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| I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings |
Extract I
(i). Who is referred to as a free bird in the poem? Why?
Ans. The white Americans are referred to as a free bird in the
poem because they are enjoying their freedom like a free bird. Their lives
are full of happiness and joy. They are given all types of privilege in
American society
(ii). To what is the free bird compared in the first two lines of the
extract? How is the action of the bird shown to be free and enjoyable?
Ans. The woman did not have a good or pleasant relationship with
others. She was not liked by the people of the village due to her bad
behavior and habits of drinking. She used to be hated, ridiculed at, and
angrily criticized by the people.
(iii) What implied comparison is made here?
Ans. Here the free bird is compared to the white Americans. Just like
the free bird is enjoying his freedom in the same way the whites were
enjoying their life because they were considered and given his superior
status than to the blacks.
(iv) Explain what is meant by "the orange sun rays"?
Ans. It means the reflection of the free and lively atmosphere that
the bird lives in. The orange colour symbolizes the freedom and happiness
enjoyed by the free birds.
(v) How does the free bird dare to claim the sky? Whom does the free bird
represent in the poem? Why?
Ans. The free bird flies high with his wings spread. He floats along
with the currents of the wind. It seems as if the whole sky belongs to him.
The free bird represents the white Americans who also enjoyed their freedom
in American society.
Extract II
(i)Why does this stanza in the extract begin with, "But"?
Ans. The poet uses "But" at the beginning of the stanza to highlight
the plight of caged birds. The caged bird is deprived of his freedom. He is
captivated in a narrow cage. He does not enjoy his freedom like a Free bird.
(ii) Why do you think the cage is "narrow"? What is meant by "his
bars of rage"?
Ans. There are several restrictions imposed on the life of the caged
bird, in the cage his vision is limited, his wings are clipped that is why
the poet says the cage to be "narrow". The caged bird is enslaved so he is
in anger and frustration that is the bar of rage.
(iii) Why does a bird that stalks down his narrow cage can seldom see
through his bar of rage?
Ans. A bird that stalks down his narrow cage can seldom see through
the bar of rage because the bird can almost never see through the bars. But
due to captivity, his vision is limited. He is not as free as free birds.
(iv) Give the meaning and significance of the following lines:
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.
Ans. The wings of the caged bird are clipped. His feet are tied. He
has no other way except to open his throat and to sing for his freedom. It
signifies the flight of the African Americans who were subjected to various
kinds of restrictions and were not given equal status.
(v) whom does the port indirectly refer to while mentioning of the
free and the caged bird? why?
Ans. While mentioning to the free bird the poet refers to the white
American and while mentioning the caged bird she refers to African Americans
because African Americans were not given equal status and freedom as the
white due to the dark color of their skin.
Extract III
(i) Under what circumstances does the caged bird sing? what does it tell
us about his condition?
Ans. The caged bird is enslaved. His wings are clipped and his feet
are tied. He can do nothing except to open his throat and to sings for his
freedom. His condition is very pitiable. He does not enjoy his freedom like
the free bird does.
(ii) Why does the caged bird sing of "things unknown"?
Ans. The caged bird is singing for his freedom but he does not know
if he would get the freedom and when this is the "things unknown" of which
the caged bird sings.
(iii) What is meant by" fearful trill "? Why is it said to be fearful?
Ans. Fearful trill means the quivering in the voice of the birds
due to the fear. It is fearful, the bird is in the fear of being exploited
and oppressed by the privileged section of the society.
(iv) What song is he singing? Why?
Ans. The bird is singing of his freedom because there is no
other way by which he can raise his demands for freedom.
(v) Why is his singing heard on a distance hill? what does this
signify with reference to the poet's life?
Ans. The bird refused to stop his demand for freedom so now his
demand is heard at the far off places. The poet herself belongs to the
African American community. She was also subjected to restriction,
oppression, and physical assault. She found a way through the poetry to
raise her demand for freedom.
Extract IV
(i) What is meant by "another breeze"? why does the free bird think of
another breeze?
Ans. " Another breeze", here means a fresh gush of wind or freedom.
The free bird wants to fly higher with another gush of wind because his
movement is unrestricted, unlike the caged bird. He enjoyed his freedom.
(ii) What is the "grave of dreams"? Why does a caged bird stand on the
grave of dreams?
Ans. The grave which is symbolic of death shows that the caged bird
has no scope in the life of pursuing its dreams. The bird has no freedom,
its feet are tied, wings are clipped, its dreams are unachievable, it has
given up on the dream of flying freely, its dreams are now ‘dead’…hence, it
stands on its dead dreams now.
(iii) What metaphorical implications does the following lines have?
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing
Ans. The caged bird is a metaphor for the African-Americans who faced
discrimination, prejudices, and slavish treatment during apartheid. Every
sort of restrictions was imposed on them. They were barred from walking in
areas dominated by white people. Thus they enjoyed neither freedom nor
equality. They were not allowed to even gather at a place, so they wrote
poems and other ways of writing to raise their demand for freedom.
(iv) What is the significance of the following expressions, fat worms
waiting on a dawn bright lawn?
Ans. 'Fat worms' signifies all the opportunities that a free
bird has. It can find its food at every door represented by 'dawn bright
lawn' which is intensive imagery showing all the endless possibilities of a
free bird. The following expression also suggests the privileges given to
white Americans. In the same way, as a free bird, the white Americans were
given a superior status in society.
v) On the basis of the above extract, bring out the main conflict in the
poem.
Ans. The theme of freedom versus enslavement run throughout the poem.
Freedom is symbolized through the unrestricted movement of the free bird
whereas the enslavement is symbolized by the caged bird whose wings are
clipped and feet are tied. The poem articulates the poet's pent up emotions
against racial discrimination and slaves in America. The caged bird
represents the community that was prevented from social, religious, and
cultural.
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