The Lover by Alice Walker - Summary

A femal protagonist is in a passionless marriage. "She" gave "him" a child because she respected him and he her. He is a professor and she - a poet.

She met Ellis, "The Lover", at an artists' colony in New England. This happened while she was being talked at by an old black poet who rambles. This happens a lot because she is a good listener and people take advantage. She stops listening every time people get pompous and starts daydreaming. Ellis whisks her away and she immediately thinks of him as her lover. She finds his hands sensual.

They go to dinner and he talks about himself. She is mildly amused. When he starts talking about his unpublished novels, she loses interest. Despite this, she does not show it – she intends to make him her first lover. "Afterwards, she would be truly a woman of her time".

She is aware of how pleasing she appears, and notes that people turn to look at her when she is near. She is easygoing and doesn't complain about much, though she was uncomfortable. She doesn't complain about being hindered by her child.

The focalizer changes to Ellis. He is Jewish and hates everything European. He used to associate with known female artists and had to be the listener. He was glad to be with "her", and to be listened to for once. He hated Brooklyn and his meeting with her reconciled him to it a little. As soon as their eyes met he thought of sex, but he had overestimated her passion.

The sex wasn't very good. But it didn't matter since the important thing was to have a lover. She liked to snuggle with him, though he was growing old, and to write letters, which made her seem in love. She enjoyed the sensation of being in love.

He tells her the relationship has become too intense and that they should concentrate on their writing. She laughs and says she wants nothing from him beyond the sensation of being in love. She goes on to say that she does not let her art get in the way of life and that life was the biggest reward she had.

There is again a contradiction in her behavior. She sends him love letters but when together she scorns him. She lies to cover up the scorn, but he is disturbed. He asks about her husband and she sings his praises. There are lots of power struggles and games. They make love one night, and she lies in bed thinking of adventures and lovers to be had.

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Interesting snippets:

·       Subverting descriptions of white physicality

·       Contradictions in her response to him-

·       she is the focalizer and so appreciative comments about her become pathetic

·       What does she mean by "rest"?