, Virtue, AndThe Aim Was Song, By George Herbert

The poems ‘Still I Rise’ and ‘Unknown Girl’ both explore the way women are expected to behave in specific societies. ‘Still I Rise’ focuses on Maya Angelou’s refusal to accept racism and to allow “them”, white oppressors, to push her down. ‘Unknown Girl’ focuses on Moniza Alvi’s want to be accepted in a society where she belongs, but can’t call her own.

Maya Angelou’s poem “Still I Rise,” written in 1978, acknowledges the racism and segregation during the Civil Rights Movement. During this time, although no longer slaves, the African Americans have been given little rights and opportunity in America. Maya Angelou wrote this poem to prove to other American citizens that she is unfazed by their hate, while she strengthens her people’s motive to reach equality. Angelou utilizes metaphor, imagery and repetition to reveal how proud she is of her minority’s strength.

Maya Angelou’s Rural Museums- Southern Romance, explores the legacy of slavery and brings much needed light to it. Angelou takes a trip to Louisiana too see it’s slave cabins exhibit in search for closure. Angelou, as a black woman, feels it is her obligation to be aware of her painful history. She quotes, “Since I am a descendent of African slaves, my baggage was frightfully overweight with trepidation anger fear and a morbid curiosity…” (Angelou, 89). She acknowledges who she is and braces herself for what is to come, instead of cowering and avoiding the past just because it might make her uncomfortable like many.

In conclusion, the poem was used as a key to unlock some of the thoughts the negro had concerning Africa. The negro in this poem was a representative of all negroes during this time; their thoughts and the their feelings toward Africa. Cullen’s usage of the literary devices allow for an effective expression of the meaning of this poem. Poems are intensified language of experience, so the devices assured the connection of the reader to the poem and the experience. This applies to many issues in society today because as beautiful as our country is there are still dark clouds that cover the very essence of what the states once stood

Maya Angelou and Sherman Alexie detailed their lives as a person of color growing up in predominantly white America. When reflecting back on their lives, both authors used various techniques in order to effectively make an imprint on the reader of the trials and tribulations both authors had to go through and what they learned from the experience. By analyzing Sherman Alexie’s “Indian Education” and Maya Angelou’s “Champion of the World”, a stark contrast can be seen in how two authors can use structure and various other techniques to tell a story with a similar subject to a different effect compared to the other.

This paper examines the feminist thoughtsas depicted in the works of black female writers, Maya Angelou and Toni Morrison. Both carry the common theme of describing the black woman and their sufferings in their novelsBeloved and I know why the caged bird sings. Both the writers handle a common feminist criticism. The silence, passivity and resistance of women protagonists are seen active of the feminist criticism.

Maya Angelou acclaimed poet and author wrote a poem entitled “America”. The poem offers words of truth of our country America. The poem begins, “ The gold of her promise, has never been mined.” America, promises us that all men are created equal. The first problem with the promise is we are not all men. The gold of her promise, address equality. Although it is promised to all in this country, its never delivered, when discrimination, of race and gender are still existent. “Her borders of justice, not clearly defined.” We all have our opinions on what justice is, because circumstances differ when we speak of justice in the terms of punishment, to make up for ones wrong doing. Yet, the borders of justice are not

Imagine having the influence to move and inspire people with the power of words. This is the power used by poets whose words, poetic techniques and actions engage the attention of a society while relating to a significant issue at their time in history.

Maya Angelou employs hateful diction to show that racists are trying to oppress her all throughout her life. Angelou starts off the poem by saying, “You may write me down in history / With your bitter, twisted lies,” (1-2). Angelou begins to use hateful diction, by incorporating the phrases, “bitter”, and “twisted lies”. The literal definition of bitter is “angry, hurt, or resentful.” Angelou takes advantage of the word bitter and manipulates the meaning to reveal the elevated amount of resent the supremacists had towards her success. Angelou utilizes the word “bitter” to prove that in her community there are racists that despise her and are bitter towards her because they want to keep her on the bottom of society, but she won’t let them. In the text above, she utilizes the word “lies” because lies are usually in a mean connotation; moreover, they are never good and they create these lies to keep her from rising. When Angelou symbolically states, “write me down in history”, she is trying to make a point for herself before hateful messages go ‘down in history.’ Shortly thereafter, she explains how they are treating her in the community and says, “You may shoot me with your words, / You may cut me with your eyes, / You may kill me with your hatefulness” (21-23). Angelou uses damaging terms and “you”, because she is attempting to enforce her feelings and connect to the reader on a more complex level . The author utilizes the words “shoot” which is a word for killing or wounding a person with a gun and “words” in the same

Stepto analyzes the significance of the word choice and diction in Maya Angelou’s poem “Still I Rise” and how Angelou’s title poem, reminds us of Brown's famous "Strong Men," that it is the discovery of that point which helps us define Angelou’s particular presence and success. The poetic and visual rhythms created by the repetition of "Still I Rise" and its variants clearly revoice that of Brown's "strong men . . . strong men gittin' stronger." (Stepto 313) Stepto later suggests Angelou’s word play and draws the reader’s attention to Angelou’s usage of the word ‘I’ “But the "I" of Angelou’s refrain is obviously female and, in this instance, a woman forthright about the sexual nuances of personal and social struggle.” (Stepto 314) I plan on using this essay to further examine diction and its importance in this

“Still I Rise”, written by African-American writer Maya Angelou, includes a character who rises “Up from a past that’s rooted in pain.” No matter what words are said against her, lies are told about her, threats are made towards her, or words are written against her, she takes the past and uses it to fuel her confidence. The way she writes creates a deep sense of pride and feeling, while giving the poem life and helping the audience realise that they, too can rise. The diction, literary devices, and theme help the speaker portray her feelings about the topic of oppression in her experience.

1. To whom is the poem “Upon Being Brought from Africa to America” addressed and what idea does it convey?

Poetry has a role in society, not only to serve as part of the aesthetics or of the arts. It also gives us a view of what the society is in the context of when it was written and what the author is trying to express through words. The words as a tool in poetry may seem ordinary when used in ordinary circumstance. Yet, these words can hold more emotion and thought, however brief it was presented.

    Alice Walker and Maya Angelou are two contemporary African-American writers.  Although almost a generation apart in age, both women display a remarkable similarity in their lives.  Each has written about her experiences growing up in the rural South, Ms. Walker through her essays and Ms. Angelou in her autobiographies.  Though they share similar backgrounds, each has a unique style which gives to us, the readers, the gift of their exquisite humanity, with all of its frailties and strengths, joys and sorrows.

Thus She had Lain From the golden sands of the Saharan Desert to the might of Nile river that stretches thousands of miles, the land of Africa has great riches that have been sought after through the ages. The poem, Africa, by Maya Angelou paints a picture of the history of the African continent and its land in the rhythmic poetic writing. This poem was intended to educate the reader through symbols and captivating word choice about the issues that in the past and currently are accruing on the African continent. Maya Angelou compares Africa to a lady and gives graphic details to her figure; this allows the reader the ability to relate geographical locations to a women’s body.