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Claire Donohue
Literary Analysis Essay
23 October 2020
“Caged Bird” by Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou is widely revered as one of the most remarkable American poets. Her

work explores the human spirit, focusing on the evocative topics of race, sexual abuse, feminism,

and other social issues. As a black woman and a victim of rape, Angelou’s strength, passion for

equality, and skillful use of language shine through her collections. In one of her most famous

poems, “Caged Bird,” Maya Angelou depicts the painful oppression of slavery through an

extended metaphor, figurative language, and repetition.

While “Caged Bird” appears to be a straightforward comparison between the life of a free

bird and the life of a captive bird, it is actually an extended metaphor about racial oppression.

The free bird represents the white man, with everything he could ever ask for at his feet. Not

only is he unconfined, but he “dares to claim the sky,” unsatisfied by liberation, but seeking

power and possession. Furthermore, Angelou says, “He thinks of another breeze, the trade winds

soft. . . [and] the fat worms waiting.” In comparison, the caged bird’s thoughts are of rage, fear,

and longing. The slave does not have the privilege of a tranquil mind. A child of lost hope, the

fading fantasy that America would be “the land of the free,” the slave, according to Maya

Angelou, “stands on the grave of dreams.”

To strengthen the story’s effect, Angelou employs several types of figurative language,

including juxtaposition, imagery, and personification. “Caged Bird” is made up of six stanzas

which alternate subjects from the free bird to the caged bird. By first introducing the liberties of a

bird in nature, then suddenly depicting the loss of those freedoms, Maya Angelou intensifies the

contrast between the two subjects. Additionally, her strong use of imagery throughout the poem
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emphasizes the deprivation of captivity. “The free bird leaps on the back of the wind,” while the

caged bird, “stalks down his narrow cave”; this is one of many comparisons where Angelou’s

use of imagery sharpens the emotion of her poem. Personification is also employed several times

in “Caged Bird,” which engages the reader and helps him or her relate to the message Angelou

conveys. The most notable use of personification is when the free bird, “names the sky his own.”

While a bird cannot truly declare possession of the sky, this line helps the reader understand the

symbolism of “Caged Bird” and what it truly represents.

Another tactic she uses is the repetition of the third stanza and the line, “So he opens his

throat to sing.” Song is deeply rooted in slavery, where it was commonly used to communicate,

express emotion, and enliven, so this line in “Caged Bird” further symbolizes the life of a slave.

When all was lost and stolen, African Americans did not allow people to take away their voices.

Angelou says, “his wings are clipped and his feet are tied,” yet, he will stand up and sing as if he

is free. This is the only part of the poem that evokes a feeling of hope and defiance, rather than

loss and frustration, and its repetition emphasizes the strength and resilience of African

Americans.

“Caged Bird” by Maya Angelou paints a vivid picture of slavery by likening it to a bird’s

captivity and strengthening it with figurative language and repetition. Her experience as both an

African American woman and a skillful writer, make this poem one of the most captivating

depictions of oppression. It allows people to either catch a glimpse of a life they may never

understand, or to identify with the caged bird’s aching struggle. In a world so torn by hate and

judgement, it is ever important to learn, empathize, and understand the challenges that others

face.
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