I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Question and Answers RTCs

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings 

Question and Answers RTCs

1 Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.

A free bird leaps

on the back of the wind

and floats downstream and dips his wing

till the current ends

in the orange sun rays

and dares to claim the sky.

i. How does the poet describe the free bird's flight in the first stanza? 

The poet uses words such as leaps' and 'floats' to represent the absolute freedom enjoyed by the bird. He is helped along by the wind, and can choose how and where he flies without any chains to restrict him.

ii. What does the poet mean by the phrase 'dips his wing in the orange sun rays?

 The phrase 'dips his wing in the orange sun rays' refers to the freedom to experience the warmth of the outside, amongst nature, where the bird really belongs. It also refers to the unlimited opportunities enjoyed by a free person.

iii. Comment on the use of imagery in these lines.

The poet uses a lot of imagery in these lines. She cleverly uses phrases such as a "bird leaps', 'floats downstream, 'current ends, 'orange sun rays' etc. to vividly describe the bird's flight. Readers are able to experience nature alongside the bird and also enjoy the sense of freedom experienced by him.

iv. What does the poet mean by the phrase 'dares to claim the sky'? 

The free bird enjoys complete freedom. He has no restrictions and no inhibitions or fears. Therefore, the bird experiences a feeling of power and has no hesitation in claiming that something as vast as the sky belongs to him. In a historical context, the phrase refers to the freedom and opportunities enjoyed by white Americans.

v. How does the description of the free bird affect the overall tone of the poem? The description of the free bird underscores the plight of the caged bird. The main focus of the poem is the caged bird and his lack of experiences beyond his cage. By comparing him with the free bird, the poet highlights the stark and unfortunate gap between the lives of the free and the oppressed. The comparison thus makes the poem more impactful.

Q2. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.

But a bird that stalks

down his narrow cage

his bars of rage

can seldom see through his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing.

i. How is the bird described in this stanza different from the one in the first stanza? The bird described in this stanza is a caged bird which is kept inside, away from his natural surroundings. His wings are cut and feet are tied allowing no freedom to move or even make an attempt to move. Thus, we can see that not only do the surroundings of the two birds vary, but even the chance to change the surroundings have been snatched away from the caged bird.

ii. What does the poet mean by the term 'bars of rage?

The caged bird is essentially a metaphor for the oppressed in the society and the cage represents a set of circumstances that have aided the oppression. The lack of freedom gives rise to anger and frustration, which often blinds and restricts the oppressed even further. Thus, 'bars of rage' refers to the metaphoric cage of negative emotions created by circumstances.

iii. Has the caged bird ever been free? Justify your answer.

No, the caged bird has never tasted freedom. After highlighting the plight of the caged bird, the poet goes on to describe how the bird sings about 'unknown things'. The caged bird sings about freedom-something he dearly wants but has not yet experienced.

iv. How does the caged bird sing?

The caged bird sings in a fearful, shaky voice. Despite the fear he experiences, he is still hopeful of a better life. Hence, he sings in such a way that his song can be heard in distant places, serving as encouragement for other caged birds.

v. Has the tone of the poem changed from the first stanza? Give reasons. 

Yes, the tone of the poem changes in the second stanza. The poet begins the stanza with the word 'but'. By doing so, she clearly prepares the reader for the contrast between the two birds. There is a drastic change in tone, where the poem changes from being joyful to unnerving and frustrating.

Q3 Read the extract given below and answer the questions that

The free bird thinks of another breeze

and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees

and the fat worms waiting on a dawn bright lawn

and he names the sky his own

i. Why does the poet start the stanza by describing the free bird's thoughts?

 By describing the thoughts of the free bird immediately after the fearful song of the caged bird, the poet further cements the difference between the existence of two birds. Where the caged bird longs to simply see beyond darkness, the free bird lives a life where he knows he will experience 'another breeze', that is, more freedom.

ii. How does the sudden shift in tone impact the reader?

The sudden shift in tone creates uneasiness within the reader. The sharp contrast between the circumstances of two birds leads the reader to try and empathise with the caged bird instead of merely considering him as a creature to be pitied.

iii. Which figures of speech have been used in the line and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees?

Alliteration has been used in the line, where the 's' sound has been repeated in 'soft' and 'sighing. In addition, the line also contains personification. Trees have been given the human quality of sighing.

iv. Whom does the free bird represent?

The free bird is a metaphor for white Americans. Unlike African Americans, they are free to make life's choices without being bogged down or restricted by issues such as discrimination, lack of opportunities and poor self-belief.

v. The free bird leads a life of privilege. Justify this with reference to the given

stanza. 

The free bird can easily imagine flying unrestricted over trees helped along by trade winds. He thinks of another breeze', that is more freedom or more resources to make progress and achieve his dreams. Furthermore, he does not have to worry about basic needs as food would be waiting for him. In other words, opportunities are already in place for the free bird. All these privileges contribute to his self-belief and he confidently calls the sky his own. That is, he has the courage to have limitless dreams.

Q4. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream

his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing.

i. Whom does the 'caged bird' represent? What does he sing about?

The caged bird represents the African American community that endured hardships for centuries. They were enslaved for a long time and treated brutally. Even after slavery was officially abolished, several restrictions continued to be placed on them, and there were denied many rights and privileges.

He sings about freedom - something that he has not experienced, but dearly wants.

ii. Is anyone listening to the caged bird's song? 

The bird only seems to be singing to a void where no one is listening. However, his voice is said to reach far off places because his song contains a powerful message - the hope for liberty. The poet is holding out hope that through her voice, others in a similar situation might develop the courage to dream and fight for their dreams.

iii. Explain the meaning of these lines from the stanza.

"But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream"

These lines highlight the deplorable condition of the caged bird. Due to circumstances and lack of opportunities, the caged bird ends up killing his dreams. He builds his life over these dead dreams. But these dreams continue to buried deep in his mind, proving to be a source of unhappiness and pain. As a result, he becomes a shadow of his original self and lives a nightmarish life.

In other words, an oppressed person lives a life surrounded by hardships and nightmarish situations. S/he is robbed of identity and individuality.

iv. Comment on the use of repetition in the poem.

In the poem, there are two instances of repetition that stand out-the repetition of the third stanza and of the lines "his wings are clipped and his feet are tied/so he opens his throat to sing" in the second and fifth stanzas.

Through this, the poet not only highlights the condition of the oppressed. but also stresses on the need to persevere and fight against discrimination. The poet manages to drive home the message that by voicing their hopes and dreams they will be able to escape their cages.

v. Do you think the poem has a universal appeal? Give reasons to support your answer.

Yes, I do feel the poem has a universal appeal.

Though Maya Angelou wrote the poem in the context of racial discrimination in the USA, the poem reflects the plight of the oppressed anywhere in the world. Irrespective of the country they are in, they have to deal with lack of opportunities and overcome numerous different hurdles placed in their path by social, political, and cultural conditions. Owing to years of conditioning, they are often also trapped by their fears. All the same, there are always some individuals who, like the poet, urge them to break boundaries and dream fearlessly.