A “Welcome” Read
Martie Brooks
ENG 125: Introduction to Literature
Instructor: Wanda Deffenbaugh
October 8, 2012

A “Welcome” Read The Welcome Table, by Alice Walker is an image-filled short story that restores the past and reveals human nature. As an avid reader, I look for a story to capture me in the first several paragraphs. This story did just that. Immediately, Alice Walker establishes a graphic picture of a scenario that takes place during the racial segregation period. She creates a sympathetic mood that captivates the reader throughout the story. She truly illustrates the ideas of hope and change. Literature must hold up to a plethora of standards to be considered a successful piece of work. A formalist approach focuses on the actual form of the literature. It takes note of the development of the storyline and analyses the very features of the story itself. Our text points out “Every writer chooses particular literary tools to create a representation of something that exists in his or her imagination.” (as cited in Clugston, 2010. section 16.2, para 3.) A formalist approach can identify these literary tools. Alice Walker used a plethora of these literary tools to express her imagination and form her touching literary tale.
The Setting The setting for a story to denote such magnitude must be clearly defined. The story is set in the South during the Civil Rights movement. This was a time when public places (including restrooms and churches) were still segregated. The war was over, but yet it wasn’t. New laws were being created and the United States government was enforcing these laws, allowing African-Americans to enter these segregated places. But, not all southerners were accepting of this. Our story begins when an elderly, poor, and senile African-American woman finds her way into a White church. As you can imagine, this