Question

Identify the connotative meaning of each word based on the context of the poem. 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. 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. 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. 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. –“Caged Bird,” Maya Angelou The connotative meaning of sky is “ .” The connotative meaning of narrow is “ .” The connotative meaning of dreams is “ .” The connotative meaning of shadow is “ .”

Answer 1

The connotative meaning of sky is “limitless." The sky is limitless for a bird who has freedom.

The connotative meaning of narrow is “limited.” The narrow cage is limited/restrictive for a bird who's caged.

The connotative meaning of dreams is “hopes and desires.” Even though caged, the bird still hopes and dreams for his freedom.

The connotative meaning of shadow is “who a person once was.” The shadow refers to what the bird once was, free and unconfined.

Answer 2

1 limitless

2 limited.

3“hopes and desires.  

4“who a person once was.