| Paule Marshall, (born April 9,1929, Brooklyn, New York, N.Y., U.S.), a novelist, whose literary works emphasize the need for black Americans to reclaim their cultural heritage. The Barbadian background of her parents is evident in all her works. This rediscovery of African- Americans' heritage forms the core of the plot of Praisesong for the Widow (1983). Avatara (Avey) Johnson, an acculturated middle – class woman, undergoes a spiritual rebirth on the island of Grenada. The paper analyses the character of Avey as she takes on to her journey from self effacement to self embracement. Marshall posits that black African American women need to recognize their past, their community and heritage in order to assert their identity. Her physical journey to Grenada is her spiritual journey to roots so much so that she ends up being the transmitter of her own cultural heritage. |