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Thuy Anh Le
Mrs. Garza
English II 1
st
period
February 21, 2014
Still I Rise An immortal song for all indomitable souls
Maya Angelou is an admirable activist that is best known for her contributions to the
African American Civil Rights Movement and for her masterly poetic works. Excellence is the
best deterrent to racism or sexism (Oprah Winfrey). With the same attitude as her good friend,
Winfrey, Angelou wrote a poem called Still I Rise to speak for the minority voices and to
reveal the crime of discrimination. She wisely used her talent in literature to condemn the
injustice. The poem contains a rich variety of literature devices including figurative similes and
many allusions which perfectly convey Angelous spirit and poetic soul to readers.
Still I Rise presents a deep insight into the reality of a black females strife in 1950s
America (Still I Rise Sample). Angelous poetic inspiration was derived from her life
experiences. Angelou grew up in a small segregated town in the deep South where she had to
keep her hopes up in order to survive all the racial hatred (Research Papers). Her dark
childhood was alluded to in the third line You may tread me in the very dirt (Angelou). She
was a victim of strong discriminations, supplemented by a tough upbringing from her own
family, which I believe, formed her harsh and experienced personality as shown in this poem.
These identities are apparent when she asks Does my sassiness upset you? and Does my
haughtiness offend you? (Angelou). Her parents divorced when she was three and she was
raped by her mothers boyfriend at the age of seven (Maya Angelou biography). After the man
raping her was killed by her uncle, Angelou refused to speak for years because she felt as if her
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words had taken away a human life (Biography). Ironically, she is now using the power of
language to empower those who silently suffering and isolated. Her life is full of relentless
miseries. However, at the end of the poem, she sincerely tells us that the hardships she had to
endure in the past gave her strength to stand up: I rise/ I rise/ I rise (Angelou). The poem is a
strong message telling her enemies that she will not allow the embrace of their actions to dictate
who she is. Haters gonna hate and she just simply pushes her greatness in their faces. The
poem Still I Rise has taught us a brilliant life lesson: Do not let oppression beat you down and
never let your past dominate your present or ruin your future!
Although similes are used widely and commonly in literature, as well as in daily life,
Angelou has sparked interest in her readers by making unique comparisons. Angelou applied
most similes in a witty way to show her confidence and positive tone in this poem such as
Cause I walk like Ive got oil wells/ Pumping in my living room (Angelou). It would be
considered a ridiculous joke at that time that a black woman was wealthy enough to have oil
wells (Still I Rise Sample). Ignoring that bitter fact, she claims that she walks proudly,
keeping her head up high as if she was a rich, luxurious woman. This is a very good description
of how she carries herself in the crowd and how she is shown to others jealous eyes (Analysis
of Maya). Another example is Cause I laugh like Ive got gold mines/ Diggin in my own
back yard (Angelou). It is the way she would like to laugh at her oppressors, quite loudly and
full of satisfaction. They cannot help that they secretly wish they could be like her. That I dance
like Ive got diamonds/ At the meeting between my thighs? (Angelou) is a very playful
comparison to show her pride in her background as being a black female. She does not actually
have diamonds between her thighs. In fact, she is comparing her genitals to diamonds, which is
an expensive jewelry (Ratliff). She emphasizes that even though she is a woman, she is worthy
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and beautiful for her own individuality. Oil wells, diamonds, and gold mines are wealth
significations that are used as a measurement for her valuable dignity (Still I Rise by). She
truly deserves respect and fair treatment from society. Shoulder falling down like teardrops
(Angelou) is the only simile used to express her weak moment. Angelou easily captures our
sympathy to her inner sadness, disappointment, loneliness and emptiness, but she will not allow
that weakness to hold her back and she will continue to fight. Angelous most profound similes
describe her wonderful rising up: Just like moons and like suns, Just like hopes springing
high, But still, like dust, Ill rise, But still, like air, Ill rise (Angelou). Like moons and
suns, she will rise up continuously, every day, with no failure. Like dust, she will rise up after
being trampled on (Still I Rise Sample). Like air, she will rise up freely and strongly. Air
gives us a sense of uplifting while dust refers to a resurrection. These beautiful similes are
repeated to remind us not to give up on ourselves under any circumstances. Still I Rise draws
more attraction and power through her remarkable use of similes that actualize and express
complex emotions.
Allusion is an irreplaceable and important element contributing to the success of Still I
Rise. Understanding her allusions is very necessary to dig deeper into the meaning of the poem.
