The civil rights movement was a time in history that made an impact on the people of America. It was an era when society was trying to make the segregation between black and whites , disappear. Maya Angelou grew up during this time period and went through the stress of having people discriminate on her because of her skin color. The civil rights movement made a personal influence on Maya Angelou’s poetry, as revealed in her poems , “ I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”, and ,” Still I Rise”. Growing up during the 1930’s was difficult for Maya Angelou because it was a time of discrimination and separation. Angelou was born in year 1928 , state of Missouri, and was later moved to live with her grandmother in Arkansas after her parents had
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Angelou used a strategy when she wrote this poem, having every couple stanzas going from the free bird, to the caged bird and showing their roles in society at the time. In the poem, the free bird symbolizes the white people in society, and the caged bird symbolizes African Americans. In the first stanza, Angelou is explaining how the white people see a different side of the world as compared to the black people. For example, it is said that ,” the free bird leaps,” and ,” dips his wings in the orange sun rays”, meaning that the white people are free. They can do anything they want. In the fourth stanza, it is said that the free bird,” names the sky his own”. This shows that at the time, the white people in society gave them a sense of power over blacks. Compared to them, the whites owned the world. While in the second and third stanza, Angelou explains what it feels like to be compared to the whites. She explains that the caged ,” bird stalks,” and ,” his wings are clipped and his feet are tied”. African Americans weren 't allowed to fly and be free. It was as if they were being ,”Tied”, up and forced to only watch the world around them. They weren 't allowed to have any enjoyment of their own, they had to be segregated. Maya Angelou says , “The caged bird sings of freedom”, although , stands, “on the grave of dreams”. The African Americans …show more content…
In this poem, Angelou used the literary technique , repetition by saying ,” still I rise”, after giving examples of how people tried to beat her down. In doing this, she gives the reader a sense of sarcasm throughout the poem. The reader is able to identify that this poem is about the racial discrimination when Angelou says words like ,” did you want to see me broken?”, and ,”You may tread me in the very dirt”. As Angelou is saying these statements, she then follows by saying, “Still I Rise”, meaning that she is not going to let the comments get to her. Later in the poem, Angelou then turns to a sarcastic tone by saying things like, “does my sexiness upset you?”, because ,” I dance like i 've got diamonds “, (“Still I Rise”), and ,” I laugh like i 've got gold mines diggin in my own back yard”. Once again, following these quotes from Angelou’s poem, she says, “still I rise”, to show that nothing this simple is going to get in her way of being
Angelou used a strategy when she wrote this poem, having every couple stanzas going from the free bird, to the caged bird and showing their roles in society at the time. In the poem, the free bird symbolizes the white people in society, and the caged bird symbolizes African Americans. In the first stanza, Angelou is explaining how the white people see a different side of the world as compared to the black people. For example, it is said that ,” the free bird leaps,” and ,” dips his wings in the orange sun rays”, meaning that the white people are free. They can do anything they want. In the fourth stanza, it is said that the free bird,” names the sky his own”. This shows that at the time, the white people in society gave them a sense of power over blacks. Compared to them, the whites owned the world. While in the second and third stanza, Angelou explains what it feels like to be compared to the whites. She explains that the caged ,” bird stalks,” and ,” his wings are clipped and his feet are tied”. African Americans weren 't allowed to fly and be free. It was as if they were being ,”Tied”, up and forced to only watch the world around them. They weren 't allowed to have any enjoyment of their own, they had to be segregated. Maya Angelou says , “The caged bird sings of freedom”, although , stands, “on the grave of dreams”. The African Americans …show more content…
In this poem, Angelou used the literary technique , repetition by saying ,” still I rise”, after giving examples of how people tried to beat her down. In doing this, she gives the reader a sense of sarcasm throughout the poem. The reader is able to identify that this poem is about the racial discrimination when Angelou says words like ,” did you want to see me broken?”, and ,”You may tread me in the very dirt”. As Angelou is saying these statements, she then follows by saying, “Still I Rise”, meaning that she is not going to let the comments get to her. Later in the poem, Angelou then turns to a sarcastic tone by saying things like, “does my sexiness upset you?”, because ,” I dance like i 've got diamonds “, (“Still I Rise”), and ,” I laugh like i 've got gold mines diggin in my own back yard”. Once again, following these quotes from Angelou’s poem, she says, “still I rise”, to show that nothing this simple is going to get in her way of being