Tone In Nikki Giovanni's Poems

Literary Analysis Tone Essay Have you ever identified what the writer’s tone is , while reading a poem ? Do you ever think to yourself why the author sounds like that? Well, you’re about to get a better understanding how Nikki Giovanni creates tone in her poems. In her poetry Nikki Giovanni uses life experiences she has faced throughout her life to create the tone in her poems. Nikki Giovanni uses figurative language , personification , and analogies to create tone in her poetry. First, in her poem “Woman” Nikki Giovanni uses figurative language to establish a judgemental tone. For example, 5-8 lines, she writes “ She wanted to be a robin singing through the leaves but he refused to be her tree.” These lines compare a robin singing and a tree; by describing she wanted to be happy and wants to fly like a free bird to go on her own. The tree represents that the man is supposed to be there for her and someone she’s going to come back to. By comparing a robin singing and the poet creates a judgemental tone because this shows he was holding her back. All he did was woe regret. He would abound her when she needed him the most. Secondly, in her poem “Migrations” Nikki Giovanni uses personification to establish a resigned/optimistic tone. For example in stanza 2 , she writes

For example in stanzas 1-2 , she writes “ I know how the mermaid feels, you give up your gills so you can’t go back to the water.” These lines compare Nikki and a mermaid by describing how she feels regret when she gives up something and can’t alter her mistake, just like how a mermaid can’t alter giving up her gills. Nikki is sympathetic towards the mermaid because she understands what the mermaid has gone through. By comparing her to a mermaid the poet creates a sympathetic/regretful tone because Nikki understands how the mermaid feels giving up and feeling regret towards a