A Black, female, Southern point of view
Walker takes the time in these essays to disclose her artistic influences. She feels mostly influenced by Southern writers who helped her to translate the Southern experience into a kind of gothic experience (O'Connors especially). She also says that as a writer, she was influenced by Zora Neale Hurston whose writing during the Harlem Renaissance helped teacher Walker how to celebrate cultural identity through art. As an author, she feels her point of view is valuable because she represents a part of society that is often marginalized, in her experience.
Fighting for change
Walker is a political person because of the influence of Martin Luther King, Jr. Because she witnessed the legendary effects of his life, and because she learned from him how much one person can actually change the world, she feels obligated to be a voice herself, for her community. She also considers herself a member of the "poor" community, and she argues that many of the same issues facing Black people are also facing the poor in America.
Celebrating life
For an author who is so often dark and painful to read, these essays are obviously arguments for life. Not only does Walker say that all life is inherently valuable, she also feels that our sacred obligation is to help others, to focus our efforts on building a better future together, and to remember that even though it often feels like our voices don't matter, they do matter. She argues against the atomic bomb. She argues that we should help our communities, instead of in-fighting.
