Dialogical Triads and Dynamic Identity in Gwendolyn Brooks’s Poetry

Building on Heidegger’s existential thesis that “Sein” (being) is essentially “Mitsein” (cobeing),” and on his own theory of Dialogical Self, Hubert Hermans, a Duch psychologist, makes a strong case that our contemporary boundary-crossing society creates a dialogical self-construction. According to Hermans, “a dialogical self consists of several I-positions and counter positions. The dialogicality of the self “allows for movements between self and other as “its extension” (Hermans 532, 2017). Peter Raggatt further suggests that this fluidity engenders the formation of new chronotopes. These chronotopes emerge through dialogical triads involving an I-position, a counter position, and mediators labeled as "ambiguous signifiers" by Raggatt. These ambiguous signifiers function as catalysts for the development of new chronotopes, thereby creating a dynamic and dialogical self-repertoire.

The current paper explores the poetry of Gwendolyn Brooks through the lens of dialogical-self positioning theory. It proposes that Brooks's poetry serves as a reflection of the diverse self-repertoire within African American society, encompassing a range of distinct and sometimes conflicting I-positions. The paper examines various personal chronotopes and dialogical triads within Brooks's narrative poems, highlighting the interplay between I-positions and counter positions. The analysis reveals that the discussed poems embody both reflexive and social forms of positioning, showcasing the dynamic nature of the dialogical self.