Jianellie Manalastas
Dr. Serafin Roldan
ENC 1102
28 Feb. 2015
Comparative/Critical Essay Using Elements of Poetry Although she passed in late May of 2014, Maya Angelou’s poems will continue to live in the hearts of many. Ms. Angelou is considered to be one of America’s greatest poets because of her phenomenal work. One, however, really does not understand the depths of her writings until they research Angelou and discover the extraordinary woman she really was. Upon researching the life of Angelou, I learned that not only was she a writer but she was also a dancer, singer, actress, composer, activist, and a mother (Contemporary Authors Online).
Even though Angelou had many accomplishments, she first had to overcome a difficult childhood of
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Each poem has a dominant figurative language that the reader may pick up as they read the literatures. According to Clark, authors frequently develop mental pictures through the use of symbolism (Clark). In “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” for example, one can automatically perceive that Angelou utilized symbolism. Other than the birds representing the human race, both the sky and the fat worms symbolize the endless opportunities freedom can bring. The “bars of rage”, clipped wings, and tied feet, however, are all restraints of what keeps the second bird from discovering what the world has to offer. Just as we cry out for help or attention when we feel trapped, the caged bird sings so that others can hear it, far and wide. Moreover, in “Still I Rise,” she mainly included similes and metaphors in almost every stanza. “I am a black ocean,” says Angelou. Throughout the whole poem, this is her most influential line and it happens to be her thesis statement. An ocean is commonly acknowledged for its immensity and powerful waves. In this metaphor, she is referring to her own strong and sassy personality. This sets the tone for the whole poem, which enables the reader to sense the strength of Angelou’s persistent character. Lastly, when reading “Phenomenal Woman”, she employs hyperbole when she describes how men react to her presence. Her inner-beauty either makes the men stand or fall down on their knees and it causes them to swarm around her like a “hive of honeybees.” This emphasizes how much her “inner mystery” attracts those around her. Her “inner mystery” is another example of a hyperbole, because of the fact that men and women wonder what makes her so alluring. No one can seem to figure out that her physical attributes have nothing to do with it. Angelou’s secret is simple: Her inner mystery is her inner beauty. No one can comprehend this, even when she’s attempted to explain because it
Welcome and thankyou to this discussion on celebrating a poet whose powerful language engages and influences others. The poet whose contributions demonstrate these features is Maya Angelou whose influence is evident in the poetry she produced. Maya Angelou is an American poet and civil rights activist, born in 1928 whose poetry is famous for its inspiration and is considered ‘one of the great voices of contemporary literature.’ (Metacritic, 2015) Maya Angelou’s personal and cultural experiences communicate the power of the African- Americans during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s and 1970s era to overcome adversity and oppression that are clearly reflected in her inspirational poems ‘Caged Bird’ and ‘Still I Rise.’ An analysis of these poems reveals that
Maya Angelou is terrific performer, singer, filmmaker, and civil-rights activist. She is a phenomenal woman, one thing that she does best is writing. She is still living today, I believe her legend will never die. If one would talk to her, he or she would think she has lead a normal, happy life. Her life is blissful now, it was not always perfect. Maya beard enough emotional stress in a time frame that most people do not experience in a lifetime. Her experiences and the lessons learned encouraged her to help others become strong. Maya Angelou is one of the best examples of someone overcoming rape, being mute for several years, and having a child at a young age to achieve success of becoming an accomplished
Before and during the Civil Rights Era, the United States was extremely biased against African Americans, and especially against African American women. Not only was Angelou black and female, she was also growing up in Stamps, Arkansas, during a time when the south was not welcoming of African American rights. In her autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Angelou describes her upbringing and states,“If growing up is painful for the Southern Black girl, being
In “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”, Maya Angelou uses her personal experiences growing up as an African American female to present her primary claim that even in trying times there is something to be grateful for. Angelou’s secondary claims are mainly comprised of stories from her upbringing as well as the description of her grandmother’s attitude even though they are living through times of extreme poverty. In Each of the stories she speaks of one circumstance that seems completely unbearable but yet ends with some sort of light at the end of the tunnel. This structure can also be seen in her description of her grandmother’s outlook on life. By formatting her essay in this way, Angelou is able to develop pathos as well as ethos with the audience.
Maya Angelou was the woman of many artistic gifts and talents. She had several different careers in the performing arts including creative writing, dancing, and acting. She really wasn’t raised by her birth parents, but she had learned to accept what her parents did for her brother and her. Somehow through all that she has been through she made a way out of a way that almost seemed impossible. So please give me the honor of giving you the honor of sharing her life story and telling about her road to success.
