I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings: A Metaphorical Criticism Maya Angelou is an acclaimed American poet, public speaker, activist, author and educator who is most famous for her roles as a spokesperson for black Americans and women. In her poem, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” written in 1969, Angelou describes her struggles with racism, which she was exposed to and dealt with since childhood. By using Metaphor Criticism, we will delve deeper into what it means to be a survivor of such cruelty. We will also examine Angelou’s rhetorical efforts and her use of imagery, symbolism and the extended metaphor as well as of being a caged bird versus as free bird. When exploring a metaphor, two major domains must be addressed: One must acknowledge the tenor, which is the topic or subject that is being explained, and the vehicle, which is the mechanism or lens for which the topic is viewed (Foss 267). In the case of Angelou’s poem, readers are given two vehicles in the form of a “caged bird” and a “free bird” which are immediately compared and contrasted and continually mentioned throughout her entire poem. The vehicles, which are numerous, contradict each other and create a strong theme of juxtaposition throughout the entire poem. While one bird acts a certain way because of its specific situation, the other reacts to its surroundings in the opposite extreme. When Leading Metaphoric Criticism, Foss came up with a four step procedure. The first step entails drawing attention to