A Woman Is Talking To Death

Author: Judy Grahn was born on July 28, 1940 in Chicago. She lived in New Mexico Town near West Texas. At the age of twenty five she wrote most of her stories and poetry. She has written many lesbian/feminist works.

Basic Passage: "I wanted her as a very few people have wanted me - I wanted her and me to own and control and run the city we lived in, to staff the hospital I know would mistreat her, to drive the transportationsystem that had betrayed her, to patrol the streets controllling the men would murder or disfigure or disrupt us, not accidentally with machines, but on purpose, because we are not allowed out on the street alone-"

Correlate: This author wants women to run the world and be in control. Because she thinks that the men that are in control are going to hurt and harm the women around them.

Tragedy: This poem is a tragedy.

Discussion Questions:
1. In the quote by Ellison, from "The Invisible Man" the character talks about acting a certain way because it was expected of him. Another quote tells more about racism. "We mean to do right by you, but you've got to know your place at all times. All right, now, go on with your speech. I was afraid. I wanted to leave but I wanted also to speak and I was afraid they'd snatch me down." This quote from "The Invisible Man" shows how the blacks were treated by the whites. Racism expressed in "The Invisible Man" is similar to the feminism expressed in "A Woman is Talking to Death" because both of these ideas tear people down. We are all a part of humanity and God created us all equal, both black and white and male and female.

2. In this poem the author talks about women being the weaker gender. The author feels that women are being put down and men and are treating them as lower class people.

3. During the years 1974 - 1980 there was great support for battered women. Support groups were appearing all over towns across America. It was a time when research was done by men for men and biological sex determined an individual's role in society. This first wave sought to include feminist voices and to give a new meaning to the science of feminism, sexuality and gender. In this poem "A Woman is Talking to Death" the author shows a symbolism towards denigrating women who respect men and a feministic approach towards society. While the author of the poem "The Invisible Man" discussed the topics of racism, religion, indivduality, and freedom, and their effect on society.

4. In the segment "A Mock Interrogation" the character is conducting an interview asking if a woman is a lesbian. Every time she answers the questions she twists the meaning around. The questions that they ask her try to infer that she is a lesbian. She turns the answer around to where it doesn't talk about being a lesbian - but talks about being kind to women.

5. The American Dream is a subjective term usually implying a successful and satisfying life. Perceptions of the American dream are usually framed in terms of American capitalism, and the freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. Bill of Rights. The term is not easily defined, and has subjective meaning to many who claim it. The term is used by many modern Americans to signify success in life as a result of hard work. If you are limited by class if will be hard to pursue this dream because you are torn down emotionally, physically and financially.

6. Yes it does matter. I don't agree with this lifestyle. She is writing from her own perspective and this give her impression of the culture around her a different slant.