Figurative Language In Maya Angelou's Caged Bird

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The power of expression in writing and speaking incorporate clarity of thoughts and meaning, resonance, melody of feelings, and elucidate experiences and perspectives. Expression in writing and speaking aids in conveying knowledge and emotions to encourage and inspire the reader and audience. Words exemplify reality and imagination by the inspiring presence of freedom and independence, isolation and oppression, and hope and optimism for the forthcoming destiny. In her poem, Caged Bird, Maya Angelou utilizes sound devices, imagery, and figurative language, for instance, symbolism and juxtaposition to depict the restrictions of freedoms and rights and the hope and aspiration that originate with the boundaries or obstacles that hinders the caged …show more content…
In the second stanza, she writes “down his narrow cage / can seldom see through / his bars of rage” to assist the reader in feeling the frustration and rage of the caged bird, earning the reader’s sympathy and melancholy over the bird’s circumstances (Angelou). In contrast, by asserting in the fourth stanza “and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn,” she paints a picture of the pleasures of freedom as the free bird easily enjoys the fat worm on a lively lawn. In addition, “[the bird’s] tune is hear[ed] / on the distant hill / for the caged bird / [sang] of freedom.” (Angelou). In the last stanza, the sound sensory helps draw an image of how the bird recognizes that it will never be set free, yet has hope that one it may be freed as it continues to “sing of freedom” audibly and powerful (Angelou). Angelou utilizes figurative language such as symbolism and juxtaposition to illustrate the difference between imprisonment and freedom. The “Caged Bird” poem is a symbolism of the free human, who has the right and will to follow his dreams and undertake his aspiration, and an imprisoned person, who is limited and encumbered by numerous barriers that hinders his ability to fulfill his ambitious, yet has hope that one day he will be set free. Furthermore, the poet uses juxtaposition, in order to construct her two ideas together for the tendency to contrast the differences between the caged bird and the free

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