Meridian (novel)

Meridian is a 1976 novel by American author Alice Walker.

Plot summary

Set in the 1960s and 1970s, Meridian centers on Meridian Hill, a student at the fictitious Saxon College, who becomes active in the Civil Rights movement. She becomes romantically involved with another activist, Truman Held, and though he impregnates her, they have a turbulent on-and-off relationship. After Meridian has an abortion, Truman becomes far more attached to her and longs to start a life together. Later Truman becomes involved with a white woman, Lynne Rabinowitz, who is also active in the Civil Rights struggle, though perhaps for the wrong reasons. As time goes by, Truman attempts, unsuccessfully, to achieve personal and financial success while Meridian continues to stay involved in the movement and fight for issues she believes deeply in.

Themes and critiques

Walker wrote the novel at a time when many young blacks people were leaning away from the tenets of nonviolence and civil disobedience that characterized the early years of the movement and took on more militant and extreme stances that alienated their supporters.^[1] Some literary critics believe that the novel is a critique of the path that the Civil Rights Movement went on, claiming that Walker felt that the revolution never addressed the suffering of women and perpetuated destructive and often chauvinistic values.^[2] Many have also felt that Walker used Meridian to showcase her womanist (as opposed to feminist) attitudes.^[3] A strong believer in the inbred power of the woman, Walker depicts her title character as an innately tough, powerful person, though not one without problems as well. In fact, Walker argues that personal struggles are an unavoidable part of life and that it is the way that one overcomes their obstacles that defines their character. Meridian frequently turns to previous examples of strong female role models when in doubt about her own inner strength.

References

1. ^ Hendrickson, Roberta M. http://www.jstor.org/view/0163755x/ap020076/02a00080/0?currentResult=0163755x%2bap020076%2b02a00080%2b0%2c575507&searchUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fsearch%2FBasicResults%3Fhp%3D25%26si%3D1%26gw%3Djtx%26jtxsi%3D1%26jcpsi%3D1%26artsi%3D1%26Query%3DHendrickson%252C%2BRoberta%2BM.%26wc%3Don
2. ^ Stein, Karen F. http://www.jstor.org/view/01486179/dm980370/98p09067/0?currentResult=01486179%2bdm980370%2b98p09067%2b0%2c5715&searchUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fsearch%2FBasicResults%3Fhp%3D25%26si%3D1%26gw%3Djtx%26jtxsi%3D1%26jcpsi%3D1%26artsi%3D1%26Query%3DStein%252C%2BKaren%2BF.%26wc%3Don
3. ^ Pifer, Lynn. http://www.jstor.org/view/10624783/dm980390/98p0172n/0?currentResult=10624783%2bdm980390%2b98p0172n%2b0%2c03&searchUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fsearch%2FBasicResults%3Fhp%3D25%26si%3D1%26gw%3Djtx%26jtxsi%3D1%26jcpsi%3D1%26artsi%3D1%26Query%3DPifer%252C%2BLynn.%26wc%3Don