The Poem Suicide Note by Asian-American writer, Janice Mirikitani

Questions:

1. Why do people commit suicide? Provide example from real life.

     There are a lot of reason that cause people to commit suicide such as out of depression, despair, pressure, feelings of helplessness and being trapped etc. And in the case of this poem, the unnamed girl felt the hopelessness because she couldn't reach her parents' expectation to get perfect score in her examination.

   

2. What is Mirikitani agenda in this Suicide Note?

     According to Wikipedia, Mirikitani was sexually molested up to age 16. With her grandmother love and care, she was saved from committing suicide. She then portrayed this incestuous pain in her poem.

"I found that my wounds begin to heal when the voices of those endangered by silence are given power. The silence of hopelessness, of despair buried in the depths of poverty, violence, racism are more deadly than bullets. The gift of light, in our compassion, our listening, our works of love is the gift of life to ourselves."                                                                                                                

• Janice Mirikitani

3. As teachers, what is our role in insuring our students do not take their own lives?

• being empathy
•  aware of their students' changes in behaviors and detect the suicide warning sign
•  offer them help and support  
• care for them