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I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings



A. " A free bird leaps on the back ...... claim the sky. "

1. How does the Poet refer to nature here ? What does the poet mean by the phrase " dares to claim the sky " in the last line?

 The poetess refers to nature by the way " a free bird leaps on the back of the wind " she also describes the bird's flight against the orange sky .It talks about the absolute freedom enjoyed by the free bird  out of the cage . A free bird can fly in the sky as per it's wish.

2. What gives the reader an appreciation of the natural beauty of the sky ?

The poetess has described the "orange sun rays " - it gives the readers an appreciation for the natural beauty of the sky . Moreover the way the bird "dips his wing " helps the reader to appreciate the bird in its natural habitat .

3. What is meant by "orange sun rays"?

Through this phrase the poetess depicts the beauty of nature . She wanted to convey that the nature is full of colours .The "orange sun rays " - it provides the readers an opportunity to appreciate  the natural beauty of the sky.

4. How the image of the free bird is depicted here ?

The poem has depicted a contrast between a cage bird and a free bird. The free bird "leaps", "floats" and "dips" - it is a symbol of freedom and happiness- joy and energy - The free bird has the freedom to go wherever and claim the sky .The free bird is lazy , It would rather float with the wind instead of making it's own path .

B. " But a bird that stacks down her narrow cage ..... opens his throat to sing "

1. Describe the tone of the poet in these lines?

The poetess's tone is dark , unnerving and even frustrating . She describes that the caged bird can hardly see through his bars of rage . The bird is helpless by everything but only responds by opening his throat to sing due to his immense longing for freedom.

2. "Can seldom see through his bar of rage " - Explain.

According to the poet , the caged bird is hardly able to get a glimpse of the sky which makes him angry . His clipped wings and tied feet prevents him from flying away . His aspirations are suppressed. He is helpless to even get a sight of the great freedom outside the bars of the cage which makes the bird resentful for he longs for freedom to be outside the cage .

3. What does " but" at the begining of the passage suggest?

"but " at the beginning of the passage suggests that the poetess is preparing the readers for a contrast . 

The word "but" indicates that the poetess is about to introduce the contrary idea after this .

4. Whom does the poetess refer indirectly while mentioning of the free bird and the caged bird ?

This contrast between the birds has enabled the poetess to express indirectly her own emotions about freedom and isolation. By the "free bird" the poetess refers to the white people ,and the "caged bird " can be interpreted as the black race being deprived from freedom to their skin colour .This could be compared to the slavery of the USA where the blacks were suppressed from their aspirations and were much tortured by the white people.


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