Critical Review of The War of the Wall

The War of the Wall written by Toni Cade Bambara is a historical/realistic fiction story about a group of kids and their "war" against a painter lady over a wall. A strange painter lady comes one day and starts painting on a wall the children value a lot and have grown up with. Because of this, tension between the narrator and his friends and the painter lady arise. However, once the mural that the painter lady made was completed, her intentions were much more clear. Throughout the novel, we are able to see how initial judgements of people can influence the way we perceive and treat them. We also learn about the consequences of judging someone before getting to know them. The novel also explores the importance and significance of objects in one’s life. Through the war with the painter lady, we are able to see how much the wall means to the children and why that is. Without further ado, let’s dive into understanding The War of the Wall and how it uses rhetorical devices to teach us many important lessons in life.

Don't judge people or assume to understand them until you get to know them. People don’t always openly reveal facts about themselves the first time you get to know them, which is why making assumptions can often lead to a misunderstood first impression of someone. At first, the community sees the painter lady as a mean, nosy, lady who painted on a wall they valued a lot. However, after seeing the inscription on the wall after the painting was finished, the people began to realize the painter lady's true intentions and why she did what she did. It is revealed in the end through the inscription on the wall that the painter lady is actually Jimmy's cousin and she meant to dedicate the wall to him. The inscription on the wall says, “To the People of Taliaferro Street, I Dedicate This Wall of Respect, Painted in Memory of My Cousin, Jimmy Lyons” (Bambara 5) Realizing this, the children and adults of the community realized how wrong they were about the painter lady and how wrong they treated her. The painter lady was misjudged in the beginning, and only when the mural was finished, did others see her for who she truly was. The painter lady’s experience in town shows the consequences of judging someone before getting to know them. If the community had known her true identity from the start, her treatment that she received from people in town would be different. Judging and excluding someone who is different from you and making assumptions about them can cause you to miss their true value.

People have a strong attachment to things they value a lot and have created memories from/with. Objects are materialistic things that can mean a lot to people, especially those that memories are created from. The wall that the children are fighting is an example of something that meant a lot to the people who created memories with it. The wall is considered sacred to the people of Taliaferro Street because it is a wall made up of the memories and stories of the people of Taliaferro Street. Since forever, the children of Taliaferro Street have been pitching pennies against the wall since they were little kids. The bigger kids have been playing handball on the wall since the "so-called integration." Even the older people use walls to sit in the shade for years. The wall holds generations of memories and many people have genuine connection with the wall. It is evident that this wall has served for many purposes for many people and people have started considering this wall as a part of this community. When objects have been around for a long time and people have started accepting it and creating memories from/with it, it slowly becomes an object of great value.

In The War of the Wall, the mural featuring Martin Luther King Jr. and various other African American activists symbolizes the African American community, leadership, freedom, and pride in being black. The mural, painted by the painter Lady, serves as a memorial to her cousin, Jimmy Lyons and includes figures like Malcolm X and Harriet Tubman, alongside multiple African flags representing freedom. By adding members of the community, the mural connects the community's heritage with historical significance. The painter drew this to honor the children of the neighborhood to show that they are protected and united. The wall shows the strength of the black community and shows that no matter what happens, everyone is united, and together, will fight. The wall symbolizes the community, their values, and attachment and support to one another. The faces of the famous African Americans symbolizes the strong African American community and leadership.

The War of the Wall written by author Toni Cade Bambara demonstrates many examples of what a community values. The people of Taliaferro Street are a tight knit group of people who all share connections with the wall. So, when a painter lady comes to paint on it, the people of Taliaferro Street, especially the children, resent the woman and dislike her behavior and actions. The community’s actions and behaviors towards the painter lady demonstrates the consequences of judging someone before knowing them. However, at the same time, the community’s actions also show how much they value the wall despite it being just a wall. Throughout the many interactions present during the novel, we are able to learn many important lessons in life and learn about the meaning behind the war of the wall.