Essay Questions

Why does Shire refer to daughters instead of sons?

This alludes to the challenging experiences she faced as a daughter with a difficult name. Therefore, she better understands what other daughters face versus sons with difficult names. In other words, speaking to parents with daughters comes rather intuitively, as she wants to shape generations of women and girls with immense love for their names.

What do "difficult names" symbolically represent?

Difficult names symbolically represent the spirit of rebellion and preservation of cultural identity, while facing societal oppression. Such names suggest daughters who possess them will face trials that test their inner strength and cultural loyalty. Yet they can draw positive inspiration from their names thanks to their unique meanings.

How does this poem align with other poems in her book Teaching My Mother How to Give Birth?

A number of her poems carry a theme of exposing the struggles of being a women/girl in a patriarchal society. She seems to touch on crumpling relationships with men in her life or the relatable lives of other women. This involves her father, possibly lovers, and/or men in general. "Difficult Names" is quite modest in length, style, and tone compared to other poems, such as "Backwards" and "The Unbearable Weight of Staying." Yet its message is similar: revealing the hardships of womanhood, while stressing the need for empowerment.