ate the women who came before them, famous or unknown, because they see these women as inspirations for them to become writers. They articulate and glorify the lives of their mothers because they find themselves through each of these women.Walker talks about her mother's garden as an ultimate expression of art. The exotic flowers that were planted there represent her mother's attempt to retain their African heritage. By diligently tending to the garden each day, Walker's mother is attaching herself to the land. Walker admires the connection to nature because it is a symbol of her mother's creative spirit. Walker is inspired by her mother's successful attempt to be Creator and to create beauty. It is through analyzing her mother's simplistic and naturally-oriented life that Walker is able to find a similar place inside of her:Her face, as she prepared the Art that is her gift, is a legacy of respect she leaves to me for all thatilluminates and cherishes life. She has handeddown respect for the possibilities - and the willto grasp them (Walker, 1996: 2321).Walker describes her mother as giving her a sense of hope for the great potential she can be capable of. Her mother took great pride in the creation of her gardens, and Walker takes pride in her mother's strength and dedication. Therefore, Walker can be seen as writing her mother because her mother could not write for herself. Walker finds her mother inside of herself, and this is what inspires her to write. So, her mother becomes not only a role model, but also a hero.Marshall writes about her mother's spoken word as the ultimate expression of her art. Her mother's African-American colloquialisms are raised to a higher level by Marshall. It is through these slang-oriented conversations that Marshall's mother holds on to her African heritage and Marshall admires this. This freedom of speech gave her mother the ability to express herself in the best possible way she knew....
