Lorde captures the essence of home in the first few chapters of “Zami: A New Spelling of My Name”. There are a multitude of themes and hidden gems covered in this book. Lorde’s mother and her correlation to home were one of the most consistent themes thus far, and all of the minor symbols such as fruit, cultural differences and overall connection helped tie in and support this theme. For this blogpost, we’ll focus on Linda, Lorde’s mother, and how she stays rooted to home… as well as some research about limes and their hidden meaning.
As Lorde skips around in Zami, it seems as though home – and the idea of home – is a way of grounding. The text is a little flighty but it’s crafted with intention. The memories feel almost dream-like which tie in to Linda’s longing for Grenada. She incorporates sprinkles and disperses of scents and memories throughout her writing as a way to bring us back to the text, to the now, wherever and whenever that is. I was having a hard time decoding the book and figuring out the direction for where this text is going to go. It felt like Lorde was going on tangents at times but each paragraph serves a purpose, and after re-reading, it felt like she was using scents, tastes and connections to Grenada to emphasize home and the power of our roots (and, for the purpose of this blogpost, bringing empowerment to Linda).
Lorde makes it very clear that her mother is strong and has found empowerment through home by addressing this in the first paragraph: “When I visited Grenada I saw the root of my mother’s powers walking through the streets” (9). When using the word root, the first thing that pops into my head is the idea of a tree. In this case, she is rooted to Grenada and her “family tree” is there. The essence of home and Linda have become a powerful duo and it’s something very clear to Lorde. “Little secret sparks of it were kept alive for years by my mother’s search for tropical fruits “under the bridge,” and her burning of kerosene lamps, by her treadle-machine and her fried bananas and her love of fish and the sea. Trapped. There was so little she really knew about the stranger’s country” (10). This quote holds a lot of importance in the way Lorde describes her mother. As readers, we quickly learn how her mother lived and what it was that kept her pushing through. This idea of “returning home” and sticking to her roots was what allowed her to persevere through difficult times, such as working twelve hours a day or finding the right way to protect her children from racism (i.e.- the lie regarding people spitting on her children). Home was what kept Linda strong. It was a way for her to be proud of her identity: “she knew how to make virtues out of necessities” and “she knew about food” and how songs were made about every matter back in Grenada (11). She was able to find peace while in Harlem – usually by water – and would reminisce and share stories with Lorde about home: “Whenever we were close to water, my mother grew quiet and soft and absent-minded. Then she would tell us wonderful stories about Noel’s Hill in Grenville, Grenada, which overlooked the Caribbean” (13). This demonstrates the idea of home bringing Linda back to herself, and how even the idea of home or every-day occurrences that she associated with home would help center her and bring her back to her essence.
It’s clear that the idea of home is a strong part of Linda’s identity and a way for her to remember her worth as a woman. Home is a constant reminder for her to continue. To tie in the correlation of limes and Linda, I looked up their symbolism. I was reluctant because there doesn’t have to be symbolism behind something that just “is” (I looked it up anyway). A Google search supported the fact that limes are in fact a signature scent of Grenada and the fragrance of limes can be smelled from hundreds of yards away. With that being said, it makes sense as to why Lorde would bring up limes and their scent a few times, however it’s scattered throughout the text, and I was unsure as to why due to its distraction.
Lime trees are a symbol for love, fidelity and justice. These three words sum up how Lorde speaks of her mother and her relationship with Grenada. Fidelity, according to the dictionary, is defined as “faithfulness to a person, cause, or belief, demonstrated by continuing loyalty and support”. It is also defined as the “sexual faithfulness to a spouse or partner” (we’ll disregard that part for now) and “the degree of exactness with which something is copied or reproduced” (New Oxford American Dictionary). It is clear that Linda is full of love when speaking of home. She feels it and applies it to her everyday life and to her self in order to make peace with not returning home. Linda applies her knowledge and identity from Grenada to her everyday life because of her inability to return home, therefore eluding to the idea of justice. And then there’s that idea of fidelity. After reading the definition and applying it to Zami, it’s clear that the limes served even more of a purpose than coincidence and fact in the text. Limes were mentioned several times in Zami so far, and in doing so, it serves as a reminder for the loyalty and support of home and how much it means to Linda.
