Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
Extract – I
A free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wing
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.
Question 1 : Describe the life of the free bird as described by the poetess Maya Angelou.
Answer : The free bird as described by the poetess is enjoying his freedom fearlessly. The bird is enjoying his flight in natural atmosphere or habitat. ‘Dips his wings’ means that the bird is free and uses his wings the way he wants.
Question 2 : What does the free bird symbolise?
Answer : The free bird symbolises people who are free to lead their life the way they want without any prejudicess. The free bird has the opportunity to move through life seeking in its abundance. The people, like free bird are able to make their own decisions and choices.
Question 3 : How does the poetess show her love for nature through this stanza?
Answer : The poetess has described nature beautifully through the movements of free bird as he flies upward in the sky and at the next moment his floating effortlessly down the gentle current of a river. The morning sun has been described as ‘orange sun rays’, a beautiful imagery of rising sun which appears orange, when the bird flies he appears as if he had dipped his wings in the orange sun.
Question 4 : What is the biggest possession of a free bird?
Answer : Freedom is the biggest possession of a free bird that makes him able to experience all kinds of beauty of nature, to fly wherever he wishes, to eat whatever he wants and to live and stay wherever he desires. No matter how big and strong a bird is, cannot even move his wings on his own wish, if he does not possess freedom.
Question 5 : Describe the tone of the poetess in these lines.
Answer : Even though, the poetess is describing the free bird, her tone is a bit satirical as later on she describes the plight of a caged bird representing the condition of African Americans who were exploited by the Whites. The words chosen to describe the free bird like leap, floats, dips etc not only show the freedom of the bird but also highlight the contrast where she describes the caged bird.
Extract – II
But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.
Question 1 : What is the plight of the bird mentioned in these lines? How is it different from the one described in the first stanza?
Answer : The bird described here is kept in captivity and is not free at all. He is kept in a cage so he is unable to see the open sky as through cage, only limited vision is possible. The bird feels helpless and unhappy. His wings are clipped and feet are tied suggests that he can not do anything independently. This situation keeps him away from flying.
Question 2 : Despite being in a cage, unable to fly, the caged bird sings. Describe the condition of bird in the extract.
Answer : The caged bird, though feels helpless to fly, he sings in expectation that he was created to be free. He hardly even gets a chance to see the sky. The bird is shown to be afraid of many strange and undisclosed things, yet he wants to taste freedom.
Question 3 : What do the words ‘clipped’ and ‘feet tied’ suggest?
Answer : ‘Clipped’ means that freedom of concerned person is curtailed and he is not free to do or move around as he wishes. The blacks in America had to face limitations based on systematic cycle of racial oppression which prevented class mobility. ‘Feet tied’ also suggests slavery as the concerned person is not able to enjoy the liberty or the freedom to do things on his own.
Question 4 : Explain, ‘So he opens his throat to Sing’.
Answer : The last line of this stanza, suggests that inspite of clipped wings and feet tied, the bird still wants to sing or raise his voice so that his craving for freedom can be heard at least. The bird, though in fearful tone calls for freedom.
Question 5 : Whom does the poetess refer indirectly while mentioning the free and the caged birds?
Answer : The poetess here refers to the free bird to the Whites who were free to do whatever they wished and could live fearlessly. On the other hand the caged bird refers to the Blacks who were oppressed by the Whites. They felt helpless due to slavery, unable to take independent decisions and do whatever they wanted to do.
Extract – III
The caged bird sings
with fearful trill
of things unknown
but longer for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.
Question 1 : Here the poetess says that ‘caged bird sings with fearful trill’, why?
Answer : The poetess says that ‘caged bird sings with a fearful trill’ – is ironic as the caged bird is the one singing not like the free bird as we expect. The words ‘fearful’ and ‘trill’ make us realise that actually it is not a happy voice by a desperate cry for freedom.
Question 2 : What does the poetess mean by the expression, ‘his tune is heard on the distant hill’?
Answer : The poetess reveals that the caged bird’s cry for freedom is heard only as a soft background noise. His cries are heard only as a distant noise. No one gives attention to his voice, though he too was created by God and has a right to live with dignity and freedom.
Question 3 : What is the purpose of repeating the line ‘the caged bird sings of freedom’?
Answer : The purpose of repeating the line ‘the caged bird sings of freedom’ shows the poetess’ yearning for freedom. ‘Sings of freedom’ suggests, raising the voice against racism and the poetess in her life sang and danced because it was her way of expressing her longing for freedom and her protest against partiality.
