Mrs contreras language Arts 9th Grade – Eng I igcse honors Room C209 Weekly Forecast 4/16/07 – 4/20/07

Maya Angelou

• Was born April 4, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri.

• When she was three years old her parents divorced sending her and her brother Bailey with their grandmother.

• They lived their early childhood in Stamps, Arizona.

• Her grandmother owned the Store, where she witness several accounts of racism and lynching mobs.

She recalls several moments of segregation. One from a white dentist who said he’d prefer putting his hands in a dog’s mouth than hers.

• She recalls several moments of segregation. One from a white dentist who said he’d prefer putting his hands in a dog’s mouth than hers.

• When she turns eight her father came and took her to live with their mother. Whose boyfriend raped and molested her.

• After his trail he was released and was viciously killed by some of her family members.

• She spent years in silence until she returned to Stamps, and taken to Mrs. Flowers who helps her talk again by reciting poems and literature.

• She then returns with her mother in San Francisco and spent the summer with her father. His girlfriend mistreated her and cut her in one of their fights.

She runs off and joins some junkyard teenagers. She returns to San Francisco and has her child in her teens.

• She runs off and joins some junkyard teenagers. She returns to San Francisco and has her child in her teens.

• We can see that most of Angelou’s life was one of segregation from white people.

• She has since then written numerous pieces and received several awards, including a Pulitzer award. And honorable doctorates without a college education. And recited her poem “ On the Pulse in the Morning” at Bill Clinton’s inauguration, becoming the second poet ever to do so.

• Her autobiography “ I Know why the Caged Bird Sings” has had most popularity and had most influence on her poem which is a reflection of her early years of life.

Vocabulary

• Seldom- rarely; infrequently; not often

• Trill- to sing or play with a vibratory or quavering effect

• Trade winds- any of the nearly constant easterly winds that dominate most of the tropics and subtropics throughout the world, blowing mainly from the northeast in the Northern Hemisphere, and from the southeast in the Southern Hemisphere.

• Stalks- To walk with a stiff, haughty, or angry gait

First Stanza

• The free bird leaps

• On the back of the win

• And floats downstream

• Till the current ends

• And dips his wings

• In the orange sun rays

• And dares to claim the sky.

Analysis

• with imagery Maya depicts a picture of a “free bird”. She emphasizes the freedom of the free bird.

• In the poem, the free bird is a representative of a “ white person” who has unlimited freedom in the social world.

• “dares to claim the sky” ( Angelou, stanza 1 line 7) shows that the bird views its space almost like a playground and can portray the bird is unappreciative of its freedom.

Second Stanza

• But a bird that stalks

• Down his narrow cage

• Can seldom see through

• His bars of rage

• His wings are clipped and

• His feet are tied

• So he opens his throat to sing.

Analysis

• This stanza speaks of another bird, who seems to be caged.

• In this case Maya is portraying the caged bird as a” black person” and its restraint in the segregated world of the 20th century.

• She compares the caged bird to the free bird.

• She shows how the caged bird is completely caged in “his bars of rage… his wings are clipped and his feed are tied” (stanza 3 line 4-6) This gives off a feeling of being trapped or limited inside the cage.

• And all it could do is hope for freedom ( stanza 3 line 4-7). So when “ he opens his throat to sing” (stanza 2 line 7) it is a cry of hope.

Third Stanza

• The caged bird sings

• With fearful trill

• Of the things unknown

• But longed for still

• And is tune is heard

• On the distant hill for

• the caged bird sings of freedom

Analysis

• This stanza still speaks of the caged bird. In the second line through fourth line it show that the bird “sings of the things unknown but longed for still”. It shows that the bird hope to reach freedom (stanza 3 line 2-4).

• Even though it is something unknown it has faith it will be better than its captivity.

• Angelou even expresses this in the refrains of the poem. The rhyme is “ trill, still, hill, freedom”. The word “freedom” is way off the rhyme scheme, showing that the bird can break away from the cage and obtain freedom.

Fourth Stanza

• The free bird thinks of another breeze

• And the trade wings soft through the sighing trees

• And the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn

• And he names the sky his own.

Analysis

• Angelou continues to compare the free and caged bird.

• But now we can see the hopeful sprit of the caged bird and portrays the free bird as an ingrate, and even though it has unlimited freedom it “names the sky its own” ( stanza 4 line 4). And does not worry about its future.

• “ the free bird thinks of… the fat worms waiting on a dawn- bright lawn” (stanza 4 line 3) it shows that the free bird expects everything to fall into place and the world inclining to its every want. It shows the bird is selfish and feels superior.

Fifth Stanza

• But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams

• His shadow shouts on a nightmare scream

• His wings are clipped and his feet are tied

• So he opens his throat to sing

Analysis

• Maya uses repetition and imagery to emphasize that the caged bird remains hopeful in opposition of his circumstance.

• Even though he “stands on the grave of dreams and his shadow shouts in a nightmare scream” ( stanza 5 lines 1-2) he “opens his throat to sing” (stanza 5 line 4)

Sixth Stanza

• 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

Analysis

• Maya exits the poem on a high note.

• She once again uses repetition to portray the hope of the free bird.

• And shows hope for change in society by saying “ his tune is heard on the distant hill” ( stanza 6 line 6-7).

• The caged bird’s song of hope, freedom, and equality is heard.

Themes

• Freedom

• Equality

• Justice

• Hope

• Segregation

• Faith

• Ungratefulness

• Superiority

Critics

• Kirkus Reviews state how her book enlarges on themes from her poetry,

• “ The music of these lines is continued throughout the poem, indeed Angelou’s use of the refrain often serves to break up a poem when the tension grows overwhelming..”

