"I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS"

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings


Passage - 1


(i) The white race in America is referred to as a free bird the poem. The people of the white race enjoyed every type of luxuries whereas the caged bird which are referred to blacks could hardly move about. 

(ii) In the first two lines the free bird is compared to who has favorable circumstances in life. The free bird float effortlessly on the downstream current of the and enjoy himself in the glow of orange rays of the sun. 

(iii) The implied comparison in these lines is that circumstances are favourable to the free bird, and he easily and effortlessly enjoy the comforts and luxuries of life.

(iv) Orange sun rays symbolises happiness, and freedom, comforts and luxuries of life. 

(v) The free bird is the only bird to fly in the sky. The other bird is caged. The free bird can fly wherever and whenever it wants to fly as if he is the sole owner of the sky.



Passage - 2


(i) This stanza begins with 'But' because it presents a contrast to the first stanza. The first stanza describes a happy free bird. This stanza describes an unhappy bird in captivity. 

(ii) The cage is narrow because the caged bird's movements are restricted. The African-Americans were to stay in a restricted area. The bars and rage means that the caged bird is angry, and his vision is restricted because of his anger.  

(iii) The caged bird is in captivity. His feet are tied and his wings are clipped. His movement in the narrow cage is restricted. He is angry about his imprisonment but he is also helpless. In his anger he cannot think about  anything except about his helplessness. 

(iv) The caged bird is miserable and helpless. His wings are pared and his feet are bound. He can hardly move in his narrow cage. He is helpless. Now, in Rich a situation, he can do nothing but give expression to his feelings in a song. 

(v) The poet writes about a free bird and a caged bird without a hint who the two represent. The poet is an African- American. In America the black race was enslaved by the white people. From the context it is obvious the African- American are represented by the caged bird and the white race by the free bird. 




Passage - 3


(i) The caged bird is not only imprison in a cage, its wings are clipped and its feet are tied too. It is utterly  helpless. Instinctively, it wants to fly free. But he does not know what it means.He can do nothing but opens his beak to sing about his plight and aspirations.

(ii) The caged bird has never known freedom. He has born enslaved since he was born. Though he docs not know what freedom is, he feels he was not born to be kept in a cage. There is an instinctive urge about those 'things unknown' that makes his beak and sing. 

(iii) Fearful trill is the song sung by the caged bird. The caged bird sings it despite his physical enslavement. His spirit can not be enslaved. It is a song of revolt, and it' causes fear, so it is called 'fearful trill' .

(iv) He is singing a song of freedom. It is a song of resentment against his slavery. He sings because there is no way to give expression to his feelings. 

(v) The spirit of the caged birds cannot be suppressed. His song is a song that causes fear, and needs to be taken notice of. So the songs is heard far and near. 



Passage - 4


(i) Another breeze refers to another opportunity that may help the greedy and lazy free bird to enjoy life without making any effort. The free bird thinks of another breeze because he is used to leading a life of ease. 

(ii) The caged bird had aspirations and desires to achieve something. But on account of his captivity, he was helpless. His dreams were sniffed and stifled. He remained imprisoned in his cage which has turned into the grave of his dreams. 

(iii) The caged bird represents the African-American race metaphorically. The African-Americans were enslaved by the white people. Every sort of restrictions were imposed on them. They were barred from walking in areas dominated by the white people. They could not use public transport reserved for the white people. Thus they enjoyed neither freedom nor equality. This metaphorically is presented as clipped wings and bound feet and narrow cage. 

(iv) The free birds has not to look for his livelihood. Fat worms are there on a lawn which are within easy reach of the free bird. He can eat them to his fill without having to make any effort to search for his food. 

(v) The poem writes about two birds—a free bird and a caged bird. The two birds are poles apart. The free bird is free in every way. He claims the sky his own because the other bird is caged, and restrained from competing with the free bird. The free bird finds favorable breezes that will 'lift' and carry him without effort. But on the other hand the caged birds cannot even think of flying. His wings are clipped, his feet are bound, he is imprisoned in a cage. He is hungry and angry and helpless.

 

UNSOLVED PASSAGES

PASSAGE-1

(i) In the opening lines, the poet describes the world of nature to be beautiful. She further describes its beauty, why stating that it is evening, and the whole sky is orange in color, with a beautiful sunset accompanying it, making the whole scene breathtaking.

