Alice Walker

Q. Write the Summary of Strong Horse Tea by Alice Walker.

Strong Horse Tea Summary

Introduction

“Strong Horse Tea” is a short story by Alice Walker from her collection “In Love and Trouble: Stories of Black Women.”

The story provides a heartbreaking glimpse into the life of Rannie, an impoverished African American mother living in the harsh conditions of the rural American South during the early 20th century.

Struggling with the critical illness of her son, Snooks, Rannie represents the plight of countless women marginalized by racial and economic divides.

Rannie’s Hope

Rannie’s world is steeped in poverty, yet she clings to a singular, desperate hope – to secure professional medical attention for her gravely ill son, Snooks. The two live in a run-down house.

Their circumstances were grim, and options were scarce. However, despite this, Rannie’s hope never falters. She is a mother, and her love for her child fuels her relentless pursuit of a better life for them.

The Intervention of Sarah

Sarah, a neighbor and a symbolic representation of the African American community’s resilience, enters their life. She offers to help through her knowledge of traditional practices and remedies.

However, Rannie, with her heart set on obtaining help from a trained medical doctor, initially resists Sarah’s interventions. This tension between modern and traditional forms of healing becomes a significant thread in the narrative.

Reluctant Acceptance of Sarah’s Treatment

As the story progresses, Rannie’s efforts to secure professional medical help continue to be fruitless. She finally succumbs to Sarah’s proposition.

Sarah suggests using strong horse tea—not an actual tea but the mare’s urine, which is believed to possess healing properties.

In desperation to save her son, Rannie consents to Sarah’s plan. The desperate mother braves the elements, venturing into the storm to collect the horse’s urine in her shoe, which symbolizes her hope and desperation.

Collecting The Strong Horse Tea

Rannie’s determination reaches a dramatic climax while she attempts to collect the strong horse tea. The harrowing journey, marked by heavy rain and thunder, reflects the storm brewing within her—the desperation, fear, and hope that dance a chaotic tango in her heart.

Having no container, she uses her shoe to collect the urine. However, as she collects the precious liquid, she realizes her shoe has a hole. She is unwilling to lose even a single drop and places her mouth over the hole.

It emphasizes the desperation of her situation and the lengths she is willing to go to save her child.

A Heartbreaking Outcome

Despite the exhausting ordeal and Sarah’s efforts to heal Snooks with the strong horse tea, the young boy dies as Rannie didn’t bring the liquid in time.

The tragic conclusion painfully illustrates the failure of society’s structures to provide necessary aid to its marginalized members.

Racial and Economic Disparities

At its core, “Strong Horse Tea” is a heart-wrenching narrative that shows the racial and economic disparities that plague society.

Alice Walker depicts Rannie’s struggles and her ultimate failure to save her child due to societal neglect and lack of access to essential healthcare services.

Strong Horse Tea Themes

• Maternal Love and Sacrifice
• Socio-economic Disparities and Injustice
• Resilience and Determination

1- Maternal Love and Sacrifice

A central theme in “Strong Horse Tea” is a mother’s love, as shown through Rannie. Despite her difficult situation and limited resources, Rannie’s love for her son, Snooks, never weakens.

Her love drives her actions throughout the story, showing how far a mother will go to protect her child.

Rannie’s constant search for medical help, her hope even when faced with hardship, and her eventual acceptance of Sarah’s unusual remedy stem from her deep love for Snooks.

When Rannie realizes the doctor might never come, she gathers the courage to try other solutions, no matter how unpleasant.

One of the most moving parts of the story is when Rannie ventures out into a storm to collect the “strong horse tea” using her shoe. This shows her readiness to face discomfort and even shame for her son’s well-being.

She puts her mouth to the hole in her shoe to stop the liquid from spilling, which shows her desperation and the extent of her sacrifice.

Even with Sarah’s presence, Rannie still hopes for an actual doctor, showing her desire to give her son the best care. Her hesitation in using Sarah’s folk remedy shows her belief that modern medicine is better and more effective.

The story’s tragic end highlights the theme of a mother’s sacrifice. Despite Rannie’s efforts, which ultimately fail, her struggle represents the many mothers who face neglect and indifference yet still fight for their children’s survival.

