... 268) This knowledge gives her an inner peace and sets the stage for her rebirth, her reentry into the real world. Willa's march up the basement stairs while carrying her dead son is one of a fiercely determined woman. Naylor uses the symbolism of comparing Willa to "a lone army ant, marching in defiance of falling rocks and rushing water along the great Amazon." "(300). Paula Eckard writes "This maternal image ... , a domain which would seek to bastardize and depreciate the incalculable worth of a good wife and mother". Willa's journey in the basement with the other wives illustrates the...

• Word Count: 2802
• Approx Pages: 11
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School