Questions for Discussion for “Ego Tripping (there must be a reason why)” by Nikki Giovanni
Task: The following questions will be used during the Poetry Discussion Seminar. Please write/prepare a clear, detailed and supported response. Type at least 4 sentences for each response.
Standard: ER2, ESL 3, EW1-3
ICEBREAKER QUESTION: Most of Giovanni's poems possess a rhythmic quality that lends itself to being read aloud. How does the effect of reading “Ego Tripping (there must be a reason why)” silently differ from that of a spoken reading?
1. What is the overall significance of the title of the poem? Why does she entitle it ‘Ego Tripping’?
2. Many of Giovanni's poems, including "Ego Tripping," make reference to ancient and American history. What effect does the use of historic facts and figures have on these poems' accessibility and emotional impact?
3. Giovanni considers herself a topical poet. Much of her earlier work deals with the black revolution movement of the late 1960s. Are these poems still relevant today? Why or why not?
4. Can you identify the persona Giovanni uses in her work? How is this narrative voice and the persona that Giovanni uses enhance the poem's meaning?
5. Giovanni often uses images of remembrance in her poetry. How does Giovanni portray the experience of childhood? Of growing up? What does she say about the importance of self-esteem in children, especially in girls?
6. How does Giovanni use slang and vernacular language in her poetry? The poem addresses the dignity that comes with mother/womanhood. Can you explain the effect of language in the poems?
7. Giovanni's poems range widely in mood: from the celebratory "Ego Tripping" and "Beautiful Black Men," to the angry "Reflections on April 4, 1968" and "Woman Poem." What impact does mood have on ‘Ego Tripping’? How does this poem make you feel after you read it? Can you identify which words and images bring about these feelings?
8. Can you identify a development in Giovanni's work from the earlier poems of "Black Feeling Black Talk" to those of "Cotton Candy on a Rainy Day"? How are the poems in these collections different? How are they similar?
9. Do you think Giovanni's poem is best appreciated by black women? How are the issues and moods of her poetry pertinent to a larger audience?
10. What have you learned about the black experience from reading her poem? Do you think Nikki Giovanni is an appropriate spokesperson for African Americans in general? What do you think of poetry's ability to educate and enlighten?
11. Do you consider Nikki Giovanni to be a "political" poet? Why or why not?
12. In her poem, "Cotton Candy on a Rainy Day," Giovanni writes: "I share with the painters the desire/To put a three-dimensional picture/On a one-dimensional surface." How are the disciplines of painting and poetry similar? Do you think Giovanni is successful in her attempts at using words to portray life in the poem “Ego Tripping”?
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