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Language and Themes in I Know Why the Caged Bird SingsCaged Bird Essay

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Essay Question: Discuss how a poet uses language (techniques) to convey ideas (themes/messages)

In the poem Caged Bird by Maya Angelou. Angelou uses various language techniques to help us understand what she is writing about. This poem explains that the fact she was black, meant that you were treated as lower class.

The techniques that helped me understand the poem are Imagery, Extended metaphors and Anaphora. These techniques all contribute to help convey the messages of discrimination and oppression throughout the poem.

First of all Angelou uses an extended metaphor throughout the whole poem, she does this by contrasting a free bird with a caged bird. These birds represent white people and black people. The fat worms waiting on dawn-bright lawn and he names the sky his own This shows how white people had the right of freedom. That they were in control of their life. He/She is free to make their own choices. But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream Angelou uses a metaphor (grave of dreams) to show that black people were not allowed the rights of dreams or freedom. She also uses alliteration to show that they are in an awful situation. They are in a physical trap with no rights or hopes.

Secondly, Angelou uses imagery, to help us get a deeper meaning of the poem. Angelou does this by using language techniques. For example A free bird leaps on the back of the wind and floats downstream till the current ends Angelou has used active verbs (leaps, floats) to create an image of a bird who has freedom. It has space to move about and is empowered to do so. His wings are clipped his feet are tied This creates an image of a bird who is physically trapped. It cannot move or fly about. It does not have the right of freedom.

Thirdly, Angelou uses repetition of a stanza to emphasize the message of discrimination. The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom Angelou repeats this stanza to emphasize the fact that if you depress a person in any form they will still fight back and find a way to express themselves.

In conclusion Angelou has used various techniques to help portray the main idea of the poem, which is discrimination. All the techniques that I have stated have helped me to understand what this poem is really about. It also has allowed me to have a deeper meaning of the poem.

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