Comparative Essay-to Kill a Mockingbird and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Both “Caged Bird” by Maya Angelou and “Sympathy” by Paul Laurence Dunbar refer to slavery using birds as metaphors and in “Sympathy”, the bird sees freedom only in death, while in “Caged Bird”, the bird hopes and believes that he will soon become free. The diction the authors use show that the “bird” is truly a slave because of the fact that they are both in pain and have bruises and scars and are bloody, as well as the fact that they are chained, and cannot run away. The bird in “Caged Bird” sang to tell his story and pass time, just like slaves did. In “Caged Bird” knows that freedom is coming, even though he is in a terrible situation. The slaves “wings” are constantly being clipped so he cannot run away meaning that he is chained. The slaves’

Maya Angelou is a leader by example, she sets the standard by her actions and the stories she tells teaches the audience a lesson. Majority of her work is to inform us of the past and she wants us to learn from her experiences in life; she is a life teacher. The purpose of this poem was to inform us of the history of our country. The poem is titled “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings” and her purpose of writing this is to teach the reader why the caged bird sings. Maya Angelou wants to put the reader in her shoes to get the ultimate experience of racial inequality but instead by taking the role of a caged bird or a free bird.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the novel I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. Specifically it will discuss the themes of racism and segregation, and how these strong themes are woven throughout this moving autobiography. Maya Angelou recounts the story of her early life, including the racism and segregation she experiences throughout her formative years. With wit, sincerity, and remarkable talent, Angelou portrays racism as a product of ignorance and prejudice. However, she finds the strength to rise above this crippling condition.

Deep in the forest of Frederick Douglass’s autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, the caged bird sings on. The singing slaves in Douglass’s narrative are the caged birds of Maya Angelou’s famous poem, filling the air around them with desire: desire for a freedom so far out of reach—for “things unknown but longed for still.”

In “Caged Bird” Maya Angelou writes, “A free bird leaps on the back of the wind and floats downstream...and he names the sky his own.” This shows how the author feels that the free persons are claiming the world their own, while the restrained race watches and can do nothing due to their ‘cage.’ Another example is when Angelou writes, “But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams, his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream” which demonstrates how she feels that without the freedoms others enjoy she is not able to pursue her dreams and goals but instead is ignored. And lastly, in “Caged Bird” the writer says “For the caged bird sings of freedom,” which explains how badly these people want their freedom. It shows that they long for the same rights others don’t appreciate enough.

“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” depicts two birds which are used as metaphors to express the state in which the two classes of people live. In one description the poem describes the standard of living of a bird of privilege which alludes to the lives of whites. Then it describes caged birds whom of which are crying out for freedom, and are meant to represent African Americans during this time. It describes the feeling of being trapped and calling out for

There are many differences between the book; To Kill a Mockingbird and the movie. Some differences are easy to spot and some aren’t. Many things that are in the book aren’t in the movie. Many of these things you don’t need, but are crucial to the plot of the book. Movies and books have differences and similarities, but many things in books MUST be included in the movie.

As most everyone knows, there are differences between a book and it’s movie adaptation. This is applicable to the book and it’s movie counterpart To Kill a Mockingbird, as well. But aside from the differences, there are also similarities between these two.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a beloved novel published in 1960. After reading the novel there were some moments and people that I found particularly enjoyable. My favorite part of the novel was when the children went to Boo Radley's house to try to get a look at him. In addition, Atticus Finch was my favorite character in the novel. In my opinion the book was very good. I felt that it really showed the thoughts and actions, both good and bad, of the people in the South during the time of the Great Depression. At some points it was sad and at others it was comical but overall it conveyed the message that it was trying to send and everyone could learn something from it.

In the movie, as well as the book, there are multiple times where the rhetorical strategy logos is used. An example of one of them is when Atticus says, “The state has not produced one iota of medical evidence to the effect that the crime Tom Robinson is charged with ever took place.” I know it is logos because it is a fact that the state hasn’t given any medical evidence to prove that Tom is guilty of the crime he is being charged for. Atticus is using this fact to try to persuade some people with logic that it wasn’t Tom who did anything to Mayella. I think that this part was better in the movie because the actor who played as Atticus made it more dramatic which made the whole situation more effective and serious.

Harper Lee includes multiples symbols in To Kill a Mockingbird, but the most prevalent includes the “mockingbird” and how it is really a metaphor for Tom Robinson, Tim Johnson, Scout, Boo Radley, Jem’s life. When Atticus tries to say it was Jem who has killed Mr. Ewell, Mr. Tate proves that Boo is the one who stabbed and killed Bob Ewell. However, Tate refuses to press charges against Boo. After this, Scout says it will be like “Killing a Mockingbird.

Isabella Scott Mr. Abney English 9CP Per. 3 6 December 6, 2014 Essay In Lee’s novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, the author characterized Boo Radley in a way that paralleled Maya Angelou, showing how their expanding perspective of prejudice lead to their aspiration to overcome false beliefs created by ignorant people.

Throughout her life, Marguerite experiences many different situations and people that all contribute to the way she grows up and the person she becomes. Despite some of her tragic circumstances, she learns a lot growing up, mainly because of the African-American women in her life who teach her all different life lessons. In I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Marguerite gets to absorb teachings from her mother (Vivian), Mrs. Bertha Flowers, and her grandmother (Momma). These women allow Marguerite to learn and grow as an African-American female, all while paving her own way.

Long ago the number of white and black birds in a certain national park was almost the same. However, with time the number of black birds was more than the number of black birds. This change in the number of birds made one biologist to study the birds’ behavior in this national park. He carried his research for a period of ten years. At the end of his study, he found out that white birds were more susceptible to particular hawks. These hawks could attack a minimum of twenty white birds per day. On the other, these hawks hardly attacked the black birds.

“Caged Bird,” is one of the most renowned pieces by the late Maya Angelou. The poem depicts a bird trapped in a cage like portrayed in the title. At first, the beginning stanza has a very cheerful tone. Images of a bird flying freely in the sky and having no worries are drawn in the readers’ minds. Suddenly the following two stanzas transition to more of a hopeless and angry tone. Instead of imagining a free bird, now we see a caged bird having its wings clipped. Even though the bird is in a terrible situation, it still manages to open its throat to sing.