“It was so often her approach to the world; to change reality. If you can’t change reality, change your perceptions of it” (18). So overall, the tone of Zami so far feels distant and grounded at the same time. Our minds are somewhere else – in Grenada, where Linda’s mind is at – yet we are continuously brought back to Harlem and Lorde’s recollection and attribute to Linda’s strength as a woman in her life. The nostalgia in Zami is powerful and has made this feel like a twist on perception and reality. I’m looking forward to facilitating the first part of Zami, and I’m even more excited to see where the book will bring us. Thank you for reading all the way through!
QUESTION 1:
A common theme that we’ve been discussing in class relates to feminine empowerment, rising up and using our voices. Lorde mentions how her father felt about home: “But there was no call for this knowledge now; and her husband Byron did not like to talk about home because it made him sad, and weakened his resolve to make a kingdom for himself in this new world” (12). Do you think that home helped keep Linda true to her identity, or do you feel that it held her back in some ways? Do you think their coping mechanisms with missing a place is due to their gender differences and the roles they play at home/in Grenada/in the city?
QUESTION 2:
The way she is able to tie in the relationship her mother had with Grenada and what the place means to her has reflected through her writing method: she goes on a few tangents and memories are what ground and center her back to the main story or theme of home. Was there other imagery that caught your eye and caused you to do further research (think scents, food symbolism, music, cultural differences, etc.)?
Works Cited:
Lorde, Audre. Zami: A New Spelling of My Name. New York, Crossing Press, 1982.
New Oxford American Dictionary (website).
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Hi Noel! Your blog post was very unique and informative. I love how you centered a lot of it around Lorde’s mother, Linda. I believe that home definitely helped Linda stay true to herself. When reading the sentence “When I visited Grenada I saw the root of my mother’s powers walking through the streets” (9), I too thought of a family tree. I think owning your true identity and always being your true self is how everyone should live their lives. Linda was a strong advocate for remaining true to her roots. I think her husband, Byron, didn’t want to talk about home to cope with how he truly felt. He missed home and probably didn’t want to seem weak to his family. The gender difference here definitely plays a role in how Linda and Byron acted towards their home. I do understand that Byron wanted to create a home in his new world, but he portrayed his emotions poorly. I really liked how you brought up the idea that water gave Linda peace. I really related to this idea of water as a calming presence because I too feel closer to home when I’m near water. My town is a beach town so water really comforts me. Linda’s choice of constantly remembering home shows her true love and appreciation of her roots and her real identity.
Hi Noel,
I think that home really helped Linda stay true to herself because, in a sense that place was hers, she made it hers. I don’t think that gender is the reason for the coping mechanisms to be different because I relate to “because it made him sad, and weakened his resolve to make a kingdom for himself in this new world” (12), I struggle to see what “home” is and what that means for me. Sometimes it is difficult to set roots and make something for myself with my background.
Hi Noel, your blog post really hit a lot of the same points I was finding and experiencing while reading. One thing that really captured my attention and interest in this book is the way Lorde looks back on her life. Zami also has really strong mythic elements. An example of that from the first few pages, “Images of women flaming like torches adorn and define the borders of my journey, stand like dykes between me and the chaos” (Lorde 3). The idea of chaos is always something discussed in myths, chaos being the negative that order must be brought to. Her biomythography is centered around the women that shaped her. I think that is really powerful in the way of female empowerment. Being surrounded and supported and shaped by the women around her has been central to a lot of Lorde’s works. Women build communities and support networks. I am intrigued to see how that continues throughout the rest of Zami.
