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I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings is a short story write by Maya Angelou


This poem is written after the poet, Maya Angelou wrote the book “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings”. The poem represents racial issues through the use of birds. In this poem, writer uses both free bird and caged bird as a metaphor to the white and the black respectively. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings can be interpreted as the black race being held back from freedom by their skin colour.
Through tradition and history, whites have been given hopes and spirit; blacks are servile and bound by tradition. This controversy is condoned and accepted. Tradition has caused the death of black dreams and hope. If a black person existed retaining the same amount of knowledge, skill, and talent of a white person, who would succeed more in life? The poem infers that the probable answer would be a white person, because blacks are "caged" by their colour. Opportunities infinitely exist for whites, whereas the same is false for blacks.The quotation beside is a significant stanza of the poem. The stanza explicitly displays the true meaning of the poem and defines actions of a "caged bird." Blackness of skin acts as a barrier for the black race; it prevents freedom for a person. The freedom, and feelings of a white person's existence are unknown to one who is black. Here, Maya's belief for freedom and equality is beginning to spread among the black race. She "sings" for freedom.