There are many different types of authors in the world of literature, authors of horror, romance, suspense, and Alice Walker's type of writing, through personal experiences. Although most critics classify her writings as feminist, Walker describes herself as a "woman," defining her as "a woman who loves other women... She appreciates and prefers feminine culture, the emotional flexibility of women... and the strength of the woman... Love the spirit... Love herself, regardless." Walker's thoughts and feelings manifest themselves in his writing of poetry and novels. Alice Walker writes through her feelings and the morals she grew up with, she writes about the black woman's struggle for sexual, political and racial integrity and equality. Much of Walker's fiction comes from his Southern background. She was born in Eatonton, Georgia, a rural town where most blacks worked as farmers. At the age of eight she was blinded in her right eye when an older brother accidentally shot her with a BB gun, after which she fell into depression. She isolated herself from other children and, as she explained, "I no longer felt like the child I was. I felt old and, because I felt unpleasant to look at, full of shame. I retreated into solitude and read stories and began to write poetry." During this isolation from other children his age, Walker began writing poetry. It was then that her writing career began. Despite this tragedy in her life and feelings of inferiority, Walker became valedictorian of her class in high school and received a "rehabilitation scholarship" to attend Spelman. Spelman College was a black women's college in Atlanta, Georgia, not far from Walker's home. While at Spelman, Walker was involved in civil rights demonstrations in which she spoke out against the institution's silence in the curriculum when it came to African-American culture and history. His involvement in such activities led to his dismissal from the college. So she transferred to Sarah Lawrence College in New York and had the opportunity to travel to Africa as an exchange student. Upon his return, he earned his bachelor of arts degree from Sarah Lawrence College in 1965. He received a writing scholarship and intended to spend it in Senegal, West Africa, but his plans changed when he decided to take a job as a social worker in the New York City Welfare Department. Walker later moved to Tougaloo, Mississippi, during which time she became more involved in the civil rights movement of the years '60..