Home Body By Rupi Kaur: Conversation Starters 3v2u5r

Conversation Starters On

––––––––

Home Body Rupi Kaur

––––––––

By dailyBooks

: THROUGH YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND FIELD EXPERTISE, from newspaper featured book clubs to local library chapters, dailyBooks can bring your book discussion to life. Host your book meets as we discuss some of today’s most widely read books. Copyright © 2021 by dailyBooks. All Rights Reserved. Published in the United States of America Disclaimer: This is an unofficial conversation starters guide. If you have not yet read the original work we encourage you to do so first before reading this Conversation Starters Product names, logos, brands, and other trademarks featured or referred to within this publication are the property of their respective trademark holders and are not d with dailyBooks. The publisher and author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of these contents and disclaim all warranties such as warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. This guide is unofficial and unauthorized. It is not authorized, approved, licensed, or endorsed by the original book's author or publisher and any of their licensees or s. No part of this publication may be reproduced or retransmitted, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the publisher.

Tips for Using dailyBooks Conversation Starters: EVERY GOOD BOOK CONTAINS A WORLD FAR DEEPER THAN the surface of its pages. The characters and their world come alive through the words on the pages, yet the characters and its world still live on. Questions herein are designed to bring us beneath the surface of the page and invite us into the world that lives on. These questions can be used to:

Foster a deeper understanding of the book Promote an atmosphere of discussion for groups Assist in the study of the book, either individually or corporately Explore unseen realms of the book as never seen before

Table of Contents

Introducing Home Body Introducing Rupi Kaur Inspiration Behind Home Body Discussion Questions Quiz Questions Quiz Answers

Introducing Home Body

Today I saw myself for the first time When I dusted off the mirror of my mind And the woman looking back took my breath away Written on page 152, Rupi Kaur just came back from touring London in 2018 and decided to seriously start her third poetry collection Home Body. “This is the time where I'm getting comfortable itting to the people in my life that, ‘Hey I'm struggling with depression and I need to get help,’" she said. Since November 17, 2020, Kaur has been promoting her newest collection of social media poetry. She cemented her mainstream literary fame through her first collection, Milk and Honey (2014), which immediately became a bestseller in the same year it was published. With her latest release, Kaur thought about continuing her style of crafting raw and honest poems that uncloak the vulnerability of human nature. The book deals with womanhood, mood disorders (e.g., anxiety and depression), sexuality, love, loss, etc. Although the subject matters can also be seen in Kaur's previous two works, Home Body provides more substance as she discusses topics beyond self-concept. Each entry is seen to be of strict brevity, but even with her simple use of vocabulary, Kaur did not disappoint as fans shared the way the poems go straight to the pith of her point. Kaur felt so much weight when the pandemic first struck in 2020. “And it’s a culmination of the weight of your own life, and then the weight of everything else that is going on: these mass shootings, the COVID situation in India where over 3,000 people are dying every day, half a million farmers are still protesting, fascism, climate change,” she said. Presenting the verities from encountering problems to finding joys, the book connects pain and happiness like two sides of the same coin. For instance, in "never be quiet," as the poem narrates the pain inflicted upon the narrator, the heartache that was felt was not what's emphasized, but the way it helped in seeing oneself in a higher light. Moreover, using Home Body as the title of the book and the first poem in it indicates her main goal for the book: an evocation of identity as the mind frees itself from

entanglements. The mind that was once disconnected from the body has finally returned to be united as one. With healing as its theme, the book is made perfect for people during the global pandemic. As people isolate themselves from one another, loneliness and other negative emotions would come barging in through the front doors of their hearts. Everyone is in need of a breath of fresh air, and Kaur's poems offer just that. With this, Home Body not only serves as poetry but also as a self-help book. With the use of metaphors and similes, the complexity of discussing feelings and emotions is explored in a whole different light. Humans tend to overlook certain things in life that may have contributed to their sense of being. With Kaur's poems, the unexplored portals of human nature will make the readers examine themselves, the people around them, and their life choices. A human is not only made of body parts, living only as a part of the circle of life— we are divine creatures filled with inexplicable facets that make us stand above all living things in this world. Humans are made with love, and thus, we are love. The book's poems also include relatable experiences regarding romance, most of which involve sad endings that still empower women as they find themselves in the end. Women do not exist with the sole purpose of child-bearing. With Kaur's poems, all women are offered different opportunities to live life, no matter how difficult it may be. Moreover, Kaur raises awareness on how societies in different parts of the world are like with people suffering from prejudice and discrimination—especially racism. Notable events have happened since the pandemic, and Kaur's poems resonate with the victims of hate. Every individual may have battles no one knows about, but everyone has to know that they are not alone. With every line, Kaur represents the people who couldn’t find their own voice, encouraging them that even in silence, they are heard. The title Home Body says it all with the overall context of the book: a home is where people return to, and in Kaur’s book, home pertains to the self. Oftentimes, we get busy with our everyday lives until there's no time to do anything at night but sleep. Making time for oneself is vital for one's growth— cast away the burdens that block the window to the soul, healing, and self-love.

