Question

To interpret ______________ in “The Caged Bird,” the reader must look at the context of the text rather than an individual word.

Answer 1

 As seen in many poems or poetic texts, there is in "Caged Bird" the use of figurative language, with connotative meaning so that there is a subjective message under the text that must be analyzed under its' context.

The figurative language is a writers' resource for expressing feelings and amplifying the meaning of words.  

Let's read an excerpt of Maya Angelou's "Caged Bird" :

"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

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.

The caged bird sings    

with a fearful trill    

of things unknown    

but longed for still    

and his tune is heard    

on the distant hill    

for the caged bird    

sings of freedom"

With comparing the two birds, we can see how the birds can be a representative symbol of people under different types of life situations, being the caged one a symbol of someone restricted of freedom, wanting their voices to be heard (or needing their rights to be granted, as well).