for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf

by Ntozake Shange

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Discussion Topic

The significance of the portrayal of women and the overall message in "For Colored Girls..."

Summary:

The portrayal of women in "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf" is significant as it highlights the struggles, resilience, and empowerment of African American women. The overall message emphasizes the importance of self-worth, solidarity, and healing in the face of adversity and societal challenges.

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What is significant about the portrayal of women in For Colored Girls...?

For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf is a "choreopoem" by Ntozake Shange, developed as an experimental play performed entirely by women in poetry and dance.

Shange based her work on her own life experiences, and develops the theme of womanhood and gender roles in society with literally "colored" women who recite the poems. The women wear solid colors based on or in their feminine roles, and speak about "love, abandonment, rape, and abortion, embodied by each woman's story" (Wikipedia). By using only women in the play, without any set dressing or fancy production value, Shange is able to focus deeply into the role of women in society; the physical dance and lyrical poetry portray women as both emotional and physical, allowing exposition without preaching. The women in the play are of central importance, with their problems and issues deliberately lacking any male presence except what is in their hearts and minds; the focus is on women as human beings instead of props or scenery.

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