Summary Of Nikki Giovanni's Ego Tripping

What if you wake up feeling like a boss, on top of the world, so powerful that nothing can destroy you? Nikki Giovanni was a black female born in Ohio. She visited Africa in 1972, the year Ego Tripping was published. That same year was when many civilizations were finding their origins. Giovanni celebrates being a black female with a huge ego during that time, so big that she seems to be tripping over it. In “Ego Tripping.” Nikki Giovanni uses allusion, simile, metaphor and symbolism to show that her self-confidence makes her feel powerful and invincible.
Giovanni thinks of herself as a female goddess, proudly being black and achieving highly. She alludes to the Sphinx and the pyramids of Egypt. Giovanni states, “I walked to the fertile crescent …show more content…
Her allusion to the pyramids shows superiority, building a pyramid for a star to fall perfectly on its pointy top is only to be done by someone powerful. As she affirms, “I designed a pyramid so tough that a star that only glows...the center giving divine perfect light.” (4/6). Her creation of the Sphinx and Egyptian pyramids shows her power. Through these events that demonstrate power she begins to feel invincible.
Giovanni’s fame and ability to contribute much continues in stanzas 2-7 by exemplifying her awesomeness. Giovanni uses symbolism: “ My oldest daughter is Nefertiti the tears from my birth pains created the Nile.” (12/14) elaborating that Nile symbols her tremendous capacity because even her tears are powerful that they created the Nile River. The Nile River is the longest river in the world and was an important aspect in Egyptian time because they used it for seasons. She uses the longest river in the river in the world to express how powerful she is. Giovanni implies, “ I am a gazelle so swift so swift you can’t catch me.” (21/22) meaning that she is the fastest due to being a gazelle one of the fastest animals in the world. She is unstoppable and can even “burned out the