The Third Life of Grange Copeland by Alice Walker
Grange’s first life is in the South, working as a tenant farmer. Slavery is over, but the racial tension and oppression serve to enslave him both emotionally and socially. He is tense, emotionally bankrupt and abusive to his family. He abandons his wife and young son to face poverty alone; moving on to his second life, in the North.
He soon discovers that he is still the same man, still unhappy; his location changed, but not his behavior.
At this point the story moves focus to Brownfield, Grange’s son. The reader has hopes that Brownfield will grow up to be a better man than his Father. However, he mentally cannot handle his life, either. His good intentions collapse into alcoholism and shocking domestic abuse. You can feel his spirit drowning in oppression. Finding himself in the same plight as his Father, Brownfield cannot cope. He blames his life on his Father, he takes out his inadequacies on his wife.
Walker also touches on the double problem of being black and being a woman at this time in history. I felt so strongly for Brownfield’s wife. She had the right ideas—become educated and change her life. But life (Brownfield) held her back from reaching her goals.
And finally we move to Grange’s third life--when he comes back to the South. He tries to find his salvation. Loving his granddaughter, Ruth, Grange attempts to free himself from spiritual slavery.
Ruth is the lone spark of hope in the end. Can she be the one strong enough to end the cycle? Can Grange influence this? Is that redemption?
A painful read, but brilliant. Walker is such a talented, powerful storyteller...classic. Even in this, her first novel, her talent shines. Raw, honest and emotional, I really enjoyed this story.
