Kneeling in the keeping room where she usually went to talk-think it was clear why Baby Suggs was so starved for color. There was't any except for two orange squares in a quilt that made the absence shout. The walls of the room were slate-colored, the floor earth-brown, the wooden dresser the color of itself, curtains white, and the dominating feature, the quilt over an iron cot, was made up of scraps of blue serge, black, brown and gray wool–the full range of the dark and the muted that thrift and modesty allowed. In that sober field, two patches of orange looked wild–like life in the raw.
The passage highlights the stark contrast in Baby Suggs' keeping room, where color is almost non-existent. The muted tones of slate walls and earth-brown floors dominate the space, with the only splash of color coming from two orange squares on a quilt. This lack of color paints a vivid picture of her environment, emphasizing her longing for vibrancy and life. The quilt, composed of dark and dull materials, underscores the themes of thrift and modesty prevalent in her surroundings.
The two bright orange patches stand out dramatically, symbolizing hope and vitality amidst the gloom. They represent the rawness of life, suggesting that despite the oppressive atmosphere, there is still a yearning for beauty and joy. This stark differentiation between the bleak room and the vibrant quilt pieces encapsulates Baby Suggs' desire for something more in her life, making the colors almost seem wild in their defiance of her otherwise somber reality.
