Comparing The Wife's Story And I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

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Racism

People sometimes read stories and poems for entertainment, but they also read them because they can relate to them in some way. Racism affects many people's lives. They are stereotyped, there are hate crimes, and bullying because of racism. Both “The Wife’s Story” by Shirley Jackson and “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou teach about the topic that racism destroys lives.

"The Wife's Story" by Shirley Jackson uses plot to teach the theme that racism destroys lives. On the fifth page of the story the author writes "It had no gun, like the ones from the man places do... I knew the man would kill our children if it could" (Le Guin 7). The main character assumed what he would kill his own kids just because of what he looked like. This shows how if you are judged by what you look like it can ruin your life. Then the author writes "The man looked round at us and yelled out loud, and brandished the branch it held. Then it broke and ran... we followed it" (Le Guin 7). The man was terrified for his life because he knew his wife would attack him just for what he looks like. Both …show more content…

Maya Angelou writes "The caged bird sings with a fearful trill/Of things unknown but longed for still" (Angelou 10-11). This quote shows how even though the bird was caged it still wanted to be free. The bird is a symbol of the people being treated wrong because of racism. Then the author writes "But a Caged BIRD stands on the grave of dreams/His shadow shouts on a nightmare scream/His wings are clipped and his feet are tied/ So he opens his throat to sing" (Angelou 19-22). The bird stands on a grave of dreams because he is trapped and he can't get free. The first quote shows how everyone still wants freedom even if they have never had it before, but the second quote shows how being trapped destroys your

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