Brown Girl Dreaming
Although I didn't think I would, I really enjoyed reading Brown Girl Dreaming. One of the most important parts of the novel is that the story isn't one that is particularly gripping, as it's just Woodson's memoir, but where the novel succeeds is in the execution. By de-emphasizing story elements, the style of the novel shines through, with the poetic language making each unique chapter/vignette compelling and interesting in a different way. Each of the characters are developed so subtly that you find yourself understanding them with just a handful of scattered lines, and feeling a pit in your stomach whenever Jacqueline receives bad news. One of the poems that I decided to examine for its portrayal of Woodson's experience as an African American is "say it loud" on page 304. As a younger child, Woodson doesn't understand why her mother tells her to "Get down before you break your neck" when she decides to sing along with t...