Parts 11-13 Summary and Analysis

Walker confesses that, throughout her life, she feels awkward in her own body; she fails to concrete her identity. The white parts and black parts seem at war. With some relief, though, she describes how she has "rhythm". All black people, Walker claims, desire to have rhythm; if one they seem an awkward person, especially in dancing, they tsk and say that person has no rhythm.

Thanks to her mother, however, Walker learns to dance with the rhythm and moves of her fellow black friends. This helps her to fit in, which makes Walker feel valuable. Attention from boys her age and older also give Walker a sense of value.

After the abortion, Walker's mother permits her to apply to a private school, but offers little help. Alice Walker does accompany her daughter to the first interview. However, when...