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Extract I
(i). Who is referred to as a free bird in the poem? Why?
Ans. The white Americans are referred to as a free bird in the poem
because they are enjoying their freedom like a free bird. Their lives are
full of happiness and joy. They are given all types of privilege in
American society
(ii). To what is the free bird compared in the first two lines of the
extract? How is the action of the bird shown to be free and enjoyable?
Ans. The woman did not have a good or pleasant relationship with
others. She was not liked by the people of the village due to her bad
behavior and habits of drinking. She used to be hated, ridiculed at, and
angrily criticized by the people.
Extract II
(i)Why does this stanza in the extract begin with, “But”?
Ans. The poet uses “But” at the beginning of the stanza to highlight the
plight of caged birds. The caged bird is deprived of his freedom. He is
captivated in a narrow cage. He does not enjoy his freedom like a Free
bird.
(ii) Why do you think the cage is “narrow”? What is meant by “his bars
of rage”?
Ans. There are several restrictions imposed on the life of the caged
bird, in the cage his vision is limited, his wings are clipped that is why
the poet says the cage to be “narrow”. The caged bird is enslaved so he
is in anger and frustration that is the bar of rage.
(iii) Why does a bird that stalks down his narrow cage can seldom see
through his bar of rage?
Ans. A bird that stalks down his narrow cage can seldom see through
the bar of rage because the bird can almost never see through the bars.
But due to captivity, his vision is limited. He is not as free as free birds.
(v) whom does the port indirectly refer to while mentioning of the free
and the caged bird? Why?
Ans. While mentioning to the free bird the poet refers to the white
American and while mentioning the caged bird she refers to African
Americans because African Americans were not given equal status and
freedom as the white due to the dark color of their skin.
Extract III
(i) Under what circumstances does the caged bird sing? What
does it tell us about his condition?
Ans. The caged bird is enslaved. His wings are clipped and his feet are
tied. He can do nothing except to open his throat and to sings for his
freedom. His condition is very pitiable. He does not enjoy his freedom
like the free bird does.
(v) Why is his singing heard on a distance hill? What does this
signify with reference to the poet’s life?
Ans. The bird refused to stop his demand for freedom so now his
demand is heard at the far off places. The poet herself belongs to the
African American community. She was also subjected to restriction,
oppression, and physical assault. She found a way through the poetry
to raise her demand for freedom.
Extract IV
(i) What is meant by “another breeze”? why does the free bird
think of another breeze?
Ans. “ Another breeze”, here means a fresh gush of wind or freedom.
The free bird wants to fly higher with another gush of wind because his
movement is unrestricted, unlike the caged bird. He enjoyed his
freedom.
(ii) What is the “grave of dreams”? Why does a caged bird stand
on the grave of dreams?
Ans. The grave which is symbolic of death shows that the caged bird
has no scope in the life of pursuing its dreams. The bird has no
freedom, its feet are tied, wings are clipped, its dreams are
unachievable, it has given up on the dream of flying freely, its dreams
are now ‘dead’…hence, it stands on its dead dreams now.
Ans. The caged bird is a metaphor for the African-Americans who faced
discrimination, prejudices, and slavish treatment during apartheid.
Every sort of restrictions was imposed on them. They were barred from
walking in areas dominated by white people. Thus they enjoyed neither
freedom nor equality. They were not allowed to even gather at a place,
so they wrote poems and other ways of writing to raise their demand
for freedom.
V) On the basis of the above extract, bring out the main conflict in the
poem.
Ans. The theme of freedom versus enslavement run throughout the
poem. Freedom is symbolized through the unrestricted movement of
the free bird whereas the enslavement is symbolized by the caged bird
whose wings are clipped and feet are tied. The poem articulates the
poet’s pent up emotions against racial discrimination and slaves in
America. The caged bird represents the community that was prevented
from social, religious, and cultural.