The poem I chose to examine was the "Inaugural Poem" by Maya Angelou. This poem was written specifically for one occasion; President Bill Clinton's inauguration ceremony in January, 1993. Through the usage of several poetic devices, Maya Angelou enhances the meaning of her poem.
Maya Angelou, An African American poet, who has many legacy and dedication through her career as a writer, poet, songwriter, dancer and other. Maya angelou was born as Marguerite Johnson on April 4th, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri. But raised in Stamps, Arkansas, by her paternal Grandmother “Annie Henderson” Ms. Angelou early childhood experiences has been going through a lot of trauma which she the only option were find out motivation to express herself in writing. She died on May 28, 2014 at age of 86 in North Carolina. Thus, Maya Angelou parents, “Bailey Johnson and Vivian Baxter” were divorced when she was very young, while she attends to grow up in Arkansas with her paternal grandmother. Ms. Angelou father was a Bailey Johnson, was a “brash,
Maya Angelou had a troubled childhood, when her parents separated at the age of 3, she and her brother went and lived with their grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas, this is where she first experienced racial discrimination. At the age of 7, she was raped by her mother’s boyfriend. When her uncle found out, he killed Angelou’s rapist, traumatized she stopped speaking for 5 years. During WWII, she won a scholarship to study dance and acting at the California Labour School. By 1944, she gave birth to her son, Guy, at 16 years old, who she supported by herself. In 1952, she married a Greek
Shown in the phrase, “Just like moons and like suns, With the certainty of tides...Still I'll rise.” Angelou compares herself and her unwavering willpower to the forces of nature. Evoking an image of something bigger than any single person. This is significant because it gives that audience of the attitude that she holds, her will is a force of nature, untouchable and certain, something that could not fall to a human. Diction plays another big part in her message as Angelou never explicitly mentions gender or women throughout her poem. Instead she uses words like “sassiness”, “hauntiness” and “sexiness” which society deems improper, holding negative connotation regarding femininity. By choosing these words, Angelou is reclaiming the meaning- that women can talk back and be proud. Through her choice of diction, the audience gains understanding that this is a personal battle, a defence of her identity. Furthermore, the repetition of “I
Angelou was sexually abused while she lived with her mother’s family before she was 7 years old, then she was sent to live with her paternal grandparents for years. Angelou stopped talking to people for six years after the sexual abuse. People gave her all kinds of bad names while she grew up, only her grandmother showed her the bright side of the world. Angelou’s grandmother encouraged her to become a teacher and teach people all over the world once herself and the lord is ready for it. Grandmother’s encouragement turned out to be true, Maya Angelou eventually became a great writer and taught people what she learned from her grandmother all over the
Maya Angelou is a phenomenal woman. She rises through all things that come her way and she refuses to back down. Angelou chose at a very young age to be a writer and a role model for many people. She believes that everyone should be treated equally and that the world should come together as a unity. Angelou had many careers but is known mostly for her poetic creations. She has come a long way from where she started and I think anyone can agree with me when I say, she has made us all proud with her accomplishments. Angelou writes poetry to inform and encourage others to carry on through the worst of times. She is a strong, confident, inspirational woman and I am more than honored to be doing my senior paper on her.
“Our parents had decided to put an end to their calamitous marriage and Father shipped us home to mother” (Angelou 7).
The life experiences of the late Maya Angelou —author, poet, actress, singer, dancer, playwright, director, producer — became the key element of her most prominent work, a lyrical poet telling the stories of what it means to be an African American; having a wide range, multi-series autobiographies that lays the foundation of her identity as a American black woman. The acclaimed Maya Angelou’s legacy not only impacted American culture that will resonate with people through history, but create insight to a whole new world.
The mood of “Caged Bird” changes drastically from stanza to stanza. Angelou’s specific diction choices help to reflect the change from being positive to negative with some elements of hope involved. The parts of the poem involving the free bird provide the reader with a feeling of self government.In contrast, the mood associated with the caged bird is confinment. Despite the negative mood tied to the caged bird there are still elements of hope woven into these stanzas.
Thesis Statement: Maya Angelou’s poem, “Caged Bird,” demonstrates her emotional stress of grief and desire for freedom, which stems from her personal struggle as an African American woman and from the viewpoints of her peers. She chose to write about her thoughts through beautiful poetry which related to her past dealing with racism, sexuality, and separation. “Like an unfinished painting, the autobiographical series is an ongoing creation, in a form that rejects the finality of a restricting frame. Its continuity is achieved through characters who enter the picture, leave, and reappear, and through certain interlaced themes-self-acceptance, race, men, work, separation, sexuality, motherhood” (Lupton 257).