(ii) According to the poet, the sun symbolizes freedom, the sky symbolizes glory and the wind symbolizes power in her poem.

(iii) The bird described in this stanza is free, representing the white American which is free to do anything and does not have to face any racial discrimination, as the free bird here, can fly in the sky without any restriction, and enjoy the beautiful sunset.

(iv) The free bird is a metaphor for the white Americans, that are not bounded by prejudice and racism, and can enjoy their life to the fullest, as the free bird can take another flight in the beautiful orange sky just like the white American can enjoy their freedom.

(v) The caged bird behaves abnormally and cries like one who has had a nightmare. It acts like this, as a person without freedom always acts abnormally, for the state of captivity is abnormal.

PASSAGE-2

(i)  The free bird claims the sky it's own, as it has the right to so. The free bird is not restricted in any way, neither there is anything preventing him from doing so. It can enjoy freedom, unlike the caged bird.

(ii) The encaged bird behaves abnormally and cries like one who has had a nightmare. It acts like this, as a person without freedom always acts abnormally, for the state of captivity is abnormal. (This question is a straight repetition of ques. (v) from Passage-1)

(iii) No, his state of captivity is not normal, as it is a living being, and a living being should not be kept in captivity without any viable reason. It is a crime to restrict freedom to any living being. Living beings are meant to explore, enjoy life, and most importantly, enjoy freedom.

(iv) The 'bars of rage' stands for the bars of the cage that the bird is kept in. It is angry and is screaming in agony due to not being able to fly and enjoy the things that the free bird can, which is why his cage is being referred to this.

(v) The caged bird is shown to be afraid of many unknown dangers of freedom, but in spite of all this, it still opens its mouth to sing for freedom, and his song is heard far and wide. The caged bird also screams in agony after this, in a frightening tone, due to not being able to experience freedom.

PASSAGE-3

(i) The poet reveals the plight of the caged bird in the second stanza, by gradually describing its situation in detail. The poet states how the bird's wings are clipped, and how this bird is captured in a small cage where is movement is very hard. The poet also describes its emotions, stating its anger, and fear. (plight means 'unfortunate situation')

(ii) The encaged bird is fearful of many unknown dangers that he might come across when he gets freedom. Although, in the end, the caged bird is shown to get past this fear, and yearn for his freedom.

(iii) This line means that although this bird is captured in a narrow cage, and has to experience so much mental pain due to its current situation, it still sings for his freedom, and his voice is heard far and wide. This symbolizes that the voice of an oppressed person can never be silenced, and his heard everywhere.

(iv) This line means that although the bird is struggling very hard to get his freedom, it is at the same time, afraid of the many dangers that might come with freedom. It fears those possible unknown dangers, but in the end, overcomes its fear.

(v) I get the idea, that although the African-American had to suffer years of racism, prejudice, and discrimination, they will still manage to win their fight for freedom, and make their voices of struggle heard everywhere in the world, which they did.

PASSAGE-4

(i) The 'bars of rage' symbolizes the bars of the cage that the bird is captured in. These are the bars, that are restricting the movement of the bird inside, due to them being so much narrow.

(ii) This phrase represents the fact that the free bird can take another flight in the sky and fly with the breeze, as it is free to do so. It can enjoy his freedom.

(iii) The 'trade winds' symbolize the fact that the free bird can take another flight in the sky against the wind. The 'fat worms' indirectly represent that the free bird can also find its own food since it has got freedom.

(iv) He 'names the sky his own' as it has every right to do so. It has the right to enjoy life, and enjoy the freedom to the fullest. He is not restricted by anyone from not doing so and does not have to face captivity. 

(v) The poet beautifully handles this topic by using symbolization, metaphors, and imagery to describe each bird and its situation, whilst at the same time, also highlighting the evil of racism in American society. 

The Cold Within Poem ICSE

 

The Cold Within Poem

Extract I

Six humans trapped…….one was black.


Que.1.    Which figure of speech is used in the line ‘In bleak and bitter cold’? What special significance do the adjectives bleak and bitter have?

Ans- Alliteration, close repetition of consonant sound.

The adjectives bleak and bitter define the word cold. The coldness outside is comparable to the coldness within the hearts of these six characters as they are not  warm or friendly with each other.