Question 4 : How is this poem a reflection of social disparity?
Answer : The poetess Maya Angelou has used metaphors of free bird and caged bird interchangeably to reflect on the social disparity. With the use of these metaphors Angelou represents the inequality of justice in the society of her time when African Americans were not treated at par with the White Americans. She also illustrates the nature of both freedom and slavery by created a deep contrast between the two by showing free and caged bird.
Question 5 : Why does the bird in the cage sing of freedom? What does it imply?
Answer : The last line may imply that though the bird is inside the cage, he dares to sing. He may never have experienced freedom but he still sings as everyone was created free. This is similar to what the Black Americans did. They wrote and sang and cried for freedom they deserved, but it took a long time before their voice was heard.
But nothing could stop them as they were aware that everybody has the right to live as a free individual and making someone slave was incorrect and unethical.
They knew they will continue their struggle, until they were made free and live freely to enjoy life.
Extract – IV
The free bird thinks of another breeze and the
trade winds of soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn bright
lawn and he names the sky his own.
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.
Question 1 : How, through this poem, the poetess has shown the various activities of free bird?
Answer : In this stanza the poetess shows the liberty taken by free bird. He is free to move in any direction but he is not contented and chooses another breeze so that he can enjoy more freedom and be free to find his own food. The bird is not contented and is greedy to have even more freedom.
Question 2 : How is the life of a caged bird is not same as that of a free bird?
Answer : The poem shows the life of a free bird and a caged bird. The caged bird is not free. He can not fly as he is put inside the cage. All his dreams and desires have died sitting inside a cage. He does not get a chance to see the outside world and explore the sky. He is afraid but still he opens his mouth to sing because his inherent desire for freedom can not be taken away. The free bird is allowed to fly and explore different areas but a caged bird is not able to even fly.
Question 3 : Explain, ‘The grave of dream’.
Answer : The caged bird is not free to pursue what he dreams. As he lives in captivity inside the cage, he has not been able to fulfil his dreams and aspirations. So, the poet calls the bird’s cage as ‘grave of dreams’ . The bird’s ambitions and aspirations are suppressed by the sorrowful captivity inside the cage.
Question 4 : Why do you think Maya Angelou wrote this poem?
Answer : Maya Angelou must have written this poem to bring out the fact that a wide disparity existed in the treatment and facilities given to White Americans and African Americans. The caged bird symbolises the plight of African Americans who were deprived of freedom and were not able to fulfil their dreams and desires.
Question 5 : How does the description of a caged bird resemble the state of mind of the poetess?
Answer : As the poetess Maya Angelou was an African American, she was a victim of racism and segregation (apart from state). The caged bird and his grave of dreams reveals the poet’s feelings about her own dreams. She had so many desires but all of them were suppressed as she was never given an opportunity.
Being a Black author and poetess, she often felt that her words were not heard, she was often experiencing slavery. Partially and racism, made her caged and although she sang, she felt her voice was not heard in the world, but only by those near her cage.
Extract – V
But a caged bird stand 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.
Question 1 : In the context of the poem who is a ‘free bird’ and who is a ‘caged bird’? What mood do the above lines convey?
Answer : The white people in America are referred as ‘free bird’ and the blacks in America are referred as ‘caged bird’. The lines convey the angry and sad mood of the ‘caged bird’.
Question 2 : How does a free live in his life? What are the things he thinks of and dreams about?
Answer : The free bird enjoys his freedom fearlessly. He thinks of another breeze through the trees and dreams of good eatables like fat worms waiting on a bright lawn.
Question 3 : What does the caged bird sing about? What are the restrictions that a caged bird has to deal with?
Answer : The caged bird sings about ‘things unknown’. ‘Things unknown’ refers to the fact that the caged bird has never enjoyed freedom before and has no idea of what it tastes like.
The caged bird is unable to see the open sky as through the cage only limited vision is possible. His wings are dipped and feet are tied and hence he cannot move or fly.
Question 4 : What do you understand from the title of the poem? What do you like about the poem?
Answer : The title of the poem compares the life of the bird who lives freely to the one who is confined to a cage. The poet uses the metaphor of a bird struggling to escape its cage. The caged bird represents the poet’s confinement resulting from racism and oppression. I like the way in which the poet has described the caged bird and the free bird.
Question 5 : Explain what you understand by the following lines:
‘……. a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage’
‘he names the sky his own’
Answer : (i) ‘……………… a bird that stalks down his narrow cage’ means that the bird in the cage is unable to move freely and is angry at his helplessness.
