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Audre Lorde accurately portrays the experience and tribulations of a teenager during adolescences. The poem not only describes the physical changes of a teen but also the mental changes which affect the outcome of the future. During this time of growth emotions are rapid, and new understandings of life and death are reached. Hanging Fires teen feels isolated from the world just like how most teens feel during some point of their life.
Adolescence is a time for physical growth; change of voice, increase height, increase acne, and other physical changes. These changes are not always for the best and in fact may betray you as seen in the poem. If interpreting the poem as teen that is not facing racism, then the phrase “my skin has betrayed me” may indicate acne, which everyone dreads. Physical appearance is an important issue with most teens, and Audre Lorde demonstrates the importance of looks through the phrases “..Knees.. ashy..,” and “wearing braces.” These things seem to trouble the fourteen-year girl in the poem as it would with other teens with the same situation.
Fitting in with everyone else might be the most important issue for a teen. If a teen feels that he doesnt fit in then he/she will feel isolated from the world. The girl in the poem is also isolated and has no one to turn because some how the mother has blocked the girl from seeking her. From isolation the teen in the poem doesnt care about graduation, and in fact it may be inferred that she would rather be dead than go through these trivial things such as graduation. I would not say that teens want to die, but they do become aware of the concepts of death.
Audre does portray the characteristics of teens today, and that of the past. Teens will always be concerned with physical appearance, and will complain about things like “how small their rooms are.” When reaching teenage years new knowledge of life and death is gained.