Hi Noel, I really enjoyed your blog post and all the different ideas that you pointed out to us. I like how you talked about Linda’s relationship with her mother primarily. Lorde states, “As a child, I remember often hearing my mother mouth these words softly, just below her breath, as she faced some new crisis or disaster–the icebox door breaking, the electricity being shut off, my sister gashing open her mouth on borrowed skates” (10). I really liked how you mentioned the idea of a family tree because personally I feel like thinking about where my family comes from, and what my family tree is made of is something that I always think of. I also thought it was interesting how Linda speaks of her mother because it reminded me of my life growing up, even though I didn’t go through any of the same things that Linda necessarily went through. The relationship we have with our mother has an impact us, whether if it is good or bad. It shapes us into who we are and makes us stronger which I think is one of the smaller points in this chapter.
Hi Noel! I really loved reading your blog post and the connections you found with the lime trees and roots that I had not thought of that deeply. What first stuck out to me as I read your blog was a quote you used to describe how Linda kept bringing herself home through her mind and sharing it with Lorde and her siblings. I thought this moment in the book so far was very important because it is a moment when Linda can relax by the water, and just recollect what home is like and be able to share that experience with her children. I do not believe Linda and her love for her home is in any way holding her back. It allows her to have that connection and never lose her true self. As she reflects back to her life stories about Grenada, it keeps the family tree alive in a sense. Lorde says, “For if we lived correctly and with frugality[…] then someday we would arrive back in the sweet place, back home”(13). Linda shares her stories not only because she misses them, but wants her children to imagine what it is like, so they can understand and experience the beauty of her home, their home.
In these two chapters of Zami: A New Spelling of My Name I was really struck by the racial references about Grenada and the differences in the United States. But first to focus on Sam’s post. I found it very enlightening this post. Sam posited out some aspects that I missed on the first read, so I had to go back and re-read. When speaking of the word “root” (9) and how Sam thought of tree and then extrapolating it to mean family tree. It was one of those words that in your mind you know its meaning but not necessarily its symbolism in that moment of text. I took root to be her heritage and cultural roots of Grenada. I got that from page 10 when Lorde discusses how her mother knew all these remedies and cultural deeds that must be done, things that culturally she grew up on in Grenada.
I was really more focused on the racial aspects given in these chapters. It really struck me as a white woman. On page 12 when Lorde speaks about the museum, “…because beneath the neat visor of the museum guard’s cap, she could see pale blue eyes staring at her and her children as if we were a bad smell, and this frightened her.”(12). How Lorde’s mother knew that the museum was a place of knowledge and learning, a place that she could go and let her children grow mentally. But due to her and her children’s color it’s tainted by prejudices and racial discrimination.
Lorde really focuses on the aspect of Grenada as a way for Linda to keep her identity. Which is powerful in its own right. Coming to America where they are trying to build a good life can at times strip someone of their identity. I reference Daniel Radus’s class on Native American Literature and Genre class. He discusses though his assigned texts how Natives have lost their identity through assimilation and settlers stepping them of their cultural heritage. Through his assigned texts he shows how some Native authors try to reclaim that cultural heritage and identity. I feel like Linda was doing that in a sense in her devotion to keeping her roots. She identifies herself by being from Grenada. To keep that sense of herself in a country where it seems that people conform to the white way of things, she strives to keep her cultural heritage alive. Through her stories about Grenada.
Hi Noel,
I very much enjoyed the common themes you pulled from the assigned reading. I think that “home” can be a space of liberation from the outside sphere, where you don’t have to conform to the norms and pressures of society. However, “home” can also be a place of confinement, isolation, and even, imprisonment. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear victims of domestic abuse describe home in a similar manner. However, I think that for women stuck in patriarchal relationships, as well as, those who are homosexual, yet closeted, home could have a similar connotation. I do believe that coping mechanisms can differ due to gender roles. Being a male, I found that I’ve always been more encouraged to leave home and start my own life. This has resulted in me talking less to my parents and not openly admitting cases of being “homesick”. Whereas, my sister was always encouraged to stay close to home which resulted in her taking every chance she could to travel and see the world, yet she would talk to my parents on a daily basis.
