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Critical Appreciation of Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks' "What Shall I Give My Children"

The poem "What Shall I Give My Children" by Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks reflects upon the speaker's contemplation of what she can offer her children, who are marginalized and impoverished. The poem revolves into themes of poverty, inequality, and the limitations placed upon the children due to their circumstances.

This is a photograph of the stamp
 that the United States Postal Service
 issued in 2012 to commemorate 
Pulitzer Prize-winning poet 
Gwendolyn Brooks.

The provided poem, extracted from a longer work known as "The Womanhood," adopts the form of a sonnet with fourteen lines. It is structured into three quatrains (four-line units) followed by a couplet (a two-line unit). The poem explores the perspective of motherhood when viewing the children of the poor. From the mother's viewpoint, these children exist as outcasts on the fringes of society. They do not conform to societal ideals of model children and are portrayed as incomplete and flawed. Despite the mother's intentions of making plans for them or expressing her grief on their behalf, her love alone cannot bridge the gap between their reality and her aspirations for them. The metaphorical "stone" necessary for shaping their identities remains out of reach. These "little halves" are intimately connected to the mother, constituting her own flesh. She can only be validated as a mother if her "little halves" receive approval. However, their imperfections are solidified and frozen like autumn, preventing their growth and development.

The opening line sets the tone by expressing the speaker's concern for her children's well-being. The children are referred to as "poor" and "leastwise of the land," emphasizing their disadvantaged position in society. The use of the word "lepers" further emphasizes their social exclusion and the stigmatization they face due to being black Americans:

"What shall I give my children? who are poor,
Who are adjudged the leastwise of the land,
Who are my sweetest lepers, who demand
No velvet and no velvety velour;"


The second quatrain continues to highlight the children's plight. They are described as seeking a "brisk contour," which can be interpreted as a desire for a better life, opportunities, and a sense of belonging. The term "quasi, contraband" suggests that they feel like outcasts or illegal entities due to their incomplete development and lack of societal acceptance. The children long for recognition and affirmation from a world that views them as less than worthy:

"But who have begged me for a brisk contour,
Crying that they are quasi, contraband
Because unfinished, graven by a hand
Less than angelic, admirable or sure."

In the third stanza, the speaker reflects on her own capabilities. She acknowledges possessing skill, talent, and creative ideas ("mode, design, device") but lacks the necessary resources and support to bring them to fruition. The reference to a "proper stone" symbolizes a suitable medium or platform for the speaker to express herself fully. Without access to this resource, her ideas remain unfulfilled, and her potential remains untapped:

"My hand is stuffed with mode, design, device.
But I lack access to my proper stone
And plenitude of plan shall not suffice
Nor grief nor love shall be enough alone"

The final two lines of the poem evoke a sense of desolation and the pervasive nature of the children's struggles. The image of an "autumn freezing everywhere" represents the harsh reality they face, extending beyond a single location or season. It emphasizes the pervasive nature of their poverty and the challenges they encounter:

"To ratify my little halves who bear
Across an autumn freezing everywhere . . ."

Overall, "What Shall I Give My Children" explores the desperate desire of a mother to provide a better life for her marginalized black children. The poem highlights the injustices and limitations they face due to their socioeconomic status. It conveys a sense of frustration and helplessness while shedding light on the profound struggles experienced by those living in poverty.

Ardhendu De

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