Paul Laurence Dunbar Sympathy Essay

Dunbar states in the first and last line of every stanza “I know what” or “I know why” to reassure the reader that he completely understands and may be feeling the same way in relation to his life. Due to Dunbar understanding how the bird feels, he may have once felt isolated, confined, or oppressed by society at some point in his life. However, he may even understand the hope the bird feels in regards to overcoming the struggle. At the end of the poem, Dunbar concludes with, “When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore--It is not a carol of joy or glee, but a prayer that he sends from his heart’s deep core…” which could be insinuating the hope to be free and a plea to have his voice heard so that struggle was worth

The second stanza of the poem explores the concept of communication, as many methods are stated. For example, “birds to carry messages/taped to their feet/there are letters to be written.” (25-27). This gives the reader the images of trying to desperately communicate with someone. Birds are seen as a sign of freedom and this gives a sense of being able to communicate freely.

The poem “Sympathy” by Paul Laurence Dunbar is well known for its little caged bird. The articulation of this poem derives from such aspects as the use of rhetorical devices such as imagery and repetition, and overall meaning of the piece being strengthened by such written aspects. There are some freedoms that must not be restricted such as freedoms to (feel,...)

“I Know Why The Caged Sings Bird ” by Maya Angelou & “Sympathy” by John Dunbar, are not only similar because one was based on the other but for many reasons. One of those reasons being meaning by this it is not only the repeated words but the words themselves that are used.The Caged bird symbolises ‘no escape’ or ‘no freedom’ so as it's continued in both passages they want to be freed.Flying and being in the air is symbolising ‘freedom’ because they finally can feel the air they can finally go and do as they please. From Maya Angelou's “his wings are clipped and his feet are tied” means he can not be freed he’s too damaged and detained.Which is another similarity to John Dunbar's when, “bird beats his wing,Till its blood is red on the cruel

‘And his tune is heard on the distant hill’ means that even though the bird continues as a prisoner, someone manages to listen to his melody; many even hear it from far away. ‘For the caged bird sings of freedom’, the final line of the stanza, establishes what the bird sings about, he wants freedom. Most of the African-American literature consisted on the horrors of slavery and segregation, and it lasted up to the 60’s (racism stayed as relevant during present-day but slavery and segregation are outlawed); many writers even doubled as civil activists. Despite this, people consider their literature as masterpieces nowadays. They represent the caged bird, with their opportunities limited and a free world they could only dream of. However, their voices managed to get heard and their pleas received answers. They managed to get allies throughout the world to help them in their

Another of her most popular writings is her book, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”. An international best-seller, this work allowed for the voice that she once lost to become even louder and stronger. This book alludes to racial oppression. This poem is a metaphor for how the white person is the free bird. “... names the sky his own” shows how the white man names everything his own as if he is entitled to it. The caged bird are the black people who face daily oppression. They are not ever entirely free. They sing and long for the day that they’re equal to the white man.

In line it says “” This shows that the bird sings not of joy, but of sorrow ,of sadness, a cry for help, while being stuck in his cage. He prays to be free and to not be enslaved in his cage where he must stay till he dies yet he prays to be free out in the wild, free of restraint and boredom. While in the other poem it says on line “” . This shows that this bird sings with fear that he will be stuck forever in his cage but doesn't beat against the cage. He just sings with sadness and not sing because he is worn out because he is stuck and simply has no way of trying to get out. This shows that the one in the poem sympathy is fighting with all his might, then sings while the other bird’s wings are clipped so and his feet are tied so all he can do is sing for someone to help

Personification, similes, metaphors and imagery are just some of the poetic styles incorporated within I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Mary Angelou did a great job at making the reader stay engaged through her passion for poetry as it painted a picture of what it was like to witness the stark divide between two communities. “A light shade had been pulled down between the Black community and all things white, but one could see through it enough to develop a fear-admiration-contempt for the white “things” (Angelou, 49). This quote not only paints a picture in the readers’ mind of what her community environment was like, it encompasses her poetic style utilizing

The writer of “Sympathy”, Paul Laurence Dunbar, was the son of former slaves. He and his family lived in the time of racial discrimination. Dunbar wanted to study law but couldn't because of his family's limited finances. Dunbar could have wrote the poem with his parents enslavement in his mind as he talks about the bird crying because “he would be free” (17). His poem only has a caged bird because at the time African Americans were discriminated against. While in “Caged Bird” Angelou has both a free bird and a caged to bird to show both the dark and light times in her life. The caged bird is used to represent her sexual abuse and rape at the age of 8 by her mother's boyfriend. “A free bird leaps on the back of the wind … and dares to claim the sky” shows how even as Angelou had dark periods in her life, she was surrounded by people who loved her and brought light into her life, the free bird. (1, 2,

Paul Laurence Dunbar effectively uses sound and imagery in “Sympathy” to illustrate oppression, or the lack of freedom, and more masked, the inequality of the races. Dunbar describes the plight of a bird trapped in a cage; in the poem the speaker sympathizes with the hardships of the animal. Through a series of literary devices Dunbar provides context to allow the audience to also sympathize with the bird, and connect it to human tribulations. Dunbar is sufficient in using the rhythm of the poem to convey feelings of entrapment. He uses uniform meter, rhythm, and form to emit feelings of restraint.

In the fifth stanza, Angelou talks about the shattered hopes and dreams of the caged bird. She writes: But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou is an autobiography. That tells the story of Maya, from her childhood to her adolescence, and how she deals with oppression and racism in her life. The book tells the struggle of not only being African American during segregation, but being a woman too. A wide range of events happen in this book that deal with racism, abuse, and sexism. The title of this book came from a poem “Sympathy” by Paul Laurence Dunbar that describes the little freedom a bird has in a cage, so all they can do is use their voice for some sympathy. This is similar to Maya. In Spite of the struggles she experiences, and because of incredible, inspiring, and influential people in her life, she learns the power of one’s voice.

This poem revolved around human rights, freedom, prejudice and slavery based on the author’s background. This poem indirectly compared a caged bird and free bird to people in our society today. This poem portrayed a thin line between oppression and the cage in the poem; and freedom and sky for both birds. Even though, the poem compared and talked about birds; it literally actually described people in our society. The cage in the poem signifies different barriers, struggles, stumbling blocks and obstructions in life such as lack of education, discrimination, abuse, secrets and various traumatic experiences. “The caged bird that stalks down his narrow cage whose wings are clipped and his feet are tied.” On the other hand, the sky signifies wonderful

Within this poem the two opposing birds each symbolise an oppressing issue; segregation. The caged bird sings of freedom, clipped wings and tied feet, refers to the African Americans and their repression due to inequalities. With the writings from an African American woman, the cage is also symbolic, referring to sexism and misogyny- issues predominately present throughout her time. The first stanza, lines 1-7 relates to nature, referring to a ‘free bird’ throughout her poem. She describes this bird as free through the use of actions commonly seen.

For instance, Angelou mentions, “And his tune is heard/ On the distant hill/ For the caged bird/ Sings of freedom.” (19-22). The bird simply tries to scream for help but his voice is only heard in the distant. To simplify, this particular circumstance establishes that a rural setting is isolated and lonesome. This causes the bird to be in terror due to its vacant surroundings as he understands nobody can aid him from his imprisonment. The bird’s emotions are very different from its free counterpart, thus creating a dominant paradox in the poem; same environment, different situations. Nonetheless, Angelou describes both sides and illustrates how the setting plays a crucial role in each contradicting situation. As the case may be, Angelou immediately addresses the question of how something can deliver both good and bad.