Hey Noel! I think you did an awesome job in covering all the little, but significant aspects which build the beginning of Zami for us readers. Honestly, I didn’t think that deeply into the significance of the lime until I read your findings and explanation about it and it really opened my eyes to discover even more about this story. Also, I think you did a great job speaking about how intrigued Lorde is about her mother’s strength and how her home of Grenada has shaped her to be the woman she is today. When Lorde first mentions the time she went to Grenada, she automatically expresses how she “saw the root of [her] mother’s powers walking through the streets” (9). As I dove deeper into this, I realized that I was able to make a personal connection with Lorde. Being that my mother is an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, I know how important home is to her and always has been. Although she has been in the United States for about 25 years now, she has gone through many obstacles as an immigrant because “There was so little she really knew about the stranger’s country,” just like Lorde’s mother. My mother would tell me about how hard it was to fit into a whole different culture when she didn’t even understand it herself. Throughout the years, I’ve noticed that she’s always chose to express her Dominican identity through preserving the importance of her culture, even though she was surrounded by a completely different world then what she was used to. Zami clearly shows how Lorde values Linda’s true identity and how Grenada spiritually and culturally brings Linda back to herself, as she associates even the smallest aspects of home to stay true to her community.
Hey Noel,
I enjoy reading your blog post. I love how you connected the roots theme throughout your post, and I love how you connect Lorde’s mother (Linda) to the themes. I’m from the Caribbean, so reading the reading really made me reflect on my roots, which is similar yet different. I really enjoyed how Lorde uses the different senses in the reading to. It was very powerful to me because it made me remember things which I missed from my home country and I was able to connect to what she was saying about her mother longing to go home. I think that Linda’s memories of home help keep her identity because many aspects of her identity are because she was born and raised in Grenada. I also feel that her identity can hold her back in certain ways if she lets it. A personal example of this is because I have an accent, I’m not very vocal or express because I feel like I sound different from everyone else but if I was around other Jamaicans/West Indians I would act differently. I do believe that the type of coping mechanism depends on your gender role. Female usually misses the food, the market, and socializing friends and family because they are usually the ones cooking, shopping at the markets while male usually misses playing sports, drinking with friends at a bar, etc.
Hi Noel! I enjoyed your blog post. It made me think about Zami on a deeper level. To answer your first question, I think home is a feeling. It could be a person, place or thing, somewhere or something that makes you feel authentic and 100% yourself. When Lorde wrote, “When I visited Grenada I saw the root of my mother’s powers walking through the streets” (9). This made me think that she is grounded by her family and that she feels most comfortable around them.
Hi Noel! I really enjoyed your blog post and I think you incorporated very important themes and subjects that this beginning encompasses. In response to your first question I believe that keeping her roots to her home country did not hold her back but kept her strong. I think it is important for people to keep their identity instead of trying to conform to societal norms. In order to be a strong woman, it is important to maintain identity and know how to use it in many ways. For example, it seems like she had so much more knowledge than the people around her even though she was not educated and worked at a hotel (the Waldorf-Astoria). Yet with her knowledge she was able to communicate well with the people who lived near her and able to help her children when they got hurt or were sick. One important part in the biography that I found really struck me was when Audre said that she had only ever seen her mother cry twice in her life. Once was when she was upset with her husband and the other was when she was at the dental office and the office had a student work on her instead of a professional because she was a black woman. In this section Audre said “Afterward I saw my mother sat outside on a long wooden bench… I peered into my mother’s face to see why she should be sleeping in the middle of the day. From under her closed eyelids, drops of tears were squeezing out and running down her cheek toward her ear. I touched the little drops of water on her high cheekbone in horror and amazement. The world was turning over. My mother was crying.” I found this part really moving because even though the mother carries herself with a strong exterior shell it shows that she still is an emotional person who feels the hardships faced with the country she is in.
Hi Noel!
I really enjoyed your post. Looking through all of Lorde’s work it is interesting to see how she always goes back to her roots. Focusing on the Grenada aspect, in Lorde’s poem, “Berlin Is Hard on Colored Girls” she writes about Grenada, “kittiwake birds, the lizard, gray whales” (Lorde lines 6,7,12). “Berlin Is Hard on Colored Girls” is a poem about Berlin, but Lorde still refers to her other home, Grenada. I think Lorde always wonders where home is for her and we see this throughout all of her work.