“Am I Blue” by Alice Walker: Analysis & Summary

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Table of Contents

“Am I Blue?” by Alice Walker Summary
“Am I Blue?” by Alice Walker Analysis
“Am I Blue?” by Alice Walker Symbols
Works Cited

“Am I Blue?” by Alice Walker Summary

The story Am I Blue? by Alice Walker narrates about a horse named Blue. At the very beginning, the story is an ordinary account about author’s horse, but further exploration provides a deeper interpretation of emotions that animal experiences. In particular, the tale introduces a vivid comparison between the emotions of animals and those of humans.

“Am I Blue?” by Alice Walker Analysis

Alice Walker, therefore, strives to convince the readers to understand sufferings and hardships that animals can feel, as well as persuades that animals can experience the same as humans do. In this respect, the literary piece aims to prove that emotion is a universal concept which cannot be judged with regard to gender, race, ethnicity, or social status. Moreover, animals can teach humans to experience genuine emotions, as well as cognize the nature of feelings.

Walker emphasizes that animals, particularly horses, have emotions that differ from those displayed by humans. She provides a comparative analysis by describing the suffering experienced by the horse and contrasting it to human suffering. In the story, Walker pays attention to the eyes of the animal, noting, “…I had forgotten the depth of feeling one could see in horses’ eyes” (Walker 380).

In such a way, the author tries to explain that horses can express their feelings in their eyes. Walker also reveals a sense of disappointment with humanity’s attitude toward animals. The story, however, evaluates animals as creatures that are not capable of disclosing their emotions. In this respect, Walker tells humans to reconsider their treatment and take a closer look at animals’ capability to experience suffering and grief.

“Am I Blue?” by Alice Walker Symbols

In the story, humanity does not differ much from animals, which is directly highlighted in the title of the narrative Am I Blue?. ‘Blue’ can symbolize sadness and loneliness and, therefore, it is represented as an allegoric name for the horse. So, Walker manages to render frustration in the horse’s expression when the breeding process is finished and Blue had to be taken away. In this situation, Walker writes, “If I had been born into slavery, and my partner had been sold or killed, my eyes would have looked like that” (382). Once again, the author resorts to the problem of national identity and compares the horse with an enslaved person.

The author refers to the comparison of African Americans and the indigenous population and indicates similarities between these groups. In fact, the story introduces the impact of destruction, as depicted in Blue’s case. The Blue’s look, therefore, becomes “…more painful than the look of despair; the look of disgust with human beings, with life” (Walker 382). Through this statement, the author tries to show the reluctance of humans to analyze animals deeper than the surface of things. The novel focuses on the evident connection between animals and humans.

In conclusion, the story Am I Blue? presents a comparative analysis of human emotions through the employment of animal imagery. In particular, Walker indicates the evident similarity between humans and animals and highlights such urgent topics as racism, identity, and inequality. Also, by introducing a detailed description of emotions and feelings experienced by the horse, the author proves that animals are more apt for disclosing their genuine attitudes to the world as compared to humans who sometimes fail to express themselves freely. Such a perspective is especially appropriate for discussing the problem of slavery.

Works Cited

Walker, Alice. “Am I Blue?”. pp. 379-382. Print.

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“Am I Blue” by Alice Walker: Analysis & Summary

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