Zami: A New Spelling of My Name

The author uses italics at various points throughout the book: sometimes poetic sentences are italicized in the chapters and sometimes entire sections, such as the Prologue, are italicized. Why are these sections/sentences italicized? What purpose do the italicized portions of text serve in regard to the rest ofZami?

One of the only visible male characters throughout the book is Audre’s father, Byron. Why do you think there is such a dearth of male characters? Why does Lorde choose to only focus on female characters? How does this abundance of female characters play into the plot and themes of the book?

Many of the book’s descriptions—of female smells, of places—revolve around food. Why do you believe Lorde describes places and people in terms of food? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.