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Summary Of The Poem Infrica By Maya Angelou

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The poem “Africa” was written by Maya Angelou, a very famous African American poet. WWII had just ended, and the Europeans colonized Africa. The continent was split into many countries, each controlled by separate European nations. These nations were in control of Africa’s resources. Throughout this poem, Angelou uses several techniques such as extended metaphor, repetition and imagery to thoroughly explain what is was like to live in Africa during the pre-colonization, colonization, and post-colonization eras. With these techniques, Angelou provides the readers with a clear image of what it was like to live in Africa. In the first stanza, the landmarks of Africa are used to describe the body of an African woman. During the pre-colonization era, Africa was a very pure continent. One of the main resources Africa is known for is their “sugar” reproduction. The largest “sugar cane” areas were found in the Northern part of Africa. “Thus she had lain / sugar cane sweet” is an example of imagery. Angelou is giving the reader a feel of the setting. Very relaxed, and content [lying] there, taking in how “sweet” Africa was during the pre-colonization era. Angelou uses an extended metaphor throughout this poem, that compares the body of an African woman to the African continent. “mountains her breast” gives a clear image of her breasts being compared to the mountains in Africa, pointy and curvy. Angelou then begins to use imagery when using the phrase “deserts her hair / golden her

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