2- Socio-economic Disparities and Injustice

“Strong Horse Tea” reveals the severe socio-economic inequalities and systemic injustice present in the society depicted.

The story focuses on Rannie, a poor African American woman who struggles to care for her sick son without help from formal institutions like healthcare.

Rannie’s financial situation constantly prevents her from getting medical help for her child. Despite her desperation, her pleas go unheard. She writes many letters, but her cries for help are met with silence and indifference.

This highlights the neglect and discrimination faced by people from low-income backgrounds, especially those in marginalized communities.

The fact that the doctor never arrives for Snooks, despite his serious condition, further emphasizes the racial discrimination that is deeply rooted in society.

The healthcare system, controlled by white people, is shown as cold and uncaring toward those who live on the edges of society.

The white mailman’s failure to bring a doctor symbolizes the systemic racism that stops marginalized people from accessing vital services.

Rannie’s acceptance of Sarah’s folk remedy and her desperate attempt to gather the “strong horse tea” during a storm are painful reminders of the extreme measures people must take when they have no other options.

Alice Walker’s “Strong Horse Tea” portrays the harmful effects of socio-economic inequality and systemic injustice. Through Rannie’s experience, the story shows the neglect and discrimination marginalized communities face.

3- Resilience and Determination

Throughout “Strong Horse Tea,” the character of Rannie exemplifies the themes of resilience and determination as she faces the dire circumstances of her son Snooks’ illness.

Despite the healthcare disparities and the neglect she experiences, she remains resolute in her attempts to help her child.

From the outset, Rannie demonstrates incredible strength and persistence. The repeated rejection and lack of response to her pleas do not deter her from trying to secure medical help for Snooks.

This dogged determination is a testament to Rannie’s character and reflects the resiliency often exhibited by marginalized individuals in the face of adversity.

Rannie’s resilience becomes more evident when she considers Sarah’s alternative remedy for Snooks, the ‘strong horse tea.’ She initially approaches this with reluctance.

However, despite her skepticism, Rannie is willing to explore all possible solutions. This determination underscores her intense desire to save her child’s life.

Despite the bad weather and challenging situation, going out into the storm to get the mare’s urine shows her strong will and determination.

Furthermore, Rannie’s eventual return home, despite the tragic loss of her child, represents the ongoing struggle for survival faced by marginalized individuals.

Her resilience is embodied in her determination to endure, survive, and keep moving forward in the face of devastating loss.

Strong Horse Tea Characters

Rannie

Rannie is the protagonist of “Strong Horse Tea.” An African American woman residing in the rural South, she is characterized by her intense love for her sick son, Snooks, and her desperation to secure medical aid. Rannie embodies resilience, persistence, and the raw human spirit in the face of adversity.

Her character symbolizes the struggles of marginalized communities and their resilience amidst systemic neglect and discrimination.

Rannie’s willingness to accept an unconventional remedy clearly displays the profound love inherent to motherhood. Moreover, her determination to go out in a storm to save her child’s life showcases the sacrifices a mother is willing to make.

Snooks

Snooks, though a character with limited presence, is a driving force for the narrative. As Rannie’s ailing son, his sickness and eventual death starkly reveal the systemic disparities and injustices in the healthcare system.

Snooks symbolizes the countless lives affected by such disparities, reflecting the broader implications of racial and socio-economic inequality.

Sarah

In the story, Sarah embodies traditional wisdom and community support. Despite being untrained in formal medicine, she steps in when formal healthcare fails Rannie and Snooks.

Her insistence on using the ‘strong horse tea,’ a folk remedy, indicates her reliance on traditional practices and communal knowledge.

Sarah’s character signifies the importance of community and mutual aid in overcoming adversities, particularly within marginalized societies.

Mailman

The mailman in “Strong Horse Tea” is a significant minor character. However, he does not have much presence in the story. His role is to convey the doctor’s responses to Rannie, yet he consistently brings only disappointing news – if any at all.

The white mailman embodies the disconnect between the marginalized community where Rannie resides and the larger institutions, such as healthcare, that neglect them.

His lack of empathy for Rannie’s situation further reflects society’s apathy toward the struggles of those on the fringes. The mailman’s character highlights societal indifference toward marginalized individuals and their desperate pleas for help.