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Moniza Alvi's Poem In Still I Rise And Unknown Girl

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The poems ‘Still I Rise’ and ‘Unknown Girl’ both explore the way women are expected to behave in specific societies. ‘Still I Rise’ focuses on Maya Angelou’s refusal to accept racism and to allow “them”, white oppressors, to push her down. ‘Unknown Girl’ focuses on Moniza Alvi’s want to be accepted in a society where she belongs, but can’t call her own.

‘Still I Rise’ was written by an Afro-American poet Maya Angelou and consists of a mixture of tones, such as: playful, angry, comical and bitter. Slavery was long abolished but Angelou saw its effects on society and black people. In this poem she declares that no hatefulness of society will determine her success. In the poem ‘Still I Rise’ she is not only proclaiming her triumph but also calls others to stand up for themselves and live against society’s expectations.

The poem starts with the word “You” which is very important as it establishes a personal address towards the white oppressors. By using this, it shows that it’s a proclamation thus giving a strong political and personal point of view by the poet. Through utilizing the line “You may write me down in history” she gives them permission to do what they want, metaphorically shouting out the true and clear message to people in the present. This line explicitly portrays that Angelou …show more content…

Alvi, even after living in Britain all her life, wasn’t accepted within the society. By moving back to her homeland of India she tried to reconnect with her inner self, back in her country. The hennaed image on her hand is very significant. “Peacock” is a traditional bird in India, representing pride, beauty and freedom. Personification of the drawn peacock in “spreading its lines” symbolises that Alvi’s new Indian roots are being established. The effect created by the writer is intrigue towards the unknown girl as the reader wants to understand more about

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