Research Paper on GLoria Naylor's "The Women of Brewster Place"

Historically, the black woman was born of inferior status and prejudice based on sex and color. Over time she has transformed into a woman of much prestige filled with courage and determination, much like the characters in Gloria Naylor's novel. The black woman's experiences consisted of hardships and bitterness. From the beginning of time, the black woman was mainly used for breeding more slaves. The strength of their spirits helped them survive. All the women …

…out to dry, they're mixed with a pinch of salt and thrown into pots of soup, and they're diapered around babies. They ebb and flow, ebb and flow, but never disappear. So Brewster Place still wants to die" (Naylor 192). These dreams helped them continue and go on. Naylor's final words identify dreams, which confirmed and propagated life on the street. Brewster Place is the survival of the black woman living off of a distant dream.