The Women of Brewster Place Critical Analysis Source:

Critics have praised Naylor's style since The Women of Brewster Place was published in Critics have praised Naylor's style since The Women of Brewster Place was published in They agree that Naylor's clear, yet often brash, language creates images both believable and consistent. They agree that Naylor's clear, yet often brash, language creates images both believable and consistent. The story's seven main characters speak to one another with undisguised affection through their humor and even their insults. The story's seven main characters speak to one another with undisguised affection through their humor and even their insults. Naylor places her characters in situations that evoke strong feelings, and she succeeds in making her characters come alive with realistic emotions, actions, and words. Naylor places her characters in situations that evoke strong feelings, and she succeeds in making her characters come alive with realistic emotions, actions, and words.

For example, Deirdre Donahue, a reviewer for the Washington Post, says of Naylor, "Naylor is not afraid to grapple with life's big subjects: sex, birth, love, death, grief. For example, Deirdre Donahue, a reviewer for the Washington Post, says of Naylor, "Naylor is not afraid to grapple with life's big subjects: sex, birth, love, death, grief. Her women feel deeply, and she unflinchingly transcribes their emotions... Naylor's potency wells up from her language. Her women feel deeply, and she unflinchingly transcribes their emotions... Naylor's potency wells up from her language. With prose as rich as poetry, a passage will suddenly take off and sing like a spiritual... With prose as rich as poetry, a passage will suddenly take off and sing like a spiritual... Vibrating with undisguised emotion, The Women of Brewster Place springs from the same roots that produced the blues. Vibrating with undisguised emotion, The Women of Brewster Place springs from the same roots that produced the blues. Like them, her books sing of sorrows proudly borne by black women in America." Like them, her books sing of sorrows proudly borne by black women in America."

Critics also recognize Naylor's ability to make history come alive. Critics also recognize Naylor's ability to make history come alive. She sets the beginning of The Women of Brewster Place at the end of World War I and brings it forward thirty years. She sets the beginning of The Women of Brewster Place at the end of World War I and brings it forward thirty years. The story traces the development of the civil rights movement, from a time when segregation was the norm through the beginnings of integration. The story traces the development of the civil rights movement, from a time when segregation was the norm through the beginnings of integration. The changing ethnicity of the neighborhood reflects the changing demographics of society. The changing ethnicity of the neighborhood reflects the changing demographics of society.

The women who have settled ' on Brewster Place exist as products of their Southern rural upbringing. The women who have settled ' on Brewster Place exist as products of their Southern rural upbringing. Their ability to transform their lives and to stand strong against the difficulties that face them in their new environment and circumstances rings true with the spirit of black women in American today. Their ability to transform their lives and to stand strong against the difficulties that face them in their new environment and circumstances rings true with the spirit of black women in American today.

Critic Loyle Hairston readily agrees with the favorable analysis of Naylor's language, characterization, and story- telling. Critic Loyle Hairston readily agrees with the favorable analysis of Naylor's language, characterization, and story- telling. Yet, he remains more critical of her ability to make historical connections— to explore the depths of the human experience. Yet, he remains more critical of her ability to make historical connections— to explore the depths of the human experience. Hairston contends that he would have liked to see her provide some insight into those conditions that would enable the characters to envision hope of better times. Hairston contends that he would have liked to see her provide some insight into those conditions that would enable the characters to envision hope of better times.

Hairston says that none of the characters, except for Kiswana Browne, can see beyond their current despair to brighter futures. Hairston says that none of the characters, except for Kiswana Browne, can see beyond their current despair to brighter futures. He implies that the story has a hopeless ending. He implies that the story has a hopeless ending. Yet other critics applaud the ending for its very reassurance that the characters will not only survive but prosper. Yet other critics applaud the ending for its very reassurance that the characters will not only survive but prosper.

Christine H. King asserts in Identities and Issues in Literature, "The ambiguity of the ending gives the story a mythic quality by stressing the continual possibility of dreams and the results of their deferral.“ Christine H. King asserts in Identities and Issues in Literature, "The ambiguity of the ending gives the story a mythic quality by stressing the continual possibility of dreams and the results of their deferral.“ Referring to Mattie's dream of tearing the wall down together with the women of Brewster Place, Linda Labin contends in Masterpieces of Women's Literature: "It is this remarkable, hope-filled ending that impresses the majority of scholars.“ Referring to Mattie's dream of tearing the wall down together with the women of Brewster Place, Linda Labin contends in Masterpieces of Women's Literature: "It is this remarkable, hope-filled ending that impresses the majority of scholars.“ In Magill's Literary Annual, Rae Stoll concurs: "Ultimately then, The Women of Brewster Place is an optimistic work, offering the hope for a redemptive community of love as a counterforce to isolation and violence." In Magill's Literary Annual, Rae Stoll concurs: "Ultimately then, The Women of Brewster Place is an optimistic work, offering the hope for a redemptive community of love as a counterforce to isolation and violence."

While critics may have differing opinions regarding Naylor's intentions for her characters' future circumstances, they agree that Naylor successfully presents the themes of The Women of Brewster Place. While critics may have differing opinions regarding Naylor's intentions for her characters' future circumstances, they agree that Naylor successfully presents the themes of The Women of Brewster Place. The "community among women" stands out as the book's most obvious theme. The "community among women" stands out as the book's most obvious theme. Each of the women in the story unconditionally loves at least one other woman. Each of the women in the story unconditionally loves at least one other woman.

This selfless love carries the women through betrayal, loss, and violence. This selfless love carries the women through betrayal, loss, and violence. For example, when one of the women faces the loss of a child, the others join together to offer themselves in any way that they can. For example, when one of the women faces the loss of a child, the others join together to offer themselves in any way that they can. This unmovable and soothing will represents the historically strong communal spirit among all women, but especially African- American women. This unmovable and soothing will represents the historically strong communal spirit among all women, but especially African- American women.

The second theme, violence that men enact on women, connects with and strengthens the first. The second theme, violence that men enact on women, connects with and strengthens the first. The men Naylor depicts in her novel are mean, cowardly, and lawless. The men Naylor depicts in her novel are mean, cowardly, and lawless. As a result of their offenses toward the women in the story, the women are drawn together. As a result of their offenses toward the women in the story, the women are drawn together. Many male critics complain about the negative images of black men in the story. Many male critics complain about the negative images of black men in the story.

In summary, the general consensus of critics is that Naylor possesses a talent that is seldom seen in new writers. In summary, the general consensus of critics is that Naylor possesses a talent that is seldom seen in new writers. Critics like her style and appreciate her efforts to deal with societal issues and psychological themes. Critics like her style and appreciate her efforts to deal with societal issues and psychological themes. According to Stoll in Magill's Literary Annual, "Gloria Naylor... is already numbered... among the freshest and most vital voices in contemporary American literature." According to Stoll in Magill's Literary Annual, "Gloria Naylor... is already numbered... among the freshest and most vital voices in contemporary American literature."