Janice Mirikitani Suicide Note Summary

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In “Suicide Note”, Janice Mirikitani uses an apologetic voice to express the young woman's struggle with the unreachable standards bestowed on herself. She begins the poem with a direct apology to her parents. She feels that no matter how much work she does, it will never be enough to satisfy her family. The repetition of “not good enough, not pretty enough, not smart enough” emphasizes the loss of dignity. If she was a boy life would be so much easier. She could show her talents through work, instead of through grades. The expectation begin to take a toll on her identity. She writes, “Each failure, a glacier.” This illustrates the forceful impacts that will eventually lead to her death. As she stands on the ledge she compares herself to

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