In the story “The Welcome Table” by Alice Walker, I believe that the main form of symbolism is the Old Black Lady herself. She is the unknown to the others in the church. Not only is she black, she is wearing tattered clothing. To the old black lady she has on the Sunday best, to those in the church she is just simply poor, another form of symbolism. If she is dirty and wearing old clothes then she must be poor and only coming into the church to seek warmth (Clugston).
I find that another form of symbolism that is used is the old black ladies inner spirituality, her religious dedication. She even though cold she wanted to share her Sunday in church, even if not welcomed. Even though being thrown out of the church she still continued to sing within herself (Clugston).
I personally think that the ultimate symbolism in this story is not only class of the old black lady but the fact that she is black in the first place. For example it she had been white and stepped into that church. The ladies of the congregation may have tried to help her rather than throw her out. The story being written in 1970 may have played a time roll in the underlining prejudice. The times were still very limited on racial acceptability and tolerance.
I think that the theme of the story boils down to what is on the outside is not what is in the heart. The old black lady lived her life in a positive manner on the most part and was good to all. She had a strong spiritual relationship with God and although lived poor, she was ultimately reward with riches after death.
Reference
The story I selected is The Welcome Table. In this story I believe the theme is that in life bad things can happen more than good things happen. But that doesn’t mean the good won’t come. In this story, the little old lady was heavily mistreated. Nobody liked her, nobody wanted her around. People looked down upon her. Her life was anything but good until Jesus, the man in the picture above her bed, came down...