1. ENGLISH COMPULSORY B.A.I
“I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS”
MAYA ANGELOU
PREPARED BY:
JASREET

2. ABOUT THE POET AFRICAN AMERICAN AUTHOR
WRITTEN ESSAYS, POEMS, PLAYS, AUTOBIOGRAPHIES
ONE OF THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN AUTHOR TO PUBLICALY DISCUSS HER PERSONAL LIFE
SPOKESPERSON FOR BLACK PEOPLE ESPECIALLY WOMEN
WORKS ARE KNOWN AS DEFENCE FOR BLACK CULTURE

3. ABOUT THE POEM COMPLEX THEME RELATED TO RACE, GENDER, SLAVERY, FREEDOM
HOPE IS ETERNAL AND CAGED BIRD DREAMS OF FREEDOM

4. ENCAGED BIRD REPRESENTS BLACK AMERICAN
WHITE FREE BIED REPRESENTS WHITE AMERICAN

5. THE FREE BIRD LEAPS ------------AND DARES TO CLAIM THE SKY.
LEAPS – DIVE,
FLOATS DOWNSTREMS – TOWARDS THE MOUTH OF THE RIVER,
DARES – CHALLENGES,
CLAIM THE SKY- AS IF TO OWN THE SKY

6. BUT A BIRD THAT STALKS---------SO HE OPENS HIS THROAT TO SING
STALKS DOWN HIS NARROW CAGE – FOLLOWS OR TRAILS IN HIS SMALL CAGE
WINGS CLIPPED – SHORTENED, CUT,
OPENS HIS THROAT TO SING – OPENS HIS BEAK AND STARTS SINGING,
THIS STANZA SHOWS THE HELPLESSNESS OF THE BIRD WHO IS CAGED AND
CAN NOT ENJOT THE FLIGHT INTO THE BLUE SKY BUT HE STARTS SINGING

7. THE CAGED BIRD SINGS-------------SINGS OF FREEDOM
FEARFUL TRILL – SHRILL
LONGED TO – DESIRED TO
DISTANT – AT A DISTANCE, FAR OFF PLACES
THE BIRD IS AFRAID OF THE UNKNOWN WORLD, THE WORLD OUTSIDE
THE CAGE, AND WANTS QUIET AND PEACEFUL LIFE. AND WHEN IT
SINGS THE SONG IS HEARD FAR AND WIDE. THE SONG OF FREEDOM
THE DREAMS OF FREEDOM CANNOT BE CURTAILED BY THE BARS OF
THE CAGE.

8. THE FREE BIRD-----------HE NAMES THE SKY HIS OWN
THE FREE BIRD WANDERS ALL OVER THE
WORLD ENJOYING THE WINDS AMONGST THE
TREES. IT FILLS ITS STOMACH WITH RICH FOOD
AVAILABLE IN THE LUSH GREEN LAWNS.

9. BUT A CAGED BIRD STANDS---------TO SING
CAGED BIRD ALSO DREAMS OF FREEDOM BUT HIS FEET ARE TIED
AND HIS WINGS ARE CUT SO HE FEELS AS IF HE IS STANDING ON
THE GRAVE OF HIS DREAMS.
HE OPENS HIS MOUTH TO SING. THOUGH THE BIRD CANNOT FLY
INTO THE BLUE SKY BUT NOONE CAN STOP HIM FROM SINGING AND
VOICING HIS MISERIES.
THEME OF THE POEM
THERE IS HOPE OF FREEDOM. EVEN THOUGH THE BIRD IS CAGED,
HE KEEPS HIS DREAM OF FREEDOM ALIVE AND KEEPS ON SINGING
THE SONG OF FREEDOM.

10. THANK YOU