NOW IS THE TIME TO OPEN YOUR HEART
by Alice Walker
reviewed by MaQueen Motuba
(Weidenfeld & Nicholson)
Pulitzer Prize-winner Alice Walker has, with this book, contributed another gift to the literary world.
The story begins with a protagonist named Kate, who has always been a wanderer of some sort. Past her mid-50s and married several times, she begins to feel a change. She begins to care less about the material world and, in an attempt to prove this to herself, burns “several hundred dollar bills just to demonstrate to herself that these items were not the God/Goddess of her life”. She begins to look at her partner Yolo differently, feeling as though their relationship has cheated her of something good, something not yet discovered, because she has focused too much on mothering him and not enough on mothering herself.
So Kate goes on a journey of (re)discovery. Along with several other women, she conquers the Colorado river and fearlessly goes into the heart of the Amazon. As her journey unfolds, it throws at her an array of invaluable experiences, which give her a sagacity she could have not gained anywhere else.
The novel undoubtedly has strong Bildungsroman qualities, therefore making it a novel of education (or formation). Traditionally, the subject of such novels is the development of the character’s mind and personality as he or she passes from childhood into adulthood, so it’s interesting that in Walker’s novel we’re dealing with a mature woman. For Walker (and Kate), it is an identity crisis and a spiritual crisis that has to be dealt with. Only once she goes on the journey, does Kate recognise and understand her identity and role in the world. The journey down the Colorado river presents itself as a journey of life.
The novel’s construction emphasises the setting, the social structure and the customs of the various localities Kate encounters. These become important conditions affecting the development of her way of thinking.
As usual, Walker gives her readers a whole lot more than a mere journey. This novel is, in my view, one of her most profound offerings. It is an intense exploration of the human spirit and how it can disintegrate if neglected for too long. It is a comment on the healing power of the Earth and how this power can be accessed through an impalpable world of dreams. It is a comment on the various cycles of life: just as the Earth is able to replenish itself, so too can it replenish the human body and soul if human beings ask it to. It is also about exploring other worlds and other cultures, for they may contribute something invaluable to one’s life.
This is a book that encourages us to open our hearts to growth, to fear, to the unknown, for only then will we discover who we are.