Professor Autumn Womack

One of the reasons that I love Morrison's work is that you can return to it over and over again, which I think is like another sign of a classic that you just keep going back to it.

And every time you go back to it, you get a different kind of answer to the question that you think you had a handle on.

I teach the blue acai envelope like every other year at least.

And each time I'm like, oh, I don't remember reading that sentence.

Oh, I don't think I would have answered that question earlier.

this way three years ago.

And so a text that you can kind of return to because the questions are so

expansive and capacious.

Right.

No, it's such a good question.

And

She really has a deep concern.

I was going to say preoccupation, but it's more of a concern, really, with Black children throughout her text.

And I've noticed it more recently.

I think it has everything to do with the way that Black childhood as a concept is not...

Right.

And there's many people who have written about this in novels or essays or whatever.

The concept of childhood is not something that was readily available in the 19th century and enslavement.

Right.

As soon as you're adolescent, then you are an adult, essentially.