I know Why Caged Bird Sings Written by

I know Why Caged Bird Sings Written by Maya Angelou

� Born on 4 april, 1928. � African – American female writer � Written essays , poems , plays, and autobiographies. � in hes famous autobiographies she talks about her childhood and early adult experiences. � The title of this poem and her first autobiography is same.

� The title of the poem comes from the third stanza of the poem “sympathy” by Paul Lawrence Dunbar. � Her main themes are-racism , identity , family , and travel. � This is a simple poem with complex themes related to race gender, slavery and freedom. � It is a comparative poem of two birds –one is free and the other is caged.

� The engaged bird is a metaphor for an African American and free bird presents a white person. � The caged bird represents the singing sound associated with freedom. � The free bird has easy life and can claim the sky but the caged bird has specific lot and cannot see what he is missing as he is tied and clipped. � The poem is universal and relevant due to theme of racial discrimination.

� Angelou views that physical freedom can be curtailed but no one can stop the encaged bird from expressing his feelings. He can dream of freedom however the dreams are entombed. � The poem brings about the sense of suffering and injustice that the black people experience in America. � African Americans are living the life of captivity as they are deprived of basic rights of life.

� The poem is symbolic in its theme and presentation. � The sun, the sky , the winds , and the hills and mountains are free. These things are not meant for African Americans. It depicts the sad plight of African Americans. � Free birds can claim the sky to be their own because of the favourable winds. fat worms are waiting for them on the lush green lawns symbolize comfort and luxury.

� On the other hand black people are confined to the bars of the cage. They can not even enjoy the natural phenomenon. � The words and phrases which convey the intensity of feeling are “bars of rage”, “fearful trill”, and “longing”. Clipping of wings and tying of feet also have symbolic meaning. � The singing is a symbol of desire for freedom. He sings of his unrealized dreams and desires -the things he wants to have but he can not get.

� Important questions………. � Is the bird floating or flying? � Discuss the title. � What is a metaphor? give examples. � Compare and contrast the two birds. � what is the real meaning of freedom? � Write a note on theme of the poem.

Glossary � Current � Downstream � Dare � Stalk � Rage � Clipped � Trill � Nightmare � Distant Check the meanings in dictionary and learn.

Read the following idioms and make sentences �A bird in hand is worth two in the bush � Action speaks louder than words � Scot- free � Hold your horses � Every cloud has a silver lining � Discuss; freedom brings along with it serious responsibilities.