(ii) ‘he names the sky his own’ means that the free bird has all the freedom and so he thinks that the sky belongs to him.
FAQs
Ans. The bird is singing of his freedom because there is no other way by which he can raise his demands for freedom.
What is Chapter 32 of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings about? ›
Summary: Chapter 32
Maya stays for a month. Everyone enters a dance contest on Saturday nights, and Maya and her partner win second prize during her last weekend. Maya learns to appreciate diversity and tolerance fully that month, something that influences her the rest of her life, she notes in retrospect.
What does the fat worms symbolize in the poem? ›
Fat worms symbolize the freedom to choose what it wants to eat by going anywhere it wants which is denied to the caged bird. The caged bird is restricted and discriminated and cannot exercise free will even for the most ordinary things.
What does a free bird leaps on the back of the wind question answer? ›
Ans- By the line 'a free bird leaps on the wind and floats downstream', the poet wishes to imply that the free bird readily takes flight with the wind that passes by. It is free to soar with the wind and float gently downstream because its wings are not clipped and its feet are not tied.
What does the free bird symbolize in caged bird? ›
In Maya Angelou's 'Caged Bird,' the poet uses two bird metaphors. The free bird symbolizes white Americans or all free people who enjoy equal rights. The caged bird is a metaphor for/symbolizes oppressed Black Americans who are kept captive through racist policies.
What does the caged bird symbolize? ›
What Does the Caged Bird Symbolize? The caged bird in the memoir is a symbol of the oppression of racism and gender discrimination that she faces in her childhood. The cage represents the confinement that Maya feels as a Black American in a time of harsh segregation laws, especially in the south.
How did Marguerite become pregnant? ›
In the final chapters of ''I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings'', Marguerite is eager to become an adult. She gets a job that no Black had ever been able to get. She also gets pregnant after propositioning a neighborhood boy for sex.
What happens in chapter 22 of I Know Why the Caged Bird? ›
Summary: Chapter 22
One stormy night, a fellow townsman named George Taylor comes to the Store and stays the night, still heartbroken over the death of his wife, Florida. Momma urges Mr. Taylor to be thankful for the forty years he spent with Florida, although, Momma says, it was a pity they never had children.
Why did Bailey leave his mother's house? ›
Maya knows that eventually Bailey will leave, and one night she overhears a great fight during which Bailey says he has had enough of living with his mother and needs to move away. Though Maya and Bailey have grown apart, before he leaves he tells her she can have his books—a touching gesture that saddens Maya.
What is the theme of the caged bird? ›
The themes in Maya Angelou's Caged Bird are freedom versus bondage, discrimination, and unfulfilled dreams.
According to the poet, free bird “names the sky his own.” The free bird is happy because it knows that the sky is the limit for him. He imagines himself to be the possessor of the whole universe, symbolised by using the word “sky” here. so he opens his throat to sing.
Why does the bird open his throat to sing? ›
In this, the poet has portrayed the experience of belonging to the African American society. She has used the caged bird as a metaphor to express the overwhelming agony of the oppression of the marginalized communities. so he opens his throat to sing.
What is meant by his bars of rage? ›
The phrase 'his bars of rage' implies that the bars instill anger in the caged bird. 2. How has the poetess brought out the theme by juxtaposing the free and the caged birds? The free bird is free to do anything, on the other hand, the caged bird's aspirations are as trapped as himself. 3.
What is meant by the orange sunrise? ›
During sunrise/sunset, rays have to travel larger distances and as red light scatters least, it is capable to reach our eyes while rest of the components are scattered away. Hence, sky appears reddish orange during sunrise or sunset.
What is the free bird compared to? ›
Answer: The free bird is compared to a bird in a cage. The free bird is shown to be enjoying its freedom while the bird in the cage is not.
What is the conclusion of the caged bird? ›
The conclusion of the poem is that the caged bird will sing song nevertheless. The songs will be full of fear and tremble but there will be songs. The tune of his songs will be heard in distant hills and one day it will be liberated.
What is ironic about the caged bird? ›
This kind of freedom is intrinsic for every creature. However, the title, 'caged bird' suggests the height of a repressive tendency towards a perception of competition among a community of people. Further, this is a despicable phenomenon in carrying realisations from place to place and people to people.
What do the two birds symbolize? ›
Pigeon represents love, and the dove has been recognized as a symbol of love. These birds have been a symbol of love, peace and tolerance for years.
What is the difference between free bird and caged bird? ›
Instant Text Answer. 1. A caged bird is confined to a limited space, while a free bird can fly and explore its surroundings without any restrictions.
