A BLACK WOMAN’S JOURNEY: FOR COLORED GIRLS

Created in 1975, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/ When the Rainbow is Enuf, focuses on the struggles of black women not only from that era, but issues still pertaining to black women 35 years later. Shange’s powerful choreopoem is comprised of seven women trying to "sing a black girl's song…. Sing a song of life, she's been dead so long"(Shange 18), creating a voice for every woman. None of these women possess a name, only a color, to show that they represent all women of color. Shange includes themes of love, abandonment, sexuality, abortion, and domestic violence to emphasize what women in her community were and still are subjugated to. Through dance, poetry, and music these women slowly but surely find their true identity. Ntozake uses her work as a tool to empower all “colored girls” by creating these seven strong women that form a bond when they are able to find their identity as black women, and essentially in their journey make it to the end of their rainbows without committing suicide. When looking into Shange’s life there’s no question that situations, which she had observed day-to-day or experienced herself, were imposed on her writings. Born as Paulette Williams she was raised in a middle class family, which was not a childhood common for blacks. Her family moved to St. Louis and she attended a non-segregated school where she had to endure blatant racism at the mere age of eight years old. She rebelled against her family’s satisfaction with being a part of the middle class when she still had to deal with the hardships of being black and a woman. Realizing that in the real world there were limitations being set on blacks and women in society, produced her anger: the catalyst to her decision to write to not only empower women, but to empower and teach young girls about social issues as well. Paulette showed that women could be successful when she entered Barnard College, but during this time her happiness that stemmed from her success turned into melancholy when her husband left her and she attempted suicide many times. She overcame this and let her voice come alive through her works. Her experience shows why the theme that runs rampant throughout her writings is for black women to rely on themselves, and to not allow themselves to become dependent on a man, for this is the only way they will become whole and attain their true identity. The girls in For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/ When the Rainbow is Enuf, like Paulette all overcome their issues when their voice is no longer silenced, and do not commit suicide.
Williams later took the African name Ntozake Shange meaning, “she who brings her own things,” and “one who walks with lions.” She explained to Allan Wallach in Newsday that it was necessary for her to embrace a new name because she felt she was "living a lie:"
"[I was] living in a world that defied reality as most black people, or most white people, understood it - in other words, feeling that there was something that I could do, and then realizing that nobody was expecting me to do anything because I was colored and I was also female, which was not very easy to deal with"(qttd. in Wainwright).
She did this to show that she was no longer Paulette Williams who society believed was a black woman who wasn’t suppose to amount to anything, and didn’t want other women to believe that black women being successful should be deemed unusual. In her essay, “is not gd to be born a girl”, she wants all women to understand that ”we pay for being born girls/ but we owe no one anything / not our labia, not our clitoris, not our lives. we are born girls & live to be women who live our own lives/ to live our lives/ to have/ our lives/ to live”(Rothenberg 132). Her theme in this essay, that women will gain a self satisfaction only when they are able specify their own dreams without allowing society to hinder their destiny from becoming reality, is the same philosophy that is within for colored girls, and seems to be what Ntozake Shange followed in her own life.
The significance of Shange’s title for this choreopoem should not be overlooked. The title’s rich meanings gives readers an insight on what the author’s views are, and also allows the reader to imagine their own possible meanings. Shange uses the word “Colored” which calls attention to when it was once used as a derogatory term used by white oppressors. Although “Colored” was used as a derogatory term, it was also used within the black culture to bring them together. For colored girls, was used in the title to specifically target young “colored girls.” In the beginning of the journey of the seven women they all sing,
Mama’s little baby likes shortnin, shortnin,
Mama’s little baby likes shortnin bread
Mama’s little baby likes shortnin, shortnin,
Mama’s little baby likes shortnin bread (Shange 20).
From this childhood song to lady in yellow talking about her “graduation nite” where she “was the only virgin in the crowd”(Shange 21), Shange used these poems to show her readers the journey from girlhood to womanhood. She wanted the dangers that black woman struggle to overcome, information that most parents will withhold, to be heard by these young girls: The reason that For Colored Girls is entitled For Colored Girls is that’s who it was for…I want a twelve year-old girl to reach out for and get information that isn’t just contraceptive information but emotional information…if there is an audience for whom I write, it’s the little girls who are coming of age. I want them to know that they are not alone and that we adult women thought and continue to think about them (Hamilton 79-80).
