Maya Angelou Still I Rise

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Discrimination has always been a major problem in the world. Many people say that the world has changed and has gotten better, but the truth is that the problems are not always over. “Still I Rise”, by Maya Angelou encourages her readers to change the behavior and ignore others negativity to overcome people's biases. With being an African American in 1978 in the era of segregation, Maya Angelou bases her work to speak out about her experiences. In the first stanza, Angelou begins her poem with “You may write me down in history / With your bitter, twisted lies” (Angelou, 1-2). She expresses her confidence without fear of the past. “Written in 1978, "Still I Rise" is a poem of pride and protest in which the speaker says that despite the history …show more content…

“Does my sassiness upset you? / Why are you beset with gloom?” (Angelou, 5-6). The author manages to use her assertive self-confidence in an ironic way to bother the people that have discriminated against her. While she states her words directly to her situation with discrimination, Angelou puts enough emphasis to her poem to let the reader know that her statement can apply to any other circumstance a person is facing. “While her poems remind readers of past tragedies and injustices, overall they are a testimony to the power of striving to survive in life with dignity and grace” (Overview, 2). Maya may not be speaking as an emotionally damaged victim, but rather as a role model inspiring others to overcome their situations just as she did. The speaker continues to use her strength and resilience as an equality to natural forces. Maya Angelou is only a single voice in a crowd, but uses her assertiveness to hopefully overcome …show more content…

“Did you want to see me broken? / Bowed head and lowered eyes?” (Angelou, 13-14). Maya uses “you” in the poem addressing directly to racist people who have at one point offended her. She uses her self-confidence to assert back to them if they achieved the goal they desired. She continues to express herself once more with a natural earth process of teardrops. Beginning the sentence with “did” helped Maya state that they did not manage to achieve what they hoped for. Just like any other person does when someone attempts to intimidate you, you have to laugh to only make them a little angrier. When Maya says, “Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines / Diggin’ in my own back yard” (Angelou, 19-20), she uses her education as well as any other accomplishment she ever accomplished to laugh in the faces of those who disparage black people. Maya’s talent can offend those who are racist and she uses her pride and gift for poetry to act up stating to those that do not believe African Americans are equal, that they

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