Blue’s life before he was taken away from his companion. She describes him as being “happy as a clam” and “gamboling” around (Walker 2). This allows the reader to see Blue as a carefree animal who was living a joyful life. It is important for the reader to see Blue in this light so they can feel sympathetic when his companion is taken away. If Blue had been described as being miserable before, the reader would not feel as bad when he is taken away because they would think that he was going to be happy anyway.
When Blue’s companion is taken away, Walker describes Blue as being “miserable” and “lonely” (Walker 3). The reader can see the stark contrast between how Blue was before and how he is now. This helps the reader understand just how important Blue’s companion was to him and why he is so upset.
Alice Walker also uses emotions to show how similar humans and animals really are. She does this by describing Blue’s emotions in human terms. For example, she says that Blue is “bewildered” and “lost” (Walker 3). These are emotions that anyone would feel in Blue’s situation. By describing Blue’s emotions in human terms, Walker is showing how we are not that different from animals. We both feel pain, love, and loss.
When Blue is spoken of, Walker employs phrasing that emphasizes his human qualities. The use of description in Walker’s thoughts of Blue reveals them. For example, when Walker speaks of Blue’s “eyes full of the wisdom of suffering” (13), she is not only emphasizing the emotional depth that exists within him, but also hinting at the many years of pain and hardship that he has likely experienced. This allows readers to connect with Blue on a much deeper level, as they are able to see him not only as an animal, but as a living being with feelings and emotions.
In addition, Walker uses first person point of view when talking about Blue, which further emphasizes the close bond between her and him. She speaks of how he “follows me with his eyes” (14) and how he is “my friend” (15). This use of first person creates a sense of intimacy between the reader and Blue, as if we are hearing his story directly from Walker herself.
Overall, Alice Walker’s “Am I Blue” is a beautiful and moving piece that allows readers to see animals in a new light. Through her use of description and first person point of view, Walker creates a deep connection between the reader and Blue, ultimately leading us to question our own perceptions of animals and their emotions.
