Larry Bird

Oppression. Empowerment. Growth. Change. What do these four things have in common? While the poems “Still I Rise” and “Unwelcome” contain noticeable differences in style and tone, they share similarities in them and sound. In literature, writers tend to use tone to paint a picture of what their writing is about. Throughout Maya Angelou's poem “Still I Rise” she uses a writing style that helps achieve a tone of empowerment. Over the course of Angelou’s life she was belittled and a victim of…

first experience speaking in front of an audience was in junior high school. The teacher asked us to pick a famous poet, recite that poem, and explain why we choose that poet. Since Maya Angelou was my favorite poet I choose her poem “Why a caged bird sings.” The poem describes Maya Angelou as a young girl who grew up with insecurities because, as a young child Maya Angelou struggled with the pain of being rejected and abandoned. In this poem Maya Angelou captivated her readers with the…

In the two poems, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou and “Sympathy” by Laurence Dunbar, these short works share many similarities as they both speak on being a minority in a white world. As Maya Angelou describes her childhood in “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” and the ways of which the world became portrayed to her because of her race and the time that she grew up in, she was a visual representation of being a minority in a white world. Also, in “Sympathy” Laurence Dunbar…

Annie Johnson, born on April 4, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri and died on May 28, 2014 at the soulful age of 86. Although we may know her as Maya Angelou, we can relate to her literary works in more ways than one. Her 1969 memoir, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” made literary history as the first nonfiction best-seller by an African-American woman. She received several honors throughout her career, including two NAACP Image Awards in the outstanding literary work category. She embodied the…

Women in literature, like in real life, face adversity and through their journey, they find their identity while coming of age. They show the importance of women in society and the crucial role that they play. In both I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou and The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, the protagonists were required to overcome adversity as they each discovered a greater sense of self. By being able to overcome their certain situations, Marguerite Angelou and…

Maya Angelou was born in St. Louis, Missouri, is a writer,and she is known for many auto-biographical novels and she also writes poetry and essays. She also loved to study music, dance,and drama. From 1963 to 1966 Angelou was involved in the black civil rights movement. Maya Angelou wrote this specific poem called; “Phenomenal Women”. Angelou has a very creative way of saying things throughout her poem. Angelou talks about a woman in the poem that talks about herself a lot she repeats the…

“Beautiful in the mind, Like a word we are waiting to hear”. Adrienne Rich was an amazing poet, her two poems I chose, “A Ball is for Throwing” and “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” not only captured my attention but required genuine thought while discussing them. In both of her works, Rich uses her work to show the importance of seizing the meaningful moments in your life. Both works have metaphors helping the reader understand what she truly means. In “A Ball is for Throwing” Rich uses the ball to…

Prize winning, female, African-American writers? Maya Angelou astounded everyone with her amazing poems and stories. Without any writing experience, whatsoever, she became one of the best-known authors of her time. Her first story, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, a story about her struggles through childhood was a best seller. Despite a tough childhood, Maya Angelou persevered, and became one of the most inspiring and influential writers of her time, receiving many awards…

be obtained when one allows it for himself. There is no coincidence that it is the caged bird who sings, and not the free bird. In the poem “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou, the speaker goes back and forth between stanzas comparing the realities of a free bird to that of a caged bird. Seeing the bird who nonchalantly “dips his wings... in the orange sun rays,” in contrast with the other bird whose “wings are clipped” and “feet are tied,” we cannot help but pity the latter, for…

phenomenal woman, that’s Mrs. Angelou, her achievements vary from her literary skills/awards, her commitment to making this world a better place and her bravery to speak out to be heard (Maya Angelou). She was best known for her book “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”, which made literary history as the first nonfiction best-seller of an African-American woman, according to biography.com! She may not have the superhuman abilities, but she had the strength to keep moving forward regardless of her…