What is the poem about?
The poem ‘Still I Rise’ is directly aimed at anyone that has or is experiencing challenging times. It is about being strong and confident no matter what has been thrown at you and that hope and self-belief is stronger than the hatred of our history.
Why do you think Maya Angelou wrote this poem?
I think she wrote it to address our history and that it is a reminder that we must rise over hard times we have experienced and continue to.
In the final stanza Angelou repeats ‘I rise’ five times the effect of this repetition is?
The repetition of these words is aimed at us to show that no matter what anyone does she will continue to rise over everyones hate.
‘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 rise’ is a metaphor and juxtaposition. These lines are putting two things together to compare the contrast of the violent, weighty and aggressive words that have been used. The quote ‘I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide’ gives Maya Angelou the power of a ocean with her strong words