Even though Shange’s work is intended for children it is still considered inspirational for both women and girls. In addition to the word “colored” within the title, the image of the “rainbow” also holds important meanings. The rainbow symbolizes the emotional aspect, which Shange discusses. All these women go through emotional pains caused by either men or themselves, but at the end of their storm or distress they all eventually make it to the end of the rainbow that is “enuf” for them to go on without committing suicide. The rainbow has a human form, and comes alive through the seven women that give a voice to all women. Even though there are statements from different women, Shange writes in such a way where you read each statement as a whole entity putting this rainbow of women together. The rainbow also refers to how unique each “colored girl” is, each having their own attributes that allow them to amount to something in society no matter what is believed by others. Shange is known for using African American dialect, slang, and rhythms throughout her works. Because of her literary style, all her works are distinctively original. Her unique way of writing, using words like “waz,” “wlda,” or “cd,” provided a picture rather than just words, and allows the reader to become more involved with the work. For example in “now I love somebody more than,” this literary style is evident: …I kept smilin and right on stepping if he cd lead I waz ready to dance if he couldn’t lead i caught this attitude i’d seen rosa do & wd not be bothered…(Shange 26)
Being that each girl came from a different state, Shange made sure that she wouldn’t mix up the different dialects. The way each lady speaks is relative to where they come from. She also uses metaphors and imagery to bring her characters into existence. The “abortion clinic #1” contains a good example of where she uses these techniques to allow the reader to presume from the language what is happening to the lady in blue: tubes tables white washed windows grime age wiped over once legs spread anxious eyes crawling up on me eyes rollin in my thighs metal horses gnawin my womb dead mice fall from my mouth…(Shange 36)
Even though it is not yet stated, through Shange’s language the reader is able to come to the conclusion that lady in blue is having an abortion. For Colored Girls begins with a plea from lady in brown for all women to let their voices to be heard. Her burden is that she is a black woman who still has no voice, and wants the young girls to speak up, and let their journey be known. She lets them know about the “dark phrases,” symbolizing the trials and tribulations that they will endure while growing into womanhood in America. She doesn’t want their voices to be silenced like hers has been for so long: …sing a black girl’s song bring her out to know herself to know you but sing her rhythms carin/ struggle/ hard times sing her song of life she’s been dead so long closed in silence so long she doesn’t know the sound of her own voice…(Shange 18)
Shange starts off with lady in brown to send a message out to the “colored girls” so that they will be able to let their voices be heard, and grow into a womanhood being whole. The lady in brown can be considered to symbolize a guardian for all the young women. The journey of a “colored girl” continues with the lady in yellow in “graduation nite.” Shange’s themes in this monologue are of love and assault. She yearns for that vacancy to be filled with the love from a man, but the love she searches for is not the right love. She’s naïve, holds pride in losing her virginity “in the backseat of that ol buick,” and doesn’t see wrong in getting drunk and being touched: I got drunk & cdnt figure out Whose hand waz on my thigh/ but it didn’t matter…(Shange 22) Shange uses the lady in yellow to symbolize the idea that some girls believe, which is the way into womanhood is through losing their virginity. Lady in yellow says, “WE WAZ GROWN WE WAZ FINALLY GROWN…” showing that she is not yet a woman and is also still a child trying to figure out who she is. The lady in blue’s monologue also shows that a part of the women are still innocent children. In the “abortion cycle #1,” she says “…&nobody came cuz nobody know once i was pregnant and shamed myself.” Shange included this statement to depict the issue of teen pregnancy that young girls may go through where they feel like they have no one to talk to, and once again can’t let their voice be heard. As the ladies grow closer and are beginning to empower each other with their stories, we are introduced to the lady in green in “somebody almost walked off wid alla my stuff.” The lady in green represents all women who have been taking advantage of in anyway by a man because of their vulnerability. Ntozake Shange’s identity is also represented when it says “ntozake ‘her own things’ that’s my name” (Shange 64). Ntozake also had to protect her identity from being taking away from her again after her husband left her. Here we see that her “stuff” signifies her identity. When someone tries to walk off with all of her stuff they would be walking off with her identity. Her “perfect ass” and “chewed up finger nails” is what defines her. She is on her way to her destiny, and the only way she will reach is with her stuff, her identity. This is a major theme that Shange wants women to understand. She wants women to not depend on a man because he can walk off with all of their “stuff.” The journey of the women ends with the most powerful poem, “a layin of the hands.” The women begin to comprehend that real acceptance does not come from no man, but only themselves. At this point, all the women each say a passage symbolizing as colored women we are not alone. Through their voices they are able to come together and realize that the rainbow, symbolizing hope and life as a women, is enough. They finally realized that they were once children without a voice: …i waz cold/ I waz burnin up/ a child & endlessly weavin garments for the moon wit my tears…(Shange 87)
Their love is worth more than the response they will ever get from a man and they finally begin to love themselves singing with joy, “i found god in myself & loved her/ I loved her fiercly.” Here Shange symbolizes the strength, and love coming from womanhood that some women today still have not attained. For Colored Girls, has been recreated many times in theatre, and was recently transformed to the big screen by Tyler Perry. While Ntozake Shange’s book leaves women feeling empowered, Tyler Perry’s raw and uncut interpretation left a feeling of depression and sorrow after viewing. In the film, the nine women are all coming from the same metropolitan area most even living in the same building, while in the book Shange had her women coming from different states with no names to symbolize all women. Even though Tyler Perry had the women coming from one place, the symbolism of women not being alone, and coming together to create the “rainbow” was still portrayed as it was in the book. A major difference between the two is that the issues of rape and domestic violence may be considered implicit in the book, but in the film are explicit. Shange uses imagery and metaphors for the reader to deduce what is going on, but being that it was a film the audience witnessed, for example the rape that lady in blue went through. In the choreopoem the lady in blue does not say she was raped, but discusses “latent rapists” with the other ladies, while in the movie she gives this account while in the hospital after being raped reciting it as a powerful monologue, and not as a dialogue. Ultimately Perry’s For Colored Girls, did a good job at incorporating Shange’s poems into the film and the potency of her words were not forgotten. Watching these monologues was just as powerful as reading them, and Perry was surprisingly able to touch base on all of Shnage’s themes of domestic violence, rape, love, abandonment and self worth within the movie. With its extremely powerful message portrayed through drama, dance, and poetry, Shange’s for colored girls will continually resonate through future generations. It carries themes that will never die out. Ntozake Shange made sure that she included experiences that affect many black women so young women trying to find their identity can be aware of the trials and triblulations that a “colored girl,” may undergo. She saw these issues in their eyes, and heard their screams. This was her way to show society the beauty, or the rainbow, that is made up within all women. Black women who were once isolated having no voice can read this book, and feel that they are no longer alone. All women will be able to understand that through their journey the rainbow will always be enough.