Suicide Note
"Suicide Note," by Janice Mirikitani, is about an Asian American college student who commits suicide by jumping from her dormitory window. This poem is read as the suicide note that was left behind by this young woman. Her last thoughts and feelings were left on this note, describing why she did what she did. The pressure to succeed that this student felt from herself and her parents was far too much to overcome. This poem begins by describing some of the harsh feelings associated with failure. She starts by writing "not good enough, not pretty enough, not smart enough." These phrases are repeated throughout the poem. For one reason or another, this woman felt that her accomplishments were not perfect, therefore not worthy. She is not congratulated on how well she does. She apologizes for failing to achieve a perfect four-point grade average. She says "Each disappointment, ice above my river." Failure stops her river from flowing, as if it stops her heart from beating. Because of these failures, she strives to work harder, in turn setting herself up to fail once again. Many of these emotions only existed because she did not feel that her parents were pleased. A majority of this note was written as an apology to her
She is only haunted by the idea that she could have done better. Near the end she writes, "Perhaps when they find me they will bury my bird bones beneath a sturdy pine. She is just a tiny sparrow, distraught and caught in the wind. She works so hard at her schooling and doesn't get congratulated on how good of a job she did. The air will not hold her as her parents did not hold her. They did the opposite and pushed her away. She wishes that she were a son because that way her parents would not expect her to do as well in school. Her parents expected too much, and for that reason she was never able to make them happy. A lot of students feel that they can never live up to their parents' standards, and end up resenting their parents for all the pressure that is put on them. A parent is there to direct their child in the right direction, but being to hard on them will only bring them downThe author, Mirikitani, uses imagery to show that the young college student is not recognized for what she does. (167)" As a female, she feels like she cannot accomplish anything worthy of praise. "I make this ledge my alter to offer penance.
Common topics in this essay:
Asian American,
satisfy parents,
girl poem,
please parents,
air hold,
doesn't feel,
unable satisfy parents,
poem feels,
unable satisfy,
live life,
own life,
trying please,
|
Acceptance Essays
