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Literature

A litany for survival is a poem written by an American poet and civil rights activist,

Audre Lorde. She uses this poem to talk to anyone who is not meant to survive in this violent

world, such as those who are incapable of reaching their dreams, unable to express their love,

always on the lookout, and those who prioritize their children's dreams instead of theirs,

among others. These people have fear, a great contribution from how their mothers raise

them. Dominant members of society use fear as a weapon. They force people to keep silent to

guarantee their safety, resulting in oppression. She provides a detailed description of how

oppressed people are uncomfortable and insecure even when good things happen. They fear it

will not happen again, or something bad will follow. However, according to Lorde, these

people continue to undergo oppression in the name of silence. Lorde heartens the people to

speak up against the prejudiced society by stating, "so it is better to speak/ remembering/ we

were never meant to survive" (Lorde: Lines 42-44). My main focus is the theme of fear which

is fully evident throughout the poem.

Fear is an emotion that influences people to perceive something as dangerous or

harmful. Audre Lorde explains how oppressed people live in constant fear and are forced to

stay silent for them to survive. Vulnerable people do not have freedom like other people.

They have no option but to live with the oppressive situations surrounding them. Some are

forced to 'love in doorways" and "in the hours between dawns" (Lorde: Lines 6-7), an

instance that mostly occurs among LGBTQ individuals. They do not have the freedom of
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fully expressing their love publicly since they fear being criticized by the public, which as a

result, affects their safety.

People also live in fear regardless of whether things are going well or not, since they

are uncertain of the future. They can only focus on what is going on at the moment since it is

impossible for them to "indulge/ the passing dreams of choice" (Lorde: Lines 4-5). This

reveals the fear that has built up among these people since they are stuck to what is currently

happening and do not have any thoughts concerning their future. Audre also reveals that these

vulnerable people cannot enjoy the goodness of the moment since they fear what will happen

next. As a result, they cannot experience the full joy of great things such as the sun's rising

since they are afraid "it might not remain." They also fear eating well and getting full since

they are "afraid/ of indigestion." In addition, they fear being loved because they believe "love

will vanish" (Lorde: Lines 25-34).

In conclusion, oppressed people live in fear in such a way that they are afraid of

voicing their opinions so that they can survive in this violent world. They have a possibility

of gaining something positive by voicing out their concerns and fighting for a better living

full of freedom and happiness. However, they are incapable of fighting for better change

since they are afraid of speaking up. Audre suggests that this fear will not help them, and they

should instead speak up. They have nothing to lose by speaking up because they are already

subjected to fear. Living a life full of fear is not worthwhile because life should to be enjoyed

despite the challenges it brings with it.

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References

Lorde, Audre. "A Litany For Survival By Audre Lorde | Poetry Foundation". Poetry

Foundation, 2022, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/147275/a-litany-for-

survival.