Adrienne Rich - Our whole life

Question 1

violent images highlight the distortion of language

hopelessness of the oppressed trying to find ways of articulating the truth about their lives

powerlessness

Answer 1

‘trying to tell the doctor where it hurts’

Question 2

powerlessness and failure to explain pain

the silence of the gap in the stanzas represents the loneliness and isolation

Answer 2

‘and there are no words for this

except himself

Question 3

limitaions of language

Answer 3

‘our whole life a translation’