Essay Questions

What is the main message to women as depicted in the poem ‘home to my hips’ by Lucille Clifton?

The speaker in this poem proudly talks about her ample hips, and she is not ashamed of it. In contemporary times, beauty is defined by slimness and pretty bodies. However, the speaker does not want anybody to describe her beauty because she is the principal architect of how she wants to look. She even says that her big hips drive men crazy. In this poem, the main message to women is that they should not shy off when deciding their destinies. Therefore, the speaker focuses on women's empowerment and reminds them that their fates are on their hands.

How does the speaker reveal that male chauvinistic standards still hold back most women?

The speaker ironically says that her hips are never enslaved, and they can move as they wish. The speaker's satire symbolizes male chauvinism that has held women back for centuries. For instance, men have set beauty standards for women. A woman with a big body and hips is considered ugly because men skinny girls. In reality, the reader connects the speaker's sentiments to the contemporary world where all models are skinny women with small hips. Consequently, the speaker's message is that all women are free and beautiful how they are created.

What is the significance of the poem's title, 'home to my hips'?

The poem's title is symbolic because it represents self-acceptance. The speaker boldly and passionately talks about her physical body to dispel society's assumptions that fat women with big hips are not beautiful. 'Home to my hips' illustrates the speaker's confidentiality about her big hips. She says that her big hips are free to move and shake, and nobody can intimidate them. Therefore, women are advised to be confident, courageous and accept that they are the architects of their own lives.