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566 reviews for:
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf
Ntozake Shange
4.29 AVERAGE
566 reviews for:
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf
Ntozake Shange
4.29 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Exhilarating to read! I was so lucky to find a copy of this choreopoem at a used bookstore, I hope very much to see it performed someday. Favorite individual poems were "touissant," "latent rapists'" and "a nite with beau willie brown."
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Great book. I would definitely read it over and over again.
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
'i cdnt stand bein sorry and colored at the same time it's so redundant in the modern world.'
Ntozake Shange's debut 'Choreopoem' (a term she coined herself), stands the test of time. To read this in 2021 was truly an immersive experience, each character's monologue was distinct in diction yet still maintained a harmonious tone whilst conversing with one another.
Vital statistics to consider when reading this book:
- 'For every 15 Black women who are assaulted, just 1 reports her rape.'
- '1 in 4 black girls will be sexually abused before the age of 18.'
'For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf' tells the tales of several black women and their struggles in a marginalised society. All of them on the receiving end of pain and torment. Matters of abortion, sexual and domestic violence, and child murder are addressed in these poems, each stylised in a vernacular way that adds to the personalisation of these stories. It reminds us that these events do unfortunately happen in real life, the longer these topics are avoided in society, the longer people suffer the affects. What we call generational trauma in modern day.
'i'm gonna tack a sign to my door
leave a message by the phone.
if you called
to say yr sorry
call somebody
else
i dont use em anymore'
This work being published 1976 was and is a pivotal moment in how our society disregards black pain and how we as black women choose to address it. Do we often hide it out of fear of judgement? Judgement from who? These questions may have different answers, I applaud Ntozake Shange for opening up this dialogue in a time when black women were still finding their power and voice in a world that told them by its actions that it just didn't care enough.
'My love is too beautiful to have thrown back in my face.'
Ntozake Shange's debut 'Choreopoem' (a term she coined herself), stands the test of time. To read this in 2021 was truly an immersive experience, each character's monologue was distinct in diction yet still maintained a harmonious tone whilst conversing with one another.
Vital statistics to consider when reading this book:
- 'For every 15 Black women who are assaulted, just 1 reports her rape.'
- '1 in 4 black girls will be sexually abused before the age of 18.'
'For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf' tells the tales of several black women and their struggles in a marginalised society. All of them on the receiving end of pain and torment. Matters of abortion, sexual and domestic violence, and child murder are addressed in these poems, each stylised in a vernacular way that adds to the personalisation of these stories. It reminds us that these events do unfortunately happen in real life, the longer these topics are avoided in society, the longer people suffer the affects. What we call generational trauma in modern day.
'i'm gonna tack a sign to my door
leave a message by the phone.
if you called
to say yr sorry
call somebody
else
i dont use em anymore'
This work being published 1976 was and is a pivotal moment in how our society disregards black pain and how we as black women choose to address it. Do we often hide it out of fear of judgement? Judgement from who? These questions may have different answers, I applaud Ntozake Shange for opening up this dialogue in a time when black women were still finding their power and voice in a world that told them by its actions that it just didn't care enough.
'My love is too beautiful to have thrown back in my face.'
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense