Question

Read the poem Caged Bird and answer the question that follows. (7 marks)

Caged Bird
By Maya Angelou
A free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wing
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.

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.

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.

The free bird thinks of another breeze
and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn bright lawn
and he names the sky his own

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.

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.

Q1. Identify Four literary devices used in the poem. (2 marks)
Q2. Describe a time when you felt like a caged bird. (confined in your house). What were the positive aspects of being confined? (5 marks) 200 words.



Marks distribution is as follows:
Originality of thought: 2
Critical commentary on literary period: 2
Coherence: 1
Language use: 1
References:1

Answer 1

The Caged Bird by Maya Angelou, in that, the poem explains the contrasting perspectives of two birds: one bird is able of doing as it pleases, while another bird in captivity struggles. The bird sings both to confront its condition and to express its own wish for liberation because of its intense pain.

Explanation:

The different literary devices used in this poem are

1. Metaphor: Two main metaphors are there. The first example is a free bird which implies the white Americans or liberated people. whereas the caged bird is  the metaphor for African-Americans and their (slavery) captivity
2. Imagery: This poem has full of different imagery. They are  “back of wind” and “free bird” images for feelings & sight. Likewise, there are few images such as “orange sun rays” which is for sight, and “throat to sing” which is for hearing
3. Personification:  The poet  has used personification such as “sighing trees” as though the "trees are feeling sorrow". Moreover, she has "personified the bird" by changing the pronoun from "its" to "his" & "he" and expressing the feeling of the bird as that of how a human feels
4. Symbol: The Poet  has used "different symbols" to denote racial discrimination & social construction against her African American community. for example, the "caged bird" is a "symbol of imprisonment", whereas "a free bird"  is a symbol of freedom"

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• There cannot be a better time then being confined in our house like caged bird, because of this COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. Where you are not permitted to move about freely and where you have restrictions and limitations.
• But, there are positive and not negative aspects in this confinement. In order to ensure that I am not affected by this deadly COVID-19 and also to ensure the safety of other people who could be affected if I get affected, this confinement is needed.
• The best way to avoid the transmission of the infection is to stop the bulk of human contact in the absence of medication or vaccination. The fewer individuals are in touch, the less they are likely to disperse. In terms of the widespread dissemination of the virus, it is important to minimize total exposure and to see if isolated studies can be effective - all of this in an effort to 'flatten the curve' or to mitigate outbreaks and disperse cases over a longer time-frame such that overloaded health care networks can be prevented. So yes, this confinement is having positive aspects.

Explanation: