Analysis of Maya Angelou's 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings'

This essay provides an analysis of Maya Angelou's poem, 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,' focusing on its themes of freedom, oppression, and racial discrimination. The analysis examines the poem's structure, figurative language, and symbolism, highlighting the use of metaphors like 'caged bird' and 'free bird' to represent different experiences. The essay explores the poem's tone, which is both hopeful and reflective, and how the poet uses alliteration and imagery to convey the emotional depth of the subject matter. The analysis also delves into the poem's exploration of hope and resilience in the face of adversity, as well as the impact of the poem on its audience. The essay also discusses the poet's use of self-identity to capture the attention of her audience to the effects of racial discrimination.

Running head: I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS 1
I know why the caged bird sings
Name
Institution

Running head: I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS 2
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
PART 1
This poem portrays deeply the true picture of racism whereby, the caged bird represents
an individual facing racial discrimination yet hopeful and the free bird represents a free
individual (Nero, 2014). The tone clearly maintained throughout the poem is calm, strong,
hopeful and a meaningful one. Where the caged bird is hopeful for a better future despite its
present condition. The poet’s figurative language is employed on words and phrases to bring out
their deep meaning. For instance, the use of various metaphors, to objects which cannot be
literally applied such as ‘caged bird’, ‘free bird’ and ‘bars of rage’. The symbolism used in the
poem represents ideas e.g. ‘The free bird thinks of another breeze’. Alliteration is seen in the
poem for the “s” and “sh” sounds in ‘his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream’. The poet has
also used imagery for instance ‘the caged bird sings with fearful trill’.
PART 2
The bird that’s free daring to claim the sky, floats downstream till the waves end, but a
caged one can hardly gaze through the obstacles due to the hardships and hindrances in his life.
Therefore, the caged bird opens his pharynx singing of freedom with fear of what the future
holds but still hoping for the best, and his melody is heard in the hills standing afar off. The bird
with freedom, thinks and plans of another good day’s tidings and says that the sky belongs to
him. However, the bird that is not free, stands on the tomb of his dreams, crying of his woes
(Angelou, 2013).

Running head: I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS 3
Conclusion
Generally, the poet explores a wide use of figurative language to bring out a non-literal
meaning and also uses her self-identity to capture the attention of her audience to the effects of
racial discrimination.

Running head: I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS 4
References
Angelou, M. (2013). The complete collected poems. Hachette UK.
Nero, C. (2014). A Discursive Trifecta: Community, Education, and Language in I Know Why
the Caged Bird Sings. Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings: A Casebook, 117.