Introducing Rupi Kaur

After her debut collection Milk and Honey (2014) became a hit, fans poured out their in anticipation for Rupi Kaur's next works. With a concept for Home Body in mind, Kaur instantly felt pressure as she started getting right into her poems. Eventually, she suffered from impostor syndrome. This psychological syndrome is common amongst artists, experiencing an internal crisis where they start to feel incompetent in their craft. Telling herself Home Body will never meet up with her previous works, she thought, “And then I'm going to have to live in a cave somewhere because people are going to realize that I'm not the real deal, whatever the hell that means." To shed light on her book's context, Kaur explained on an Instagram post that she wrote Home Body in the midst of self-doubt and depression that she had long before she came to prominence. Also, Kaur once considered herself as a "bulldozer" and itted to overlooking her mental health issues. However, along with the pressure was the help she got from the people she trusts. She fought her demons, and the subjects she tackled through poetry turned into a love letter for the self. Moreover, what happened on March 23, 2015, awakened her senses towards awareness of the degradation of women. Kaur posted a controversial photo of herself lying on her side with her period-stained sweatpants. It was for a project, and her photo instantly “broke the internet” as it received public backlash. People called her out and reported the photo she took until it got deleted. Kaur found the people's reaction unacceptable, writing how menstruation is a natural process that happens to women before reposting it on her Instagram page. However, what established Kaur’s following was her free verse poetry written in Instagram format. Readers are easily pulled into the raw expression of her messages. The lines take up a small portion of the page, and on the blank spaces, she illustrated the subjects through line art. Kaur is also an illustrator; she felt guilty when she had let go of her ion for visual arts in the past and so, she devised a way to “marry” art and poetry.

At 28 years of age, she outdid her past performances and garnered recognition from many people. Selling over 8 million copies of her works worldwide, Kaur’s audience continued to grow. However, her courage brought forth another challenge in her life. Kaur found that her anxiety may not ever leave her, one thing that she still wrestles with until now. Despite facing her own battles, Kaur took advantage of the afflictions caused by the pandemic by helping others get back on their feet and cope with the current state of the world. She documented her journey with Home Body on her on Instagram, inspiring her 4.3 million and counting followers. Rupi Kaur's Home Body tells us about the common negativities that haunt us— depression, anxiety, sexual assault, rape, love, masturbation—and relates a story of hope. Readers take it as an embrace of a writer who holds her readers close as much as she can.

Inspiration Behind Home Body

In every entry, little by little Rupi Kaur learned many things about herself as she wrote her new book, Home Body. Once the collection was done, she recognized her work as a love letter to the self—teaching us how taking the time for oneself to be filled with love is vital. "Together, a better world is possible,” Kaur advocates as she shares her excitement about her new collection. Designed by Kaur in her distinct simple style, themes of personal exploration are discovered in the book’s pages. Aside from self-acceptance, Home Body is a continuation of Kaur’s submergence on sensitive topics on love and loss, reaction and recovery, femininity, and migration. Kaur's works are known for their modesty and inclusivity, dealing with different topics that explore human nature. Readers found her works powerful and healing. Kirsty Melville, president, and publisher of Andrews McMeel Universal welcomes the anticipating fans, saying, “Her work continues to inspire with poems and illustrations that resonate with authenticity, openness, hope, and love. The arrival of ‘Home Body’ could not come at a better time.” Difficulties in publishing were faced because of the pandemic, but nevertheless, no shortage of pre-orders happened with Kaur's Home Body. Through the author's dedication to promoting her new work through Instagram Reels and IGTV, more and more readers purchased her third collection on Amazon. For instance, she posted a video on Instagram on July 29 with the caption: “Book 3 illustrations are now in progress! I only have a few more to draw before this baby is done.” Along with the video of herself drawing, she inspires her fans by telling the genesis of her ion for art and poetry. Kaur regrets having neglected drawing until 2013 because now she couldn't present her poetry without putting illustrations for them. In the midst of a global health emergency, Kaur devised a way to connect to her readers and help alleviate the pains caused by the pandemic through writing. As a person battling mental health issues, she sets it as her mission to provide a sense of community across the country. After the book's release, she consistently posts not only her success but also the challenges she faced to flourish Home Body.

