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 float effortlessly 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 in his 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 be taken 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 him without 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.

 

1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
A free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wing
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.

(i) How does the poet describe the world of nature ?
Answer: The poet describes the natural beauty of the sunset. The free bird (suggestive of a white American) leaps on the back of the wind, that is, he flies and sways with the wind in the evening against the orange sky. He has the right to claim the sky. As he flies, he dips his wings downstream.

(ii) What is the symbolic significance of the sun, sky and wind here ?
Answer: The sun, the sky and the wind symbolically represent freedom, free space and power respectively.

(iii) Describe the image of the bird as presented in this stanza.
Answer: The poet describes the free bird which leaps on the back of the wind, that is, he flies and sways with the wind in the evening against the orange sky. As he flies, he dips his wings downstream. The description creates the image of the free bird.

(iv) What is the free bird metaphor for ?
Answer: The free bird is a metaphor for the white American. The white American, like the free bird, enjoys all the freedom, privileges, luxuries and leisure.

(v) How does the caged bird behave and why ?
Answer: The caged bird can hardly move in his narrow cage and see through his ‘bars of rage’. He is in anger but is helpless. He only opens his mouth to sing, as no one can stop him from doing so. Thus the caged bird cannot have a glimpse of the sky. He behaves in this way because his wings are clipped and his feet are tied.

2. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
see through his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.

(i) What does the free bird ‘claim’, and why ?
Answer: The free bird that leaps on the back of the wind, flies and sways with the wind in the evening against the orange sky. He claims the sky as he flies and dips his wings downstream.

(ii) How does the encaged bird behave ?
Answer: The encaged bird feels miserable in the cage. He can hardly move in his narrow cage and see through his ‘bars of rage’. He is very angry but is helpless. He only opens his mouth to sing as no one can stop him from doing so. Thus the caged bird cannot have a glimpse of the sky.

(iii) Is his state of captivity natural ? Why / Why not ?
Answer: No. The caged bird is a metaphor of African-American who does not have the same liberty and equality as the white American has. The African-American faces racial discrimination in America. He is denied basic rights. There are several restrictions on him in the society. Thus his state of captivity is not natural. He is forced to live in captivity.

(iv) What do ‘bars of rage’ stand for ?
Answer: The caged bird is kept in a cage which is made of metal or wooden bars. These bars prevent his free movement. When he is denied free movement, he gets angry. (Here it stands for restrictions and discriminations). The caged bird can hardly move in his narrow cage and see through the ‘bars of rage’. So he is angry but helpless.

(v) What does the encaged bird sing about ?
Answer: The encaged bird sings about freedom. His voice is heard far and wide as he sings of freedom. His song contains his longing for freedom and equality. The poet means to say that the black Americans long for freedom and equality. They oppose restrictions imposed on them. They hate suppression.

3. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
The caged bird sings
with fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.

(i) How does the poet reveal the plight of the encaged bird ?
Answer: The encaged bird is afraid of many unknown things. His condition is miserable. His wings are clipped and his feet are tied. He can hardly move in his cage and see through the bars of rage. He is angry but helpless. Though he is afraid, he gives expression to his dream of freedom. His voice is heard far and wide as he sings of freedom.

(ii) What is the encaged bird fearful of ?
Answer: The encaged bird is fearful of many unknown things. But this fear does not prevent him from giving expression to his dream of freedom.

(iii) ‘His tune is heard on the distant hill’. Explain.
Answer: Though the encaged bird is afraid of many unknown fears, he does not stop from giving expression to his dream of freedom. His voice is heard far and wide as he sings of freedom.
Here the poet wants to convey that the voice of the oppressed people, their longings and aspirations cannot be suppressed. No fear can stifle his voice; rather his voice is now heard in distant countries.

(iv) What do you mean by ‘fearful trill of things unknown’ ?
Answer: The encaged bird is fearful of many unknown things, but still he gives expression to his dream of freedom. The poet means to say that the African- American (the encaged bird) leads a fearful life because he is a victim of oppression, exploitation, racism, inequality and discrimination. Though fearful, he continues to give expression to his dream of freedom.

(v) What idea do you get about the African- American from this stanza ?
Answer: We find that the voice of the oppressed people, their longings and aspirations cannot be suppressed. No fear can stifle this voice; rather this voice is now heard in distant countries. Though he is fearful of many unknown fears, he continues to give expression to his dream of freedom and equality.

4. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
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) How is the free bird described earlier in the context ?
Answer: The free bird is shown to be freely floating on the back of the wind and enjoying everything. He feels as if he were the owner of the whole sky.

(ii) In what way is the encaged bird different from the free bird ?
Answer: Unlike the free bird who has freedom to dream and be happy, the encaged bird lives on the grave of his dreams, that is, his dreams are dead.

(iii) Explain : ‘But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams.’
Answer: The encaged bird cannot have any freedom. His wings are clipped and his feet are tied. He is different from the free bird who has no restrictions on his movement.

(iv) What does the encaged bird sing about ?
Answer: The encaged bird sings about freedom and equality.

(v) What does the poet actually want to convey through the use of her metaphorical birds ?
Answer: The poet wants to convey that the suppressed and oppressed, especially the black Americans, do not enjoy equal rights and opportunities of growth in any field. They face many discriminations and hardships in life.