The Themes Of The Caged Bird By Maya Angelou - 1651 Words

A poem about two birds: one caged and one free, Caged Bird by Maya Angelou is a poem loaded with personal anecdotes. Angelou contrasts the two birds throughout the poem and discusses the ideas of freedom and oppression using the birds as metaphors. The free bird is able to fly as he wishes, â€Å"daring to claim the sky†. On the other hand, the caged bird is limited to his cage, with clipped wings and tied feet, dreaming of the open sky. Because he is confined, he does what he can and begins to sing, for the unknown and for freedom. The free bird continues to enjoy his life, eventually claiming the sky as his own. On the other hand, the caged bird’s dreams have come and gone, so he does the only action he can: continuing to sing. Using two†¦show more content†¦Here, Angelou is referring to the free bird and his ability to do what he likes, in this case, claiming the sky. This is akin to the oblivious mindset of the population of America that has the freedom to do what they like with very little restraint. This conversation can also be related to that of privilege because the bird in the sky is given the ability to do something from the start, an ability that it seemingly takes for granted. On the other hand, the caged bird, being stuck in the cage, does not have the option to fly free. Unlike the free bird, he is painfully aware of his situation and doesn’t take anything for granted. Despite being confined to his cage, the caged bird still dreams. He longs for â€Å"things unknown† singing about them and â€Å"freedom†. Continuing with the racial subtext, this can be interpreted as the African American community and those that are generally marginalized dreaming about true freedom and equality despite never having experienced them. On the other hand, the free bird is relishing in its freedom, dreaming of the next benefit that comes with freedom, whether it’s â€Å"another breeze† or â€Å"the fat wormsà ¢â‚¬ . These are not appreciated by the free bird because they are so abundant and available to him, a stark contrast to the caged bird who can only imagine these incidents. However, the last line of the penultimate stanza is crucial: â€Å"and he names the sky his own†. Because of all of the advantages that he has accumulated over his life, the freeShow MoreRelatedDisplacement, a Theme in Maya Angelou ´s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings1603 Words   |  6 Pagesdisplacement leaves a painful hole in ones heart. Whether a person is a male or female, white or black, lives in the North or South, or young or old, displacement takes a toll on their character and personality. Maya Angelou creates a theme of displacement in her novel I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. 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