Que.2.    Who are the people referred to in the above extract? Why do they need logs?

Ans- The people referred to are six indifferent people, who are trapped together by chance in biting cold.

They need logs so that they can renew the dying fire to prevent themselves from cold.


Que.3.    State how the following theme is connected with the theme of the poem:
Their dying fire in need of logs

Ans- Literally, it refers to the fire that is dying and needs to be kept alive with the use of a log.
Metaphorically, it can be understood as the fire of compassion in their hearts that is dying. To keep it burning what they need is a log of wood, but they do not use it. Thus, by the end, each one of them dies from ‘the cold within’.


Que.4.    What does the first one hold back and why?

Ans- The first person holds back her log because she was guided by her racist attitude towards the black man. So she does not  use log to prevent  the black man from getting its warmth.


Que.5.    What character traits would you associate with ‘the first one’ and ‘the next man’? Why?

Ans- The first one can be said to be holding  a racist attitude as she does not want to benefit the black man. The next man can be said to be a bigot who on seeing that one of the men in the group does not belong to his religion, prevents himself from using his log to renew the fire.



Extract II

The third one sat…..chance to spite the white.

Que.1.    What is meant by ‘tattered clothes’? What does this expression symbolise? Why does the ‘third one’ gives his coat a hitch?

Ans- Tattered clothes refer to the torn clothes.

This expression symbolises that the man, who was wearing them was poor and had little money to cover himself in extreme cold.

The poor man does not intend to use his log to renew the fire and thus to protect himself from biting cold, he pulled up his coat to feel a little warm.


Que.2.    The ‘third one’ doesn’t want to use his log to warm the rich. Why?

Ans- The ‘third one’ is a poor man and is envious of the rich man. He is prejudiced and thus does not put his log to use.


Que.3.    What thoughts preoccupy the rich man’s mind? What does it say about him?

Ans- The thoughts of keeping his wealth safe from the lazy poor man preoccupied the rich man’s mind.

It reflects his class bias.


Que.4.    What prejudice the black man has and for whom?

Ans- The black man is filled with revenge for the white man.

Based on colour of the skin, he considers the white man different from himself.


Que.5.    Explain the following lines:

For all he saw in his stick of wood
Was a chance to spite the white

Ans- The lines refer to the black man, who was filled with revenge for the white man. Therefore, to harm the white man he does not put his log to use. Making the white man suffer in cold was his only chance to get his revenge.



Extract III

The last man of this forlorn………….from the cold within.

Que.1.    Explain the phrase ‘forlorn group.’ Which figure of speech is used here?

Ans- The phrase ‘forlorn group’ is an example of oxymoron i.e., a pair of contradictory terms. This phrase is ironical as it refers to these six people, who were sitting together in a group and were sad and lonely.


Que.2.    What game is the poet referring to while mentioning the last man of the group?

Ans- The selfish game of give and take that the last man employs-since anyone else does not offer his log to renew the fire, he also steps back.


Que.3.    What ‘proof of human sin’ is being referred to here? Explain.

Ans- All the six people died with their logs tightly clutched in their hands. Their indifference, animosity, discrimination invited death. This ‘proof of human sin’ is referred here.


Que.4.    The poet says that the characters ‘died from the cold within.’ What does he mean?

Ans- The title of the poem The Cold Within is symbolic of lack of warmth and compassion in human beings. Six human beings are caught against their will in ‘bleak and bitter cold,’ but none of them uses the wooden stick each one has , due to racism, envy, arrogance, revenge and greed. They are so cold from inside that they do not realise that by not helping others, they themselves will perish. Their cold heartedness invites death in the end and they die with their logs held tight in their hands.


Que.5.    What message is the poet trying to convey in the poem? How does he succeed in carrying out his task?

Ans- The message that the poet tries to give is that discriminatory attitude and hatred that humans have against  one another on the basis of race, class and religion is futile. It is self-destructive.

The poem projects discrimination based on race, class and religion by narrating the story of six individuals who are caught together by chance in extreme cold. The people in the poem are from different  backgrounds and religions. Owing to their prejudices against one another, it becomes difficult for them to put their stick into the fire. The discrimination, racism and bigotry proves futile as none of the six people stay alive  at the end. Each perishes, not because of the cold outside but of the cold heartedness within each. 
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