What does the caged bird want most in the poem sympathy? ›
This is the first time that the speaker tells us explicitly why the caged bird is singing: it wants to be "free." This sets up freedom as an important idea in the poem. This is a poem about a bird wanting, but not being able, to get free.
Although Marguerite protested, Le Gris broke into the house and proposed sexual intercourse with her, offering money in exchange. When Marguerite refused, Le Gris forcibly raped her on the bed in her chamber with the help of Louvel. As Le Gris departed, he threatened her with violence if she told of the encounter.
Does Maya have another baby? ›
After experiencing two pregnancy losses, Maya Vander has welcomed another baby with her husband David Miller.
Does Maya end up having a baby? ›
Selling Sunset alum Maya Vander is opening up about welcoming her baby girl. Last month, the luxury real estate pro, 41, revealed to PEOPLE exclusively that she welcomed daughter Emma Reign with husband David Miller.
Why did Maya attend Mrs Taylor's funeral? ›
Momma even made Maya attend the funeral because Mrs. Taylor left the girl a fake gold brooch in her will. At the funeral.
Why did Maya dislike Joyce? ›
Her aunt later tells Momma that Joyce ran away with a railroad porter whom she met at the Store. Bailey is heartbroken. Maya never liked Joyce, but she hates her for leaving and hurting Bailey.
What message did Mrs Taylor reveal to her husband when she appeared to him? ›
Mr. Taylor said he was visited in bed by a laughing, fat, cupid-like baby angel. Then he heard the voice of his wife saying that she wanted children. The end.
Does Bailey lose her child? ›
In Season 16, Bailey fires Meredith after she commits insurance fraud to save one of her patients. Shortly after, she is told by Maggie that she is both pregnant with her second child and perimenopausal. In the fall finale of Season 16, Bailey suffers a miscarriage.
Did Bailey have a baby girl? ›
Portrayed by. Pruitt Arike Miller is the daughter of Dean Miller and JJ Lau. After Dean's death, she was adopted by Ben Warren and Miranda Bailey.
What happens to baby Bailey? ›
Less than 20 minutes later in the episode, Bailey realizes she is standing above a small pool of blood. By the time Miranda's husband Ben Warren (Jason George) arrives at his wife's hospital room, it is clear the baby has died.
What is the moral lesson of Caged Bird? ›
It is an important reminder that we never know what our own futures may hold.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings covers tough issues such as the effects of rape and the trauma resulting from abuse; sexual development and gender issues; identity; and the impact of relationships between family members, friends, teachers, and students.
Does the sky have a name? ›
In the field of astronomy, the sky is also called the celestial sphere. This is an abstract sphere, concentric to the Earth, on which the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars appear to be drifting.
What was the original name of sky? ›
Sky Group
| Logo used since 2020 |
|---|
| Trade name | Sky |
|---|
| Formerly | British Sky Broadcasting Group plc (1990–2014) Sky plc (2014–2018) |
| Type | Division |
| Industry | Telecommunications Mass media |
12 more rowsAnswer: The White Americans are referred as free bird in the poem. They are called so as they have right, power and justice to achieve every freedom successfully as compared to the Black Africans. They claim the biggest right and freedom also to themselves so except them nobody can attain that.
What is the difference between freedom and captivity in caged bird? ›
One is caged, and the other is free. The caged bird represents African Americans and their sorrowful plight compared to the white Americans. She says that the free bird has the freedom to move anywhere in the world, while the caged bird is in captivity, full of pain and rage.
Why do birds love to sing? ›
It's long been known that when songbirds sing, it's a way to attract mates and defend territory. But new research suggests there's another reason — a chemical rush to the bird's brain that feels good.
What prevents the caged bird from flying? ›
Answer: In "Caged Bird," poet Maya Angelou describes a bird with clipped wings. Its feet have been tied, and it has been placed in a cage that prevents it from flying away.
What is a cruel bar in poem? ›
The phrase 'cruel bars' is a metaphor to show the intensity of the cruelty shown to the bird. In reality, the cage and the bars does not have feelings or emotions and do not express cruelty. However, the cage is used as a metaphor to show the oppression and pain.
What does the free bird think of? ›
What does a free bird think about? Ans. The free birds thinks of different breeze and the trade winds and how it would fly across the sky against these winds.
What is the grave of dreams? ›
Grave of dreams refers to all the dreams and aspirations that seem unattainable. The bird has given up hope of achieving them, and thus the dreams are considered to be dead. The bird stands atop the grave where all the dreams are buried.
