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 in 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 favourable
circumstances in life. The free bird floateffortlessly on the downstream current
of the wind 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 symbolize
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 areas. 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 inhis narrow cage. He is helpless. Now, in
this 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 that 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 imprisonecl
in a cage, its wings are also clipped and
its feet are tied too. It is utterly helpless.
Instinctively, it wants to fly free. But
it does not know what it means.It 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. Though
he does 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 him
to open 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 betaken 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 banned 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 competiting with the free
bird. The free bird finds .favourable
breezes that will 'lift' and carry himwithout 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.
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