This poem is an extended metaphor. Although the speaker doesn't mention any races, it is clear that she is showing how the freedoms allotted whites are diametrically opposed to those given to the blacks. In the first stanza, the speaker illustrates how the free bird, or white race, is untroubled. It also shows how the white race has the audacity to own and govern society unjustly. The speaker concludes'' (the free bird) dares to claim the sky". This shows how whites demonstrated discrimination and prejudice toward blacks. Unfortunately, this deplorable conduct was condoned in society
In "Caged Bird" by Maya Angelou, the free bird is an extended metaphor for a free person, and the caged bird is an extended metaphor for an oppressed person. Angelou creates a comparison between the two birds to make her point. For example, a free bird that "leaps on the back of the wind" is a metaphor for being free to do anything, while a caged bird with clipped wings and tied feet is a metaphor for being kept from doing most things. Angelou alternates the focus of the stanzas between the free bird and the caged bird. This emphasizes the contrast between the two and highlights the emotions her extended metaphors convey.