A red sky appears when dust and small particles are trapped in the atmosphere by high pressure. This scatters blue light leaving only red light to give the sky its notable appearance.
Why the sky is blue? ›
The Short Answer:
Sunlight reaches Earth's atmosphere and is scattered in all directions by all the gases and particles in the air. Blue light is scattered more than the other colors because it travels as shorter, smaller waves. This is why we see a blue sky most of the time.
Why is the sky pink? ›
During sunrise, sunlight has a longer distance to travel through the sky before it reaches you. The colors that make it to your eyeballs are pinks and oranges and reds, because they are less likely to be scattered by the atmosphere. In turn, the morning sunlight fills the sky with a blaze of pinks and reds.
What do the two birds symbolize in caged bird? ›
In Maya Angelou's 'Caged Bird,' the poet uses two bird metaphors. The free bird symbolizes white Americans or all free people who enjoy equal rights. The caged bird is a metaphor for/symbolizes oppressed Black Americans who are kept captive through racist policies.
What do the birds symbolize in the caged bird? ›
The bird represents freedom or desire to be free, while the cage symbolizes confinement or oppression. Even the act of singing shines a spotlight on the author's ability to grow and flourish despite her challenges. Of course, there are many other symbols in this story, which is what brings us to this lesson.
Is it OK to free a bird? ›
Such a naive captive bred bird would be quite vulnerable and will likely end up as a prey for another hungry animal or will die of starvation as they do not know what is safe to eat and how to get their food. This is why it is strongly not advised to let the captive birds back into the wild.
What is the answer to the caged bird by Maya Angelou? ›
Answer: The caged bird is confined to a cage, with his wings clipped and feet tied. He is bound and helpless to do anything, hence can only sing through his throat that too with a fearful voice.
Why does the caged bird stand on the grave of dreams explain your answer? ›
Grave of dreams refers to all the dreams and aspirations that seem unattainable. The bird has given up hope of achieving them, and thus the dreams are considered to be dead. The bird stands atop the grave where all the dreams are buried.
What is the main conflict in the poem caged bird? ›
In Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the major conflicts are: man versus self, man versus society, and man versus man. Man versus self is a battle a major character faces within their own personality. Man versus society is a struggle against the norms of the community.
What is the point of the caged bird poem? ›
Maya Angelou's 'Caged Bird' is a protest poem that voices out the inequality between black and white Americans. It illustrates the oppression of the Blacks in contrast with the freedom of the Whites during Segregation in American history.
The poem conveys a message of hope and of the power of self-expression – the caged bird's tune of freedom is heard “on the distant hill,” so his tune is powerful enough to be heard in the distance. His singing leads others to hear and acknowledge his sorrow and longing for freedom.
How is freedom ironic in caged bird? ›
This kind of freedom is intrinsic for every creature. However, the title, 'caged bird' suggests the height of a repressive tendency towards a perception of competition among a community of people. Further, this is a despicable phenomenon in carrying realisations from place to place and people to people.
Why does the caged bird open his throat to sing? ›
In this, the poet has portrayed the experience of belonging to the African American society. She has used the caged bird as a metaphor to express the overwhelming agony of the oppression of the marginalized communities. so he opens his throat to sing.
Why does he names the sky his own? ›
According to the poet, free bird “names the sky his own.” The free bird is happy because it knows that the sky is the limit for him. He imagines himself to be the possessor of the whole universe, symbolised by using the word “sky” here. so he opens his throat to sing.
What does a bird symbolize in a cemetery? ›
Bird. Birds, especially in flight, represent the flight of the soul to the afterlife.
What does bars of rage mean in the caged bird? ›
The phrase 'his bars of rage' implies that the bars instill anger in the caged bird. 2. How has the poetess brought out the theme by juxtaposing the free and the caged birds? The free bird is free to do anything, on the other hand, the caged bird's aspirations are as trapped as himself. 3.
What are two themes of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings? ›
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, an autobiographical account of Maya Angelou's childhood, describes her life through the themes of racism, self-acceptance, and belonging.
What is the main conflict and theme? ›
Conflict: Conflict represents the problem in the story. It can be internal if the character is battling with them or external if they are battling outside forces, such as another character or nature. Theme: Theme is the main point of the story.
Why does the caged bird beat his wings? ›
In the poem, the speaker is making a metaphor about life. The bird is like a slave or a child who is unable to experience what the world has to offer. The speaker understands how it feels to be locked up and helpless, like a bird without freedom. The bird beats his wings until there is blood on the cruel bars.
