Community sustains life as much as food and water. It provides human connection, a sense of identity and support. However, human nature leads individuals to seek experiences separate from their communities. In Alice Walker's story “Strong Horse Tea,” Rannie takes it a step further, rejecting her community in search of validation from another. He believes that connection with white society will only come through the rejection of his black identity. This belief leads to his distrust of Sarah's medicine. The postman, who gives the reader the perspective of white society, shows white culture's disinterest in Rannie's struggle. After white society fails her, Rannie dedicates herself fully to black tradition, allowing Sarah to practice her medicine on Snooks. However, his initial resistance to the community destroys his opportunity to save his son. The cultural divide makes Snooks' death inevitable. Through Rannie's struggle with communal identity, Walker illustrates the consequences of cultural division. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Rannie's rejection of Sarah's traditional medicine shows her unconscious desire to separate herself from the pain that comes with her black identity. Through his invalidation of Sarah, shown in her statement, “I don't believe in any of that swamp magic” (Walker 477), Rannie attempts to gain superiority over the rest of the black community. This desire for superiority stems from Rannie's internalized distrust of black tradition caused by the assertion of white cultural values ​​in her community. The circulars represent Rannie's shift of trust from her community to another. They represent the wealth and lifestyle of white people. Her request for more circulars “to paper the inside of her house to keep the wind away” (Walker 478) illuminates her belief that the white lifestyle has the ability to save and protect her. The documents not only insulate her from the cold of winter, but also fuel her hope that white society will recognize and alleviate her suffering. The postman who brings the circulars reveals the futility of this hope. The shifts in perspective from the postman convey the disconnect between Rannie's perception of herself and white culture's perception of her. Rannie's question "Who would ignore a sick child like my snook?" (Walker 477) shows his belief that denial of black culture will prove sufficient to gain empathy from the white world. The postman, Rannie's delegate from white society, describes Rannie as "so pitiful hanging there in the rain" (White 479), showing that the best white people have to offer the black community is pity. His choice to bring Sarah to treat Snooks instead of the white doctor reveals the inadequacy of pity in inspiring sacrifice. Pity instead of empathy shows the deep divide between the two races, which leads to Rannie's complete rejection by white society. Rannie's eventual acceptance of Sarah's medicine establishes the need for community dependency. Sarah tells Rannie, “I'm the doctor, that mailman didn't go further than the street in front of my house with that message” (Walker 480). Hearing this statement, Rannie's view of white society as his savior diminishes. Her acceptance of white apathy allows her to recognize “the time she wasted waiting for the real doctor” (Walker 481). This awareness highlights the severity of the rift.