I Was My Own Route (Poem) Exercises

 I Was My Own Route

by Julia de Burgos

Exercises

 

Understanding the text

Answer the following questions.

a. Why did the speaker try to be the way men wanted her to be?

Answer: The speaker tried to be the way men wanted her to be because she was a woman belonging to a patriarchal society. She was compelled to fulfil the role and follow the route she was provided.

b. What do you understand by her feet would not accept walking backwards?

Answer: ‘Her feet would not accept walking backwards’ means she doesn't want to follow traditional roles of women imposed from the patriarchal society. She wants to move ahead following the rules of equality, freedom and liberation.

c. Who are the old guards? Why did they grow desperate?

Answer: The old guards are the people who follow traditional and old beliefs. They grew desperate determined to step on her own route forward.

d. How did the speaker have a feeling of intimate liberation?

Answer: The speaker had a feeling of intimate liberation by crossing and overcoming the barriers and obstacles made by patriarchal society. She began to feel intimate liberation by kissing of the new paths.

e. Why did the speaker's desire to follow men warp in her?

Answer: The speaker’s desire to follow men wrapped in her because of the pre-established patriarchal society and its rules. 

Reference to the context

a. What does the speaker mean when she says she was playing a game of hide and seek with her being?

Answer: It means she is not satisfied with the traditional ideas and beliefs practiced in patriarchal society. She is against that and she shows her rebellious nature by comparing it like a playing game of hide and seek. She wants to break the and overthrow the mentality of masculine domination.

b. Why, in your view, was her back ripped by the old guards as she was advancing forward?

Answer: In my view, she has feminist ideology. The old guards are the traditional beliefs of a patriarchal society cause so many problems to women. The problems were mainly for the women. She stood as the representative of whole women. So, such traditional bad beliefs were imposed on her life. Her back was ripped by these beliefs as she was advancing because she was brought up in the male dominated society.

c. What, according to the speaker, did it feel like to be free?

Answer: According to the speaker, being free means being able to do the activities of her own interest. The speaker wanted to walk, feel and do the activities like a man. She felt freedom, liberation etc. with complete women rights without and obstacles and disturbances of males.

d. Why does the speaker prefer the present to the past?

Answer: The speaker prefers the present to the past because women were supposed to follow the patriarchal rules. Thy were dominated by the norms of masculine superiority in the past. She feels complete freedom and liberation in the present. Women rights are guaranteed so such activities make her prefer the present to the past 

For summary CLICK HERE. 

For ‘The Awakening Age’ CLICK HERE.

For all content CLICK HERE.