Question

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
His shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
His wings are clipped and his feet are tied
So he opens his throat to sing.

- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelo

(i) In the context of the poem who is a ‘free bird’ and who is a 'caged bird'? What mood do the above lines convey?

(ii) How does a free bird live his life? What are the things he thinks of and dreams about?

(iii) What does the caged bird sing about? What are the restrictions that a caged bird has to deal with?

(iv) What do you understand from the title of the poem? What do you like about the poem?

(v) Explain what you understand by the following lines:

'...a bird that stalks down his narrow cage'
'he names the sky his own'

Accepted Answer

Answer

(i) Any person who is free to make life choices / white.

A person whose life is restricted by rules and laws imposed on them / black / African American

Desperation / frustration / defiance / sadness / horror / fear / suffering / pain / agony.

(ii) Free to do as he pleases / soars high / leaps / floats / dips wing / dares to claim the sky

Thinks of ‘another breeze’ / other places / good food ‘fat worms’ / enjoys trade winds soft / names the sky as his own.

(iii) Freedom / he craves / has never experienced / things unknown / still longs for them.

bars (of cage) / he can seldom see; restricted view

narrow cage / clipped wings / tied feet.

(iv) Title - Maya Angelou / autobiographical / Poet can empathise with a caged bird / feels the agony of black people / had suffered a traumatic childhood and therefore could identify and understand the condition of a bird in a cage. She understood what compels a bird in a cage to sing.

The caged bird represents those who are oppressed / indicates racial discrimination / discrimination based on gender / restrictions.

Personal Response: What do you like?

(v) ... a bird that stalks down his narrow cage - paces / impatient / enraged by limitation of cage / bird represents people who are oppressed / African American not free /
confined, helpless / can hardly move.

Names the sky his own - sense of freedom / without limit / claims the wide-open spaces/ the sky belongs to him: he owns the sky / shows his courage and confidence.