Casting light on how she's doing after bravely facing her wounds, Kaur announced that she may not have fully recovered from anxiety and depression. However, with the help of the people she trusts, checking on her, and helping her voice out her pains, she is now doing well and is able to deal with her negative thoughts and sur her subject matters when writing poems. "This book [Home Body] couldn't and wouldn't be possible if they weren't there to pick up my broken pieces," Kaur said. Furthermore, as a female Indian author, Kaur also made sure to tackle social inequalities in her poems. This became an essential topic to address the longstanding systemic health inequity that put racial and ethnic minority groups at an increased risk to COVID-19. Home Body became #1 in Death, Grief & Loss Poetry (Books), #1 in Poetry by Women, and #2 in Love Poems in the Amazon's Best Sellers category rankings. Showering the book with praises, USA Today takes part in recognizing Kaur's rise to prominence, writing, “At age 24, Rupi Kaur has been called the voice of her generation.”

Discussion Questions

question 1 What made you read Home Body? Did someone recommend it to you? Did you anticipate its release?

question 2 Have you read Milk and Honey or The Sun and Her Flowers (2017) before reading her most recent collection? If so, how would you compare her previous works to Home Body? What’s new in this book?

question 3 Out of all the themes in the book, which of them did you resonate with the most? How did you take them? Is there anything you’ve learned from the poems?

question 4 How do you deal with pain? How do you face them? Do you find Kaur relatable with her experiences?

question 5 Among the poems written, which do you think will make the most impact in society? How come?

question 6 How can the mind get disconnected from the body? How does that work? Do you find this relatable?

question 7 In what ways do you find Kaur’s book healing? Would you also consider it as a self-help book? Why or why not?

question 8 How are we considered divine creatures? Do you consider yourself as one? How do you see yourself?

question 9 In Home Body, Kaur delves into unexplored portals that aim to make readers reflect. Do you have any portals that are yet to be explored?

question 10 How did Kaur empower women with her poems? Do you have any favorite lines? What makes it outstanding for you?

question 11 How did Kaur address social problems in the book? How is it relevant to the current state of the world? Did she manage to address them properly?

question 12 Do you ever make time to get to know yourself? If so, how long did it take you to truly know yourself? If not, how do you plan to do so?

question 13 Before reading the book, what do you consider as your “home”? Why? After reading, how did you reflect?

question 14 What can you say about poetry? How different is it from other forms of writing in of impact?

question 15 How do you feel after finishing the book? What instantly came to mind once you closed it? Do you think it will stick in your memory for quite some time?

question 16 Who is Rupi Kaur? How did she become a popular writer? What kind of topics do her works deal with?

question 17 Are Kaur's works, especially Home Body, for everyone? As you read, can you determine her target audience?

question 18 How is Kaur’s writing? Do you consider her book an easy read?

question 19 Is there an entry you didn’t like or disagree with? If so, why? How would you alter it?

question 20 What does it mean to have imposter syndrome? Have you ever felt that way? How did you overcome it?

question 21 What happens when people choose to overlook what troubles them? Why do some people, like Kaur, do so? Is it possible for a person to be oblivious of their feelings? How?

question 22 Do you find Kaur's mental state relatable? What are the potential risks of facing your inner demons? How do you prevent yourself from running away from them?

question 23 How did Kaur break the internet? Why do you think her photo was reported by many people? Which side are you on?

question 24 What other topics do you think deserve to be in the spotlight? Give instances that would your stand. Furthermore, how do you show your for certain advocacies?

question 25 Why do you think Kaur's works sold millions of copies? What makes her poems different from other writers' works that discuss the same topics? Do you know of any other writers whose works can be compared to Kaur's?

question 26 Do you think Kaur's style is unique? Why or why not? How does putting illustrations help in delivering a poem's message?

question 27 Kaur's poems are also a reflection of herself. What does the book say about the author? What can you say about the author?

question 28 Now that the world is still fighting the pandemic, how can people help one another? Would virtual communication suffice? Why or why not?

question 29 Have you watched Kaur spoken poetry performances on stage? If so, what can you say about her performance? Does she know how to reach her audience?

question 30 Would you recommend reading Home Body? Why or why not? How would you rate it?

question 31 Why is the book a love letter to the self? Can you give an example based on the collection to the concept? Did it feel that way to you as you read?

question 32 How did you feel about the sensitive topics included in Kaur's book? Do you think such topics should be discussed more? Why or why not?

question 33 How would you describe the book? Do you also find it powerful and healing? Why or why not?

question 34 How can voicing out your troubles to other people help you heal? How does it work? Is it effective for you?

question 35 Does Kaur deserve the fame she is experiencing right now? Why or why not? Does she possess the attributes of a good advocate?

