Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- Many interpret the mushrooms of the poem as representing women, but what other historically oppressed groups might they represent? Why do you think so?
- Compare and contrast this poem to another by Plath, like "Mirror." What similarities and differences do you see in style and theme?
- How does the poet's use of alliteration, consonance, assonance, and internal rhyme help her communicate the themes and overall mood of the poem?
- So this poem uses mushrooms as its central metaphor, but what other plant or animal would work to represent the same ideas? Why do you think so?
- Compare and contrast this poem to another that addresses the struggles of oppressed groups like "I, Too, Sing America" by Langston Hughes.