Paul Laurence Dunbar Sympathy

Sympathy is showing why the caged bird sings; it does this by explaining to us in a way of showing his feelings. He sings because that's the only way he can feel free. Sympathy is a lot more focused on the negatives in life and feeling trapped. It draws the reader's attention to interpret the fact that people get stuck and feel trapped in their addictions. I honestly do not believe that the author of this poem is trying to talk about slavery. He kinda does because his parents had to deal with stuff like that.

“The free bird thinks of another breeze….a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams…” The two literary works “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou and Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” can be seen as mockingbirds that have flown over fields of prejudice and repeat what they have seen for all to hear. Jem Finch, a young boy and lawyer’s son from “To Kill a Mockingbird” clearly symbolizes a mockingbird because of his youth and innocence, and because of his innocence he cannot fully understand the racism in the story. Jem also has many similarities to the caged and free birds in “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”, whether it be Jem’s

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.

In Sympathy, a poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar, the narrator speaks of his feelings that sympathize with how a caged bird feels and why he does what he does in his cage. The author uses style to convey the theme of oppression and imprisonment and the tone of pain and agony through the use of imagery, diction, and repetition.

At a point in time in the life of every person, a feeling of being trapped or stuck occurs. The poem “Sympathy” by Paul Laurence Dunbar represents the speaker’s vast knowledge of the feeling of being enclosed in a place where they are tremendously uncomfortable. The speaker explains the actions of a bird trapped in a small cage and explains the motives behind the actions. The speaker reveals that the song the caged bird sings is not a melody exuberating joy, but a cry begging for freedom.

In the poem “Sympathy” by Paul Laurence Dunbar, Dunbar also explains how the slaves sang songs to relieve their pain and misery which was caused by slavery. Dunbar also went through something similar to what Douglass went through when he states, “I know what the caged bird feels.” It’s different when you have been through it yourself, and when you have just heard about it. Experience is the real deal, and once you have, you’re scarred for life as Dunbar states with the help of imagery, “I know why the caged bird beats his wing till its blood is red on the cruel bars.” The use of imagery in this quote helps the readers imagine what the poet is talking about. When you go through all that, all the misery and pain, you need a way to express your emotion and the things you have been through. That’s why the slaves sang their songs, “It’s not a carol of joy and glee, but a prayer that it sends from its heart’s deep core,” stated Dunbar in the poem. In the previous quote he uses invocation to call

The first element our writers used to express their message of wanting to be free is form. The narrator for ‘The Caged Bird” feels alone and wishes to be able to snatch the chains that keep her tied down. Also, in the poem “Sympathy” by Dunbar as well an in “The Caged Bird” both authors used a bird to symbolize the captivity and aspiration for freedom. Both poets wrote their piece in lyric form because of obvious reasons. A lyric poem is defined as a poem that expresses personal and emotional feelings. Writing poems with this form shows the amount of deep emotion that the narrator feels toward this work. In addition, both authors wrote their poems in iambic pentameter to make the poem sound like a natural flow of speech to really show the deep feelings the poets are feeling.

“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

Paul Dunbar was born in Dayton, Ohio, on June 27, 1872. Both of his parents, Joshua and Matilda Dunbar, were slaves. Shortly after Paul was born his parents separated. Paul was driven by his parent’s life story to write poetry. In school Paul would edit the newspaper for the school along with being a member of the literary and debate societies. As Paul grew older he began writing and was a very intelligent student in school, he and his family did not have much money; therefore he had to put his college career on hold. Paul took a job as an elevator operator, which gave him opportunities to write. He was invited to read his poems at a meeting one evening and from that night he was repeatedly asked to events to read. In 1893, at age 21, Paul self-published a series called Oak and Ivy. To cover the cost of the publication, Dunbar sold copies to the people who rode the elevator for one dollar. Dunbar moved to Chicago later that year. By 1895, Dunbar had poems published in popular newspapers and magazines. Frederick Douglass, a fan of Dunbar’s work, called him “the most promising colored man in America” (Project MUSE). While in Chicago, Dunbar had written many poems and stories. He wrote eleven poems, four short stories, five novels, and a play before his death at thirty-three. He had several unpublished short stories and poems that brought him a lot of attention at his readings. A few years later, Dunbar went on a 6 month tour of England to read his

“I Know Why The Caged Sings Bird ” by Maya Angelou & “Sympathy” by John Dunbar, are not only similar because one was based on the other but for many reasons. One of those reasons being meaning by this it is not only the repeated words but the words themselves that are used.The Caged bird symbolises ‘no escape’ or ‘no freedom’ so as it's continued in both passages they want to be freed.Flying and being in the air is symbolising ‘freedom’ because they finally can feel the air they can finally go and do as they please. From Maya Angelou's “his wings are clipped and his feet are tied” means he can not be freed he’s too damaged and detained.Which is another similarity to John Dunbar's when, “bird beats his wing,Till its blood is red on the cruel

Poetry is the most passionate and personal way Paul Dunbar could express himself. Through specific poetic devices such as tone, rhyme, persona and form Dunbar is able to influence the emotions of his audience. Poetry is a beautiful melancholy form of writing used to express a specific theme or lesson. Paul Dunbar writes a poem in the form of a rondeau to achieve a memorable rhythm used to better express the theme.

I think sympathy is the way someone feels or how someone reacts to whatever. I think that is sympathy because he is saying that he knows what it feels like to be caged and he knows why the bird sings. He understands what feels like to be caged so he feels that he connects with the bird.

Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Maya shields herself against the confusion of St. Louis by reading fairy-tales and telling herself that she does not intend on staying there anyway. Vivian works in a gambling parlor at night. Maya pities Mr. Freeman because he spends his days at home waiting for Vivian to return. Maya begins sleeping at night with Vivian and Mr. Freeman because she suffers from nightmares. One morning after Vivian has left the bed and the house,

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings is a novel by Maya Angelou, where she writes about her childhood and her experiences while growing up. This non-fiction novel illustrates Maya Angelou’s childhood, being tossed around by her parents, and having to experience different cultures. Maya struggles particularly in finding friends, she is reserved, and will only open up to Bailey, her brother. Maya moves a couple of times to different places, which may contribute to her not having friends. The novel revolves around Maya Angelou, Bailey, and her grandmother, evolving through life from being a child to a teenager. This novel is set in the “South”, in America.

Dunbar utilizes the analogy of caged bird in his poem “Sympathy” to expose the emotions and struggles of enslaved African Americans to achieve freedom. He begins his poem by describing the free bird singing when “sun is bright and first bud opens” to portray the beauty of landscape. However, the beauty turns into sadness when the poet states "I know what the caged bird feels, alas" which depicts a tone of sadness. This contrast between a free bird and caged bird initiates the losses of caged bird. It cannot go out and experience the freedom under the open sky. It struggles with physical constrain “till its blood is red on the cruel bars” helps visualize the intensity of struggle the bird is experiencing to gain his freedom to go where he desires, and to be with those who give him happiness. This struggle is similar of African American who tried to rebel in hopes of gaining their freedoms, but all resulted in vain. Their wounds, just like the caged bird, are “old, old scars” emphasizes that African Americans