question 36 What if you were to write about what goes on your mind? Can you? How do you feel about sharing what goes on inside your head with other people?

question 37 Try to put yourself in Kaur's shoes. What if you have trouble opening up to people but still want to let your feelings out? How would you help yourself muster up the strength to be more vocal about your feelings?

question 38 If you were to decide which amongst the poems will be on the back cover, what would it be? Why? How does it resonate with you?

question 39 What if the book is based on your life? What themes should you put in the book? Why?

question 40 What if the book wasn't released during the pandemic? Would it make the same impact as it did now? How so?

question 41 What if the poems combined are personified? Do you know anyone who could match the tone of the texts? If so, what do you think of that person?

question 42 What if Kaur's poems were rhymed rather than free verse? Would it change the overall tone of the book? How so?

question 43 Kaur's book becomes a collection of different people's poems. If you were to write a poem to include in the book, how would it go? What made you write it?

question 44 What if you were to give Home Body a new title? What would it be? Why?

question 45 What if you were to decide on Kaur's next collection? What kind of topics do you want her to tackle? Why?

Quiz Questions

question 1 Rupi Kaur just came back from touring _______ in 2018 and decided to seriously start her third collection Home Body. “This is the time where I'm getting comfortable itting to the people in my life that ‘Hey I'm struggling with depression and I need to get help,’" she said.

question 2 With __________ as its theme, the book is made perfect for people during the global pandemic. As people isolate themselves from one another, loneliness and other negative emotions would come barging in through the front doors of their hearts. Everyone is in need of a breath of fresh air, and Kaur's poems offer just that.

question 3 After her debut collection _______________ (2014) became a hit, fans poured in their anticipation for Rupi Kaur's next works. With a concept for Home Body in mind, Kaur instantly felt pressure as she started getting right into her poems. Eventually, she suffered from impostor syndrome. This psychological syndrome is common amongst artists, experiencing an internal conflict where they start to feel incompetent with their craft.

question 4 Moreover, what happened on March 23, 2015, awakened her senses towards awareness of the degradation of women. Kaur posted a controversial photo of herself lying on her side with her period-stained sweatpants. It was for a project, and her photo instantly “broke the ___________” as it received public backlash.

question 5 Difficulties in publishing were faced because of the pandemic, but nevertheless, no shortage of pre-orders happened with Kaur's Home Body. Through the author's dedication to promoting her new work through Instagram Reels and IGTV, more and more readers purchased her third collection on _____________.

question 6 In the midst of a global health emergency, Kaur devised a way to connect to her readers and help alleviate the pains caused by the pandemic through writing. As a person battling with mental health issues, she sets it as her mission to provide a sense of ___________ across the country. After the book's release, she consistently posts not only her success but also the challenges she faced to flourish Home Body.

question 7 True or False: Rupi Kaur is an African-American writer. Aside from writing poems, she makes time doing the other thing she loves to do: animating her works. Kaur's fans loved her illustrations, so whenever she is about to release a new collection, they would expect an art adaptation for it to follow.

question 8 True or False: Home Body is Kaur's most recent collection. It was published on November 17, 2020. Her poems include topics centered on love and loss, trauma and healing, and social injustice.

question 9 True or False: Kaur faced plenty of challenges while writing the book. As she tried to reflect and write about her feelings, her depression and anxiety would kick in, making it difficult for her to help herself heal. Nonetheless, with the help of the people she trusts, Kaur began being more vocal about her mental state.

question 10 True or False: Kaur has another collection coming up this December. Entitled Milk and Honey, the author aims to continue writing poems with the self as the theme. This time, however, her focus would be on telling the story through the lens of other individuals.

question 11 True or False: Kaur is now a renowned poet. She would do spoken poetry at different events, including TEDx Talks. Her appearances helped her garner more fans, receiving compliments as she stirred them through her outstanding performance.

question 12 True or False: For Kaur, her home is books. She its to feeling anxious every time on stage, but as a part of her therapy, she still does her best to perform. Kaur then goes home and calms herself through reading.

Quiz Answers

London Healing Milk and Honey Internet Amazon Community False True True False True False

THANK YOU

––––––––

YOUR VOICE MATTERS. PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW. If you enjoyed this book and it has helped you, we’d love to hear from you.

Bonus s Get Free Books with Any Purchase of Conversation Starters

Every purchase comes with a FREE !

or Click Here.

Scan Your Phone

Ways to Continue Your Reading

E VERY month, our team runs through a wide selection of books to pick the best titles for readers and reading groups, and promotes these titles to our thousands of readers – sometimes with free s, sale dates, and additional brochures. Want to yourself or a book group? It’s free and takes 1-click. Thank You.