CAGED BIRD

By Maya Angelou

I.
1. Where was the poet born?
Ans. St. Louis, Missouri

2. What does the word “clipped ” mean in poem?

Ans: The word “clipped” in the poem means the fastening of the minds of the trapped bird.

3. What did the caged bird do inside the cage?

Ans: Inside the cage, the caged bird sings in a wavering voice of things unknown which is supposed to
be the songs of freedom.

4. Where does the free bird dip its wings?

Ans: The free bird dips its wings in the orange sun rays and dares to explore the sky.

5. What does the free bird think of?

Ans: The free bird thinks of another breeze as it enjoys flying through the trade wind that blows through
the trees. ‘It also thinks of the fat worm that will be his food. With the wind in his feathers, water and
earth beneath him, and the whole sky with him, he feels majestic in his freedom and calls the entire sky
his own domain.

II.

1. What does the free bird do downstream?

Ans: The poem opens with a bird leaping ‘on the back of the wind’ demonstrating the freedom it
experience to move about and glide freely through the air. It hovers over a stream of wind and floats
downstream to where the current of the stream ends and the wind is calm. It dips its wing in the sea of
orange sunlight and the bird is shown in a state of great tranquility. It has the freedom to move about
wherever it desires.

2. What is a trade wind?

Ans: A trade wind is a strong wind continually blowing towards the equator from the southeast to the
northeast.

3. Why does the caged bird sing ‘a fearful trill’?

Ans: The author implies that even though the caged bird may have never experienced true freedom, deep
down, the bird still knows it was created to be free. Although freedom, to the caged bird, is “fearful”
because it is “unknown, ”he still sings “a fearful trill” because he still longed for freedom. The speaker
asserts that the caged bird’s cry for freedom is “heard on the distant hill. ”
4. What kind of song does the caged bird sing?

Ans: The caged bird is signing in a wavering voice, a song of unknown things which the bird so longs
for. Freedom seems to be the subject matter of ist song as it longs for free. The bird seems to sing this
song to express its feelings and emotions, to stay motivated and also to inspire others. Thus, the caged
bird is singing the song of freedom.

5. What does the phrase “grave of dreams ” mean?

Ans: The phrase “grave of dreams ” implies the death of hopes and dreams of a whole race of people.
Here, in the poem, the caged, inversely, knows that he is not flying in the sky, that he is not free, but a
captive, a prisoner. He thus ‘stands on the grave of dreams’.

III.

1. What does the free bird and caged bird symbolise? (Question 1 and 2 merged)

Ans: The free bird symbolises the white community which has oppressed Black people. The free bird
enjoys its freedom without any interference. She has indicated that the free bird as people who do not
face discrimination and the caged bird as people who face discrimination or the Blacks. With the use of
these metaphors. Angelou represented the inequality and injustice in society during her times. The free
bird is compared to the white race retaining freedom and aversion towards black people of America.
They have the freedom to pursue their ambition easily. They are unaware of the cries and needs of the
oppressed black community.

3. Describe the helplessness of the caged bird?

Ans: The poet’s tone in the poem “Caged Bird ” is dark, unnerving, and even frustrating. She describes
that the caged bird can hardly see through his bars of rage. The bird is helpless by everything but only
responds by opening his throat to sing due to his immense longing for freedom. That the caged bird is
hardly able to get a glimpse of the sky which makes him angry. His clipped wings and tied feel tied
prevent him from flying away. His aspirations are suppressed, he is helpless to even get a sight of the
bird resentful for he longs for freedom to be outside the cage. He is resentful, for this unfair captivation
to him as birds fly freely in the sky and they should not be kept captive. This helplessness gives rise to
anger and sadness for the caged bird. All he can do is sing the songs of freedom showing his desire.

This is tow the poetess has shown positivity in difficult times as the bird sings despite being caged. She
has described an individual in society who faces challenges that stops his growth. He longs to be free
from the pain and suffering inside the sorrowful cage. The author implies that even though the caged
bird may have never experienced true freedom, yet deep down that bird still knows that it was created to
be free. Although freedom, to the caged bird, is “fearful” because it is “unknown”, yet he still sings “a
fearful trill” with his voice trembling and quivering because he still longs for freedom.

IV.

1. What is theme of the poem “Caged Bird”?

Ans: Maya Angelou’s “Caged Bird” deals with multiple thematic concerns such as freedom versus
enslavement, discrimination, concerns sure as freedom versus enslavement, discrimination, oppressions
and unfulfilled dreams. All these thematic concerns directly deal with the greater theme of racism. The
free bird flying and soaring high in the sky is symbolic of individuals who are treated equally in society.
However, the caged bird who is unable to move is symbolic of the people deprived of their basic rights.
The free bird is referred to the White Americans and the caged bird is with reference to African
Americans who were deprived of their rights. By juxtaposing the two birds’ perspectives, Angelou
shows how how the free bird feels an inherent entitlement to his freedom; meanwhile, the caged bird
understands the true value of freedom because it is something he has never known but that his spirit
years for nonetheless. In this way, Angelou presents a paradox in which the caged bird is a better
authority on freedom than the bird who is already immersed in freedom, in the same way that an
insomniac has a particular understanding of the value of sleep. Encapsulated in the song of freedom the
caged bird repeats, resilience is another of the poem’s major themes.

2. Compare and contrast the condition of the caged bird the free bird.

Ans: Maya Angelou’s poem “Caged Bird ”describes the state of two birds, coz., the free bird and the
caged bird. The free bird is unrestricted and ‘floats and ‘dares to claim the sky’, while the caged bird is
restricted and trapped in his ‘bars of rage’. The free bird enjoys his freedom by flying high in the sky. He
has the liberty of choosing his was and fool. He is capable of exploring any and every part of the sky.
However, the condition of the caged bird remains the same. It does not improve. His wings and feet are
tied. The poetess emphasises his situation and thus repeats the last stanza for greater effect about the
caged bird’s imprisonment. On the other hand, the caged bird possesses its own limitations. His wings
are clipped and feet and tired. He hardly even gets a chance to see the sky. He has been place in cage that
prevents it from flying. Despite its fear, the cage bird continues to sing for freedom. Whereas a “free bird
thinks of another breeze “so that he can enjoy the “sighing trees” i. e., it is free from all worries and
sufferings. Thus, throughout the poem, Angelou has used powerful illustration of a series of contrasts
between a free and caged bird. In addition, the metaphor shows the free bird as proud and controlling;
while the caged bird, angry and determined which is essential to the theme. Thus, the role of contrast has
successfully portrayed a powerful ides about freedom and enslavement.