Alice Walkers Roselily Essay -- essays research papers

Alice Walkers "Roselily" is a short story about a woman who is about to be married, but is having second thoughts about the marriage. She is also looking into the past and the future trying to make sense of what is happening. Roselily is being torn between choosing between her current or possible future Economic status, Societies view of her, her religion and her freedom. All these thoughts go through her mind as the wedding ceremony takes place, and she begins to wonder if she has made the right choice is marrying this man. Changing religion is one of the first things that is discussed. After the initial set up of the story Roselily thinks of â€Å"ropes, chains, handcuffs, his religion.† She is a Christian and he is Muslim. After they are married she will convert into a Muslim because that is what her husband wants her to be. She knows that things will be very different as a Muslim; there will be very strict rules that she will have to follow. She gives an example of this when she says â€Å"His place of worship. Where will she be required to sit apart with covered head†. This seems scary to her because she begins to feel the pressure of the marriage building; she begins to think if she wants a life like that. If she does choose to marry him and that life one of the advantages for Roselily, is that she will move up from poverty to not having to worry about money on a day to day basis. She worked in a sewing plant in Mississippi, but in Chicago she is not expected to work, but r...