Literary Analysis Of Still I Rise - 788 Words

â€Å"Still I Rise†, written by African-American writer Maya Angelou, includes a character who rises â€Å"Up from a past that’s rooted in pain.† No matter what words are said against her, lies are told about her, threats are made towards her, or words are written against her, she takes the past and uses it to fuel her confidence. The way she writes creates a deep sense of pride and feeling, while giving the poem life and helping the audience realise that they, too can rise. The diction, literary devices, and theme help the speaker portray her feelings about the topic of oppression in her experience. The poem’s diction reflects the context and a confident, assertive tone. The speaker expresses a high level of self-respect and assurance. It includes†¦show more content†¦By using her own skills, the speaker shows that her people do have talents. In the last stanza, the speaker says â€Å"I am the dream and the hope of the slave.† After slavery was abolished, Black Americans had hope for the future. However, they soon realized: systemic oppression would keep them down. Nonetheless, the speaker still has hopes and dreams which are continued and pursued through herself. The poem does not only express the rising of the speaker alone, but also of the people she represents. Using the word â€Å"I† can also inspire those who are going through difficult situations. For example, someone who is being bullied is forced to repeat self-affirmations, which can make them feel more confident. The wording before the shift proves the same subject while deliberately avoi ding direct repetition. No matter what, her strength will never subside, and readers should feel the same. A variety of literary devices are used in this poem. After the shift, she repeats the phrase â€Å"I rise† for emphasis. Similes show how strong and persevering the speaker is. She compares herself to dust. No matter how many times you clean, dust will always come back. She even compares herself to the sun and moon, which surely rise each morning and night, to prove her confidence. The poem also uses hyperbole and personification. It says: â€Å"You may shoot me with your words,/You may cut me withShow MoreRelatedStill I Rise by Maya Angelou Literary Analysis Essay756 Words   |  4 PagesIn the poem ‘Still I Rise’ by Maya Angelou, the poet uses repetition, metaphors and similes to express to her audience about how she has overcome racism in her life through demonstrating a strong, proud and defiant attitude to inspire others. The poet uses repetition of the word ‘rise’ to show that she has overcome and risen above racism. In the line, ‘you may trod me in the very dirt but still, like dust ill rise’ it expresses to the reader one of the key ideas in her poem, that no matter howRead MoreLiterary Criticism Of Literature And Literature873 Words   |  4 PagesLiterature has no set definition, mainly because throughout history writers, as well as literary historians have failed to construct an agreeable definition (Bressler 12). When one thinks of literature, he or she should think of literary criticism—different critical perspectives. Literary criticism requires readers to analyze literary texts with knowledge of theories. Thus, the next time one reads a text, he or she should first identify the theory that he or she plans to use. The theories representRead MoreAnalysis of the poem Still I Rise1268 Words   |  6 Pages2014 An Analysis of the poem Still I Rise by Maya Angelou African Americans have been oppressed for centuries. 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