Jackie Kay and the Discovery of the Complex Self Angeliki Syrlantzi 12th Grade

A heedful exploration of Jackie Kay’s corpus, whether prose, poetry, or nonfiction, allows for identifying patterns and linguistic mechanisms employed by the Scottish poet, who alludes to thematic preoccupations such as race, sexuality, and belonging—a personal story, with sadness and humor that goes beyond academic categorizations and theories. Kay’s upbringing as a black child in a predominantly white, Glaswegian setting influenced her to both want to belong and to understand her differences while retracing her origins. Interestingly, the thematics she implements align with her personal experiences and inherent lore, symbolizing courage and deeming her works emblematically inspiring. Her complex life translates into her simple yet moving writing, usually linked to female figures.

The Scottish poet deals with matters of belonging regarding the importance of affiliation and knowing where her home is. This theme is present in many of her poems, as race plays a pivotal role in who she is and her heritage but is also a hindrance to her welfare. Jackie Kay was adopted by a white couple, a great shock to the 60s adoption culture, where interracial families were uncommon. In detail, she demonstrates this condemnation through her...