How Does Maya Angelou Use The Figurative Level Of Poetry

Maya Angelou was a very strong and well spoken woman who spoke her mind through the themes of her poetry. Using the figurative, ideational, sonic, and structural levels of poetry Angelou creates a very powerful theme to her poem. The figurative level of poetry develops the power and the core to her theme behind discrimination towards blacks and personal strength. The sonic level contributes to more of the overall development of the theme by addressing its core. Additionally, the ideational level of poetry touches down on the speaker and author’s purpose, and how they are relevant in the theme. Finally, the structural level contributes to the technical and more confusing aspects of the theme. In “Still I Rise,” the poet uses the four different

To start off, Maya Angelou uses the figurative level of poetry to develop the key parts of her theme. First, Maya Angelou writes, “But still, like dust, I’ll rise” (4). When Maya Angelou wrote this passage she addresses the figurative level of poetry by using imagery and a simile. The simile is comparing the speaker itself to dust, and how it rises. Along with this the speaker compares itself to dust which demonstrates a part of the theme of self respect and imperfections. This simile creates imagery of the poem by helping the reader envision the rising cloud of dust in his or her mind. Both the simile and imagery connect to the theme by demonstrating how after all the disrespect and hate the speaker still rises with no impact. Additionally, Angelou writes, “ Did you want to see me broken? Bowed head and lowered eyes”(13-14)? When Angelou uses these rhetorical questions, she adds to the theme by demonstrating the disrespect people have for the speaker, and the extent of the speaker’s power towards the criticism. Angelou’s frequent use of rhetorical questions adds to the tone of the speaker, and the overall power behind the theme by creating vivid images of strength and determination. The poet also writes, “I’m a black ocean,

To start off, Maya Angelou writes, “Out of the huts of history’s shame I rise up from a past that’s rooted in pain” (29-30). In this passage “huts of history” and “past that’s rooted in pain” are examples of alliteration. By using this alliteration Angelou adds cadence to the poem which contributes to the theme by showing the persistence behind the speaker towards her audience of the people who disrespect her. Additionally, Angelou also writes, “Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear I rise bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave, I rise I rise I rise” (39-43). When Maya Angelou wrote this passage she continues to address the sonic level of poetry by using repetition. By repeating “still I rise” many times Angelou develops the theme by demonstrating the importance behind this phrase. This phrase demonstrates that the speaker can move forward and persevere past the discrimination and the hate, which is a key part to the theme. Furthermore, the author wrote, “You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I’ll rise” (21-24). This passage is an example of the tone used throughout the poem. The speaker's tone is triumphant but also sarcastic, and almost daring. This variety of tone helps contribute to the theme by demonstrating the strength of discrimination, and