The third life of Grang Coupland

A brief about the book in a society where everything seems expandable and extendable, what can we glorify and protect by sacrificing everything, and pay with our lives for it? I tend to believe, unfortunately, that there is a great appreciation for the value of the soul in the past society of Black people more than now. We have become similar to our oppressors to a far extent, to the point that exceeds our capacity to admit it. Our ancestors have always repeated the expression "His soul is his" to describe a person of status, and this had meaning, impact, and significance. Owning money does not resemble owning power, fame, or even "freedom"; these words are not similar at all. As the inevitable daughter of the people I was raised by, guided by, and who reflected in them the best and worst qualities, I wholeheartedly believe in the necessity of preserving the inner space fully protected, the space gifted to everyone. I believe in the soul. More than that, I believe it immediately holds a person accountable for their choices. It is a voluntary acceptance of responsibility for one's thoughts, behavior, and actions, and here lies its strength. The white man's oppression of me will never be an excuse or a shield I use to oppress others, whether man, woman, child, animal, or tree, because the self I have won despises being owned by him or anyone else. There are people who can never be slaves; many of our ancestors who were slaves were not slaves. This is part of the puzzle and the gift we inherited, which has contributed to urging us to persevere and continue the path, to walk the same road from generation to generation. This is the understanding that solves the riddle and the cipher of the life of "the surviving souls" in this novel, the life of Grang Copeland and his granddaughter Ruth. It is an understanding of the possibility of resisting domination, an understanding that all people can adopt. During one of the evenings, Grang asked: "Do you think his efforts will bear fruit?" referring to Dr. King's exhausted Eastern eyes, which appeared cold and devoid of any depth on the screen. Grang said: "I would be more optimistic if there was a glimmer of hope that he might become the president someday. My certainty of its impossibility lessens the sweetness of watching him. He is truly a man," and he continued: "Of course, if I were in his place, I would have acted differently and valued myself properly, but I do not give myself the necessary attention, and the most I do is sit in this monotonous place, so I have no right to open my mouth and boast or give advice. The most striking thing about him is that despite the white people belittling him, he deals nobly with his wife and children." Author's poison: Alice Walker. Number of pages: 319. Year of publication: 2020. Publisher: Dar Al-Mada for Printing, Publishing, and Distribution. The book cover: paperback.