Ego Tripping By Nikki Giovanni

Portillo, Melany

Mrs. Middlebrook

Honors English 9A

6 January 2023

World-renowned American author Nikki Giovanni is famous for her striking poems, novels, and short stories. One of Nikki Giovanni's more notable works is the poem "Ego Tripping," published in 1973. The poem is about a woman who uses pompous language to display her ego while expressing her sense of worth and self-assurance. In addition, readers are presented with various significant historical events and settings to develop an understanding of the main character. Moreover, Giovanni uses literary devices and distinctive word choices to aid readers in comprehending the theme of her poem. Giovanni utilizes unconventional examples of allusion to instill pride in women for the influences they possess.

The character states, "My oldest daughter is Nefertiti, / The tears from my birth pains created the Nile," (Giovanni, lines 11–13). In this literary reference, the character expresses her ego after describing the birth of her oldest daughter and claiming she is Nefertiti, the ancient Egyptian queen. Nefertiti is a representation of beauty and feminine strength. By telling the reader she gave birth to a historical figure, the character implies that Nefertiti was born due to her power. Next, the woman tells the reader that the Nile was created by the tears she shed during labor. The Nile is Africa's most significant river and is thought to have expanded Egypt beyond a mere desert, as it brought fertility and vegetation with it. The character believes herself to have contributed more than simply bringing her daughter into the world. She views herself as a catalyst for femininity and fertility. This illusionary example is evidence that Nikki Giovanni depicts women as powerful because of their capacity to bring life in all its forms to the