Read the poem below and answer the questions that follow. “Sympathy”I know what the caged bird feels, alas!When the sun is bright on the upland slopes;When the wind stirs soft through the springing grassAnd the river flows like a stream of grass;When the first bird sings and the first bud opes,And the faint perfume from its petals steals –I know what the caged bird feels!I know why the caged bird beats its wingTill its blood is red on the cruel bars;For he must fly back to his perch and clingWhen he rather would be on the branch a –swing;And a pain still throbs in the old, old scarsAnd they pulse again with a keener sting –I know why he beats his wing!I know why the caged bird sings, ah me,When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,When he beats his bars and would be free;It is not a song of joy or glee,But a prayer that he sends from his heart’s deep core,But a plea, that upward to heaven he fings –I know why the caged bird sings! (Adapted from the poem by Laurence Donbar in ‘American Negro Poetry’ edited by ArnaBomtemps. New York: Hill and Waug 1974)Questionsa) Explain briefly what the poem is about. (3 marks)b) What does the poet focus on in each of the three stanzas? (6 marks)c) How would you describe the persona’s feelings towards the caged bird? (4 marks)d) What can we infer about the persona’s own experiences? (3 marks)e) Identify a simile in the first stanza and explain why it is used. (2 marks)f) Explain the meaning of the following lines: (i) And the faint perfume from the petals steals (1 mark)g) Supply another suitable title for this poem. (1 mark)
Question
Read the poem below and answer the questions that follow. “Sympathy”I know what the caged bird feels, alas!When the sun is bright on the upland slopes;When the wind stirs soft through the springing grassAnd the river flows like a stream of grass;When the first bird sings and the first bud opes,And the faint perfume from its petals steals –I know what the caged bird feels!I know why the caged bird beats its wingTill its blood is red on the cruel bars;For he must fly back to his perch and clingWhen he rather would be on the branch a –swing;And a pain still throbs in the old, old scarsAnd they pulse again with a keener sting –I know why he beats his wing!I know why the caged bird sings, ah me,When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,When he beats his bars and would be free;It is not a song of joy or glee,But a prayer that he sends from his heart’s deep core,But a plea, that upward to heaven he fings –I know why the caged bird sings! (Adapted from the poem by Laurence Donbar in ‘American Negro Poetry’ edited by ArnaBomtemps. New York: Hill and Waug 1974)Questionsa) Explain briefly what the poem is about. (3 marks)b) What does the poet focus on in each of the three stanzas? (6 marks)c) How would you describe the persona’s feelings towards the caged bird? (4 marks)d) What can we infer about the persona’s own experiences? (3 marks)e) Identify a simile in the first stanza and explain why it is used. (2 marks)f) Explain the meaning of the following lines: (i) And the faint perfume from the petals steals (1 mark)g) Supply another suitable title for this poem. (1 mark)
Solution
a) The poem is about a caged bird and its longing for freedom. It uses the bird as a metaphor to express the feelings of confinement, oppression, and a desperate desire for liberation.
b) In the first stanza, the poet focuses on the bird's perception of the outside world - the bright sun, the wind stirring the grass, the flowing river, the singing of other birds, and the opening of buds. In the second stanza, the poet focuses on the bird's futile attempts to escape its cage, the pain it endures, and its persistent struggle. In the third stanza, the poet focuses on the bird's song, which is not a song of joy but a prayer and plea for freedom.
c) The persona seems to empathize deeply with the caged bird. They understand its feelings of confinement and its longing for freedom. They feel the bird's pain and share in its desperate desire for liberation.
d) We can infer that the persona has experienced similar feelings of confinement and longing for freedom. They may have experienced oppression or some form of restriction in their life, which allows them to understand and empathize with the caged bird.
e) The simile in the first stanza is "the river flows like a stream of grass". It is used to create a vivid image of the natural world outside the cage, which the bird longs to be a part of.
f) The line "And the faint perfume from the petals steals" means that the subtle fragrance of the flowers is being carried away by the wind. It symbolizes the fleeting and elusive nature of freedom for the caged bird.
g) A suitable title for this poem could be "The Longing for Freedom".
Similar Questions
I know what the caged bird feels, alas!When the sun is bright on the upland slopes;When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass,And the river flows like a stream of glass;When the first bird sings and the first bud opes,And the faint perfume from its chalice steals—I know what the caged bird feels!I know why the caged bird beats his wingTill its blood is red on the cruel bars;For he must fly back to his perch and clingWhen he fain would be on the bough a-swing;And a pain still throbs in the old, old scarsAnd they pulse again with a keener sting—I know why he beats his wing!I know why the caged bird sings, ah me,When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,—When he beats his bars and he would be free;It is not a carol of joy or glee,But a prayer that he sends from his heart’s deep core,But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings—I know why the caged bird sings!15Select the correct answer.What is the mood of the poem? A. compassionate B. melancholic C. regretful D. alarmed
The following text is from the 1899 poem “Sympathy” by Paul Laurence Dunbar, who was a prominent African American poet born in Ohio.I know why the caged bird sings, ah me,When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,—When he beats his bars and he would be free;It is not a carol of joy or glee,But a prayer that he sends from his heart’s deep core,But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings—I know why the caged bird sings!5Mark for ReviewABCWhich choice best states the main purpose of the text?ATo discount the theory that glee is a less frequently perceived emotion than hopelessness isBTo convey how the perceptions of people who experience freedom relate to those who experience imprisonmentCTo consider whether actions taken in confined spaces cause more damage than those taken out in the openDTo contemplate how a type of vocalization associated with positivity can actually represent both despair and longing
Read the excerpt from "Sympathy" by Paul Laurence Dunbar. Then, answer the question that follows. I know what the caged bird feels, alas! When the sun is bright on the upland slopes; When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass,Which sound device is illustrated in the bolded text? Alliteration Assonance Consonance Slant rhyme
How does the title of the poem, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," relate to the themes and emotions conveyed in the poem?
What does the poem suggest about the longing for freedom and self-expression, as depicted by the caged bird?
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