Critical Response to Many Rivers to Cross by June Jordan - Book Report/Review Example

It is undeniable that the life experiences of writers definitely play an important role in whatever they write. “Many Rivers to Cross” by June Jordan confirms this. Right from the very first paragraph, the reader is inundated with how a number of past experiences led her present circumstance. While doing this, she does not fail to depict how narrow-mindedness, racism and gender discrimination was instrumental in bringing her to the place she finds herself. Really, in some cases, some women even become the breadwinners in their home.

They are given so much responsibility and much is expected from them, but they are never really appreciated.While reading it, one would easily notice Jordan’s unique manner of narration—the way she transposes between the past and the present. One is inevitably led to believe that the connection between her past and present is undeniable. Of course, the experiences she narrates are not just her but also those of marginalised women all over the world, not just Africans and those that have African root.

Thus, June Jordan’s essay effective serves one of the purposes of literature which to creatively represent the (unvoiced) ideal and “unideals” of people. It must be noted that June Jordan is not the first person to write on these issues. One other person that has written on it is Alice Walker (Walker 7). Like Jordan, many of what one reads in Walker’s works is not just her but about many others like her.