• Annie Gottlieb states how Maya’s book show how black’s do not hide from oppression,

• “Their blackness is not used to hide their familiar but vulnerable humanity anymore than their blackness- or their oppression.”

One author of “The Dictionary of Literary Biography” says that Angelou,

• One author of “The Dictionary of Literary Biography” says that Angelou,

• “For she is forever impelled by the restlessness for change and new realms to conquer that is the essence of the creative artist, and of exemplary Americans lives, white and black.”

• Another author of “The Dictionary of Literary Biography” talks of the viewpoints of Maya’s poems,

• “ Other poems deal with social issues and problems which through not unique to blacks are explored from a black perspective.”

“The Dictionary of Literary Biography” says,

• “The Dictionary of Literary Biography” says,

• “ Much of Angelou’s poetry almost entirely short lyrics, expresses in strong, often jazzy rhythms themes common to the life experiences of many American blacks-discrimination, exploitation, being on welfare.”

• “The Dictionary of Literary” states,

• “So poems extol the survivors, those whose black pride enables them to prevail over the otherwise demeaning circumstances of their existence”

Outline

• Caged Bird:

• The Reason Why the Caged Bird Sings

• Thesis Statement: “Caged Bird” is a poem which Maya Angelou resembles the world of segregation using the free and caged bird as representatives. Throughout her poem, she portrays the caged bird as blacks, the free bird as whites, and overall demonstrates the major theme of segregation using figurative language.

• Angelou portrays blacks through the caged bird

• The caged bird represents the blacks’ hopeful and strong beliefs for their right of liberty. Even with constant undermining and discrimination placed upon them, they still had their voices.
• “He can seldom see through—his bars of rage—his wings are clipped and—his feet are tied” (Angelou stanza 2). This phrase shows the limitation and physical impossibility of the caged bird escaping the cage.
• . In this poem Angelou, “extols the survivors, those whose black hope enables them to prevail over otherwise demeaning circumstances of their existence” (The Dictionary of Literary Criticism). This depicts the “bird’s” song of hope and faith despite its limitations
• In the third stanza, the bird “sings of things unknown but longed for still”. The bird has never had freedom nor experienced it. Yet it has hope, that what awaits him outside of the cage will lead to freedom The caged bird represents the blacks’ hopeful and strong beliefs for their right of liberty. Even with constant undermining and discrimination placed upon them, they still had their voices.

• Angelou portrays the whites through the free bird

• The bird’s selfish expectations and insatiate want for freedom only reflects how the whites felt they had a higher ranking over the blacks; and were granted greater freedom and preference in society.
• The free bird “leaps on the back of the win—and floats downstream—till the current ends—and dips his wings—in the orange sun rays” ( stanza 1). The bird is illustrated as with unlimited freedom
• The Dictionary of Literary Criticism states that Maya’s poems “…deal with the social issues and problems which though not unique to blacks, are explored from a black perspective.” In Maya’s eyes the bird is ungrateful.
• . And in stanza 4, the bird thinks of having “fat worms waiting... for him on a “dawn bright lawn”.

Maya Angelou demonstrates the elements of the world of segregation by using literary elements, such as imagery, repetition, refrains, and metaphors.

• Maya Angelou demonstrates the elements of the world of segregation by using literary elements, such as imagery, repetition, refrains, and metaphors.

• . In order to emphasize on the free bird’s selfishness she repeats the line “dares to claim the sky” in the first and fourth stanza. She also repeats “his wings are clipped and his feet are tied” (stanza 2) and” with fearful trill of things unknown” (stanza 3) to highlight the fear and restrain on the caged bird. And also repeats “so he opens his throat to sing” (stanza 2) and “his tune is heard-- on the distant hillfor the caged bird-- sings of freedom” (stanza 3
• The music of these lines is continued throughout the poem; indeed Angelou’s use of the refrain often serves to the break up the poem when the tension grows overwhelming…” (Kirkus Reviews) The refrain in the third stanza, “trill, still, hill, and freedom” is broken by the word freedom; which calls attention to that the caged bird can break free from the cage and being boxed in.
• C. “Bars of Rage” and “Narrow cage” (stanza 2) are metaphors

• which can be interpreted as the custody of black slaves throughout history. It still portrays the imprisonment of the black’s liberty

• during the 20th century.

• Concluding Statement: In conclusion, the poem is written in a segregated point of view. Angelou constantly compares the caged bird and free bird. This translates to comparing the black and white people during the time of segregation in the United States. She does this with her diction and figurative language. As a result, Angelou displays segregation as the poem’s main theme.

Bloom Taxonomy Questions

• Knowledge:

• 1. What is the meaning of “ so he opens his throat to sing?

• 2 . Who does the caged bird represent? The free bird?

• Comprehension:

• 3. What was the main theme in the poem? Support your answer.

• Application:

• 4. Do you know of another instance when a minority group has been discriminated in the United States?

• Analysis:

• 5. What were the underlining themes of the poem?

• Synthesis

• 6. What would happen if Maya Angelou did not experience discrimination and segregation first hand? Would the inspiration for her poem be the same?

• Evaluation

• 7. How would you feel as a “caged bird”?

• 8. What do you think about segregation?

Works Cited

• Angelou, Maya I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.

• http://www.poemhunter.com/p/m/poem.asp?poet=6834&poem=33060

• Annie Gottilieb in the New York Times Book Renew (1974 by the New York Times

• Company) June 16, 1974

• Dictionary of Literary Biography Copyright 1985 Gale Research Company

• manufactured- Edward Bros. Inc

• Kirkus Review (Copyright 1978 the Kirkus Service Inc), October 1, 1978

Class Response… Friday