Question

explain how Maya Angelou uses the symbol of the cage throughout the poem to develop a theme. "one to two paragraphs 90 points!

Answer 1

The symbol of the cage is used throughout the famous poem "Caged Bird" by Maya Angelou to develop the themes of oppression and lack of freedom.

When a bird is free he flies at his leisure and he feels empowered and brave to even "claim the sky" and name it "his own," and he has dreams, attainable dreams, "of fat worms" and "another breeze." But when a bird is constrained to a cage, when his dreams and his hopes, his wings and his feet, have been literally and metaphorically cut short, when his freedom has been taken from him, he sings of freedom, but also of uncertainty, but his is a trill full of fear. A caged bird is so frightened that even his shadow "shouts on a nightmare scream."  

Throughout her work, Maya Angelou resorted to the symbol of the caged bird as an allegory of the African American that had been forcibly chained, oppressed, and slaved.

Answer 2

The cage symbolises hardship; "narrow cage"; "..bars of rage". This is felt by the contrast the poet, Maya Angelous, makes bewteen a free bird and a caged bird. The caged bird has his wings  clipped and his feet  tied , so he is opressed. The free bird can move his wings freely in the sun and he  could even reach the sun; ..."and dips his wing// in the orange sun rays// and dares to claim the sky.." The difference between being locked up and being free is felt throughout the poem. However, the caged bird does not give in. The cage represents opression but the caged bird still sings and hopes to be free soon. He is afraid of the world outside but he wants to get into it: " 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."