Angelou used many images which allude to the painful past of her life and her community. The
poems opening verses You may write me down in history/ With your bitter, twisted lies
(Angelou) and these two lines in the eight stanza Out of the huts of historys shame/ Up from a
past thats rooted in pain (Angelou) indicate the fact that colored people had to put up with
special treatment for a very long time in America. It may also allude to the lies that are spoken
behind her back or the misunderstood stereotypes about her culture that have been embedded in
everyones mind from generation to generation. The African Americans connection to the past
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is very much like a wound that must be healed (Best Answers for). The sixth stanza You
may shoot me with your words/ You may cut me with your eyes/ You may kill me with your
hatefulness (Angelou) is a mixture of hyperbole and allusion. These strong verbs are used to
describe the hurtful impacts discrimination left on them (Analysis of Maya). They were
harmed and stepped on like small defenseless creatures. They were looked down upon and
treated like nothing! After slavery was effectively ended, as a whole, black people still faced
many dangers, many of them were physical but most were in various forms of discrimination and
intolerant looks (Best Answers for). Even though it is not a victorious past, the line
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave (Angelou) shows her appreciation and honor to her
ancestors and what they have accomplished (Still I Rise by). Those previous generations
might not have succeeded in achieving freedom but their contributions should not be forgotten.
In contrast to past generations, allusions located in the last stanza are more likely referring to the
incredible growth of black people and their hope for a brighter tomorrow. Leaving behind
nights of terror and fear/ I rise/ Into daybreak thats wondrously clear/ I rise (Angelou) imply
Angelous triumph in personal growth and the African American community in general
(Analysis of Maya). They will step into the new world, become successful, and hold their
heads up high fearlessly. They will write a new glorious chapter in history on their own.
Angelous allusions insist on the truth that no matter what, they will break the chains of slavery
and rise up to freedom eternally!
Maya Angelou has successfully navigated our emotions from anger and created a sense
of pride, empowerment, and optimism through this poem. Although Still I Rise deals with an
extremely sensitive issue in our society nowadays, Angelou has ingeniously created a
sympathetic feeling and connection to her readers. Anyone, despite race or gender, who has
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experienced discrimination in different ways can relate to this poem. It is no more an opinion
from the perspective of a single person; Angelou has spoken for all the minorities. Furthermore,
the strong message portrayed in the poem should be a motivation for all of us. Originality,
confidence and independence are the primary key to the treasure of life. Personally, I was
impressed by Angelous strong refusal to give up and her limitless passion to rise. Humans have
so much potential that they need to realize and take advantage of. Our world is too small to
discriminate. A lifetime is too short to love everyone in this loveable planet, so why do you hate?
















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Works Cited
Analysis of Maya Angelous Still I Rise. WriteWork. Gradua Networks, May 24, 2004. Web.
6 Feb. 2014. <http://www.writework.com/essay/analysis-maya-angelou-s-still-rise>
Angelou, Maya. Still I Rise. Poemhunter.com. n.p., January 3, 2013. Web. 6 Feb. 2014.
<http://www.poemhunter.com/best-poems/maya-angelou/still-i-rise/>
Best Answers for Angelous Still I Rise. Coursesite.uhcl.edu. n.p., n.d.. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.
<http://coursesite.uhcl.edu/HSH/White/LITR/4332/models/2008/midterms/mt08top2rise.
htm>
Biography: Maya Angelou Poet and Historian. Academy of Achievement. n.p., April 9,2012.
Web. 6 Feb. 2014. <http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/printmember/ang0bio-1>
Maya Angelou biography. Bio.truestory. n.p., 2014. Web. 6 Feb. 2014.
<http://www.biography.com/print/profile/maya-angelou-9185388>
Ratliff, Eden. Still I Rise Analysis. Wordpress.com. Eden Rs Humanities Lit Blog, May 11,
2011. Web. 10 Feb. 2014. <http://needtochangethis.wordpress.com/2011/05/11/still-i-
rise-analysis/>
Research Papers/Maya Angelou: A woman of Hope research paper 2635.
Customessaymeister.com. n.p., 2014. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.
<http://www.customessaymeister.com/customessays/Research%20Papers/2635/htm>
Still I Rise by Maya Angelou Poem Analysis. Mizukisudo.wordpress.com. n.p., n.d.. Web. 6
Feb. 2014. <http://mizukisudo.wordpress.com/2011/11/25/still-i-rise-by-maya-angelou-
poem-analysis/>
Still I Rise Sample Essay. Wordpress.com. n.p., n.d.. Web. 6 Feb. 2014.
<http://g12allstars.wordpress.com/2011/10/03/still-i-rise-sample-essay/>
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