"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.