Still I Rise by Maya Angelou

 

Question: 1 What is your understanding of the poem Still I Rise by Maya Angelou?

Answer : 

             Still I Rise poem by Marguerite Ann Johnson April 4, 1928 - May 28, 2014. She was an American memoirist, poet and civil rights activist. Still I Rise is Angelou's third-volume poetry. It was published during one of the most productive periods in Angelou's career. She was famous for autobiographical writer. 

            " I thought my voice killed him, I killed that man because I told his name. And then I thought I would never speaks again, because my voice would kill anyone." 

                                             - Maya Angelou

Still I Rise poem describes Maya Angelou's life. In this poem, she mentioned many facts and realities that all the ladies suppress and slave of them. But everyone should speak out, every woman should speak out. Angelou says that you want to write history with your bitter and twisted words, you want to trod me in the dirt but still she will rise like dust. She says that her sassiness or boldness upset you, just like moons and like suns ripple with the tides, just like hopes increase high, I will also go higher. Angelou introduced her past persistently. She says that you want to do anything with me like, you want to see her broken, you want to shoot her with your words, you want to cut her with your eyes, you want to kill her with your hatefulness whatever you want you do but though she still rise like air, she laughs like she got gold mines. She would bring the gifts her ancestors gave her and hope of the slave. She was considered the every people who suffered the problem of racism, gender discrimination and equity. 

Question: 2 Identify key literary devices used in the poem and provide examples, including original lines of the poem. 

Answer: Repetition, simile and rhetorical questions are used in the poem. For example, 

Simile: But still, like dust, I'll rise. 

               I walk like I've got oil wells pumping in my living room. 

             Just like moons and like suns, with the certainty of tides, just like hopes springing high still I'll rise. 

           Shoulders falling down like teardrops.

           I laugh like I've got gold mines digging in my own backyard.

           But still, like air, I'll rise. 

          I dance like I've got diamonds at the meeting of my thighs. 

Repetition: In the poem, the 'You' word is often used. 

Rhetorical questions: Does my sassiness upset you? 

Why are you beset with gloom?

Did you want to see me broken?

Bowed head and lowered eyes?

Weekend by my soulful cries? 

Does my haughtiness offend you?

Does my sexiness upset you?

At the meeting of my thighs?

There are literary devices used in the poem Still I Rise. 

Question : 3 Mention the name of a Hindi or Gujarati song that has similarities in the poem Still I Rise. 

Answer : 

Aashayein from the Iqbal movie. 

Ek Zindgi from Angrezi Medium movie. 

O Ri Chiraiya from Satyamev Jayate movie. 

In my point of view, these are some songs that can be compared with this poem. 

Thank you!