I dig this book

It seems like many people have pointed out the importance of the title and the chapter, "Sitting with the Angels Who Have Returned with My Memories". I believe Walker was drawing the readers attention to two key elements of the novel. The chickens forced her to sit, breath, relax, take time, etc. I would be willing to argue that without being forced to sit and take a moment for ourselves, we as humans, are not capable of thoughtful reflection. The second part of the title of this chapter has to do with her experiences in relation to her chickens and how these experiences conjure up, dare I say scratch away (in the way that chickens scratch at  the ground pushing the dirt aside in search for precious bugs) the busy distracting qualities of life and let us focus in on "the bugs" or the deep connections.

When walker sees her life and explains to her chickens about Buddy the bull and forgetting or the eating of other animals when she reflects on the absence of her attachment saying, "... we do not have to withdraw our affection when it is most needed and abandon our sustainers in their moments of transition." (Walker 118) I was overjoyed at Walker seeing animals outside of the childlike realm; all of a sudden her chickens, pigs, and cows became tasty and "sustainers". This memory is dredged up because her chickens are CHICKENS! They are sustainers for her body and her mind. They provide this place for her to reflect.

I loved her reflections on how chickens don't care about their appearances. "You look a bit mussed. But you don't seem to notice, which is a lovely trait. Did humans ever have this? id we ever go through our life changes without making a big deal about them?" (Walker 129) She goes on to say, "I like your lack of vanity. It is refreshing." In these few lines we see the power these chickens have and in a way how they have transformed from just being physically sustained to Walker, to be being idolized beasts. Chickens! Who would have thought.

This complexities of Walker's manner in approaching her chickens, as loving parent, hungry human, curious-for-answers-human, reflective human allows her to be so open with us as readers, she challenges us to see that "Life teaches as and when it will." (Walker 159) And that it is up to us to transform our experiences and give them meaning weather that be experiences with Chickens or not.