Men We Reaped

The title of Jesmyn Ward’s memoir comes from the epigraph quoting Harriet Tubman. Analyze the epigraph and discuss the significance of the memoir’s title. Why do you think Ward chose this title, and how does it convey her purpose in writing this memoir?

At the end of her memoir, Ward recalls a drive she took with her brother Joshua and the song he played for her. Analyze the lyrics of Ghostface Killah’s “All I Got Is You,” then discuss how the song’s themes inform the themes of Ward’s memoir.

Consider the two narrative structures Ward employs to organize her memoir. Why does Ward choose each narrative structure? How do the two narrative structures intersect, and what is the result of this intersection?