summary of the poem i know why the caged bird sings..
Answers
The opening lines show a bird leaping ‘on the back of the wind’ demonstrating the freedom it experience to move about and glide freely through the air. It hovers over a stream of wind and floats downwards to where the current of the stream ends and the wind is calm. It dips its wing in the sea of orange sunlight.
The bird is shown in a state of great tranquility. It has the freedom to move about wherever it desires. It is so utterly free and without restraints that it ‘dares to claim the sky’. The whole firmament is his one big home.
second paragraph
Here, poet Maya Angelou contrasts the situation by presenting the image of a caged bird. The caged bird tries to go after his cage in vain. The cage is narrow and its metaphorical bars are of rage. The caged bird is seen to be angry with its situation. It desires with all its heart to escape its plight. But the caged bird cannot see beyond his cage.
Its wings are clipped, that is, its freedom is taken away. Wings are associated with flight, which in turn is associated with freedom. The words ‘his wings are clipped’ mean that its freedom is forcibly taken away. It cannot fly even if it desires to. Its feet are tied.
A bird tied to the ground represents an image completely opposite to its true nature of flight. This represents the fact of alienation of the bird. But the most important thing is that despite being in this utterly despondent predicament, the caged bird ‘opens his throat to sing.’ That seems to be his only joy and achievement in life.
ANSWER :
WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS
SUMMARY :
The poem throws light on the basic problem of racial discrimination between the American and Africans. A caged bird is a symbol of the American African who are victims of of unjust and inhuman treatment.
The policy of apartheid imposed on the Africans brought their deprivation in all fields - social, political and cultural . The caged bird symbolize the African American who have been the victim of of the discriminatory policy for a long time. They are ill treated everywhere. Their plight is as miserable as a bird in the prison. Their demand for liberty is rejected bluntly . There is pain and misery in their tone. The Americans, on the other hand enjoy freedom fully. They get every chance to make progress. The society is in their favour. They were given all rights. The poet says at last that now this is the right time to raise their voice to demand their privileges.
In the broader context, the 'caged bird' is applicable to all those who are denied equal rights Sadly, the 'free bird' operates in his own sphere and has no time or inclination to help the 'caged bird '.