I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings And Still I Rise By Maya...

Poems of Color The poems â€Å" I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings† and â€Å"Still I Rise† by Maya Angelou are both poems that speak on the issues of the mistreatment of African Americans, and how these challenges were created simply by the color of one’s skin and overcome. While the poems â€Å"Mother To Son† and â€Å" Dreams† by Langston Hughes refer to the hopes of African Americans for a better standard of living, and the consequences of departing from these dreams of bettering themselves. This comparison of these four poems is important because all four aim to better society for African Americans, and inform the population struggles that they maybe be able to relate, and provide them with the inspiration to keep pushing forward. These poems explain why the desire for equality was so important to African americans at this time, and what they had to go through to get it. I believe that these poems are all used as methods of expression, information , as well as rebellion against the racial in injustice that was suffered for so long. â€Å"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings† depicts two birds which are used as metaphors to express the state in which the two classes of people live. In one description the poem describes the standard of living of a bird of privilege which alludes to the lives of whites. Then it describes caged birds whom of which are crying out for freedom, and are meant to represent African Americans during this time. It describes the feeling of being trapped and calling out forShow MoreRelatedMaya Angelou1001 Words   |  5 PagesMaya Angelou You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness. But still, like air, Ill rise. Have you ever been so influenced by such a small amount of powerful words? This brilliant quote extracted from Maya Angelous own poem, Still I Rise, basically brings out the spirit and nature of each of her publications. Maya Angelous works of poetry are seen as inspiration for those who have been discriminated for their public appearances. AsRead MoreAnalysis Of Maya Angelou s Caged Bird 1835 Words   |  8 PagesApril 4, 2016 Women’s Power Because I live in a community with a majority black population, it is very easy to know all of the famous African American people. Growing up with my grandparents, I always heard a lot about the loving Dr. Maya Angelou. She was a tremendous figure in their lives and a phenomenal woman. One day my family was sitting outside, and my mom was reading a book with a lot of famous poems. The one she read aloud was Maya Angelou’s poem â€Å"Caged Bird.† She was so emotional reading thisRead MoreEssay Personal Perseverance in the Works of Maya Angelou1313 Words   |  6 PagesPerseverance in the Works of Maya Angelou      Ã‚  Ã‚   Internationally respected brilliant poet, historian, and author Maya Angelou says in all my work I try to tell the human truth-what it is like to be human...what makes us stumble and fumbleand fall and somehow miraculously rise and go on from the darkness and into the light (Ebony 96). This theme is consistently exemplified throughout Angelous greatly acclaimed autobiographical worksand poems such as I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, Gather Together inRead MoreEssay about The Writings of Maya Angelou 1920 Words   |  8 PagesMaya Angelou is an author and poet who has risen to fame for her emotionally filled novels and her deep, heartfelt poetry. Her novels mainly focus on her life and humanity with special emphasis on her ideas of what it means to live. The way she utilizes many different styles to grab and keep readers’ attention through something as simple as an autobiography is astounding. This command of the English language and the grace with which she w rites allows for a pleasant reading experience. Her styleRead More Maya Angelou as a Caged Bird Essay1153 Words   |  5 PagesMaya Angelou as a Caged Bird    The graduation scene from I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings illustrates how, living in the midst of racism and unequal access to opportunity, Maya Angelou was able to surmount the obstacles that stood in her way of intellectual develop and find higher ground.   One of the largest factors responsible for Angelous academic success was her dedication to and capacity for hard work, My work alone has awarded me a top place...No absences, no tardinesses, and my academicRead More`` Speak, By The Maya Angelou1137 Words   |  5 Pageswriter, the late Maya Angelou. This statement also aligns to a 1999 contemporary classic novel, Speak, where a young freshman, Melinda Sordino, faces isolation and depression to an event that occurred over the summer, one that only she knows about. In the novel, Melinda hangs up a poster of Maya Angelou in her make-shift janitor’s closet hangout. Laurie Halse Anderson uses Maya Angelou as a figure for Melinda to learn and change by in the novel Speak. Me linda could learn from Angelou that she can standRead MoreSojourner Truth And Maya Angelou Essay1505 Words   |  7 Pagescenturies, Maya Angelou and Sojourner Truth led parallel fights for African American equality. Despite living in different time periods, both of these women laid the groundwork for activists to come. Sojourner Truth was born into slavery in 1797, she later escaped which led her to become an abolitionist to fight for the freedom of others. Maya Angelou was born almost 150 years later in 1928, and faced much of the same hate-fuelled racism. Living in the south during the Civil Rights Era pushed Angelou toRead MoreI Know Why The Caged Bird Sings By Maya Angelou Essay2303 Words   |  10 Pagescolour, descent, nationality or ethnic origin. And it still is happening today. One of the quotes that Maya Angelou spoke about goes â€Å"History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.† In two of the poems written by Maya Angelou ‘I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings,’ which inspired millions of readers helped tackle difficulties related to themes such as racism, sexual abuse, equality. â€Å"Still I Rise† explores the idea of racial discrimination alongRead MoreMaya Angelou Research Notes1165 Words   |  5 PagesMaya Angelou Research Notes First source: Maya Angelou. Poetry Foundation, 2013. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. †¢ Childhood: o Maya Angelou was born in St. Louis, Missouri. o During her childhood, she lived in Stamps, Arkansas with her grandmother and her brother. o Angelou was sexually assaulted by her mothers boyfriend when she was seven years old. o Angelou’s uncles killed him when they found out about the assault. Although she was the victim of a heinous crime, Maya Angelou felt responsible for hisRead MorePoetry Is The Spontaneous Overflow Of Powerful Feelings1752 Words   |  8 Pages1928, the African American poet Maya Angelou was brought into a white male dominated world made to abnegate her existence as anything of value. At the age of eight, she became victim to the social hierarchy which saw her raped. Too traumatised to speak out, Maya shared her distraught with her brother which soon resulted in the death of her rapist. It was at this stage of her life that Maya realized the power of her words and as a result became mute for 5 years. Maya later found herself within degrading