Still I Rise

1.The poem ‘Still I rise’ is about the author Maya Angelou confronting oppressors of black African Americans using words of self belief, hate and hope. Some parts of the poem even refer to the slavery of black African Americans e.g “bowed head and lowered eyes, shoulders falling down like teardrops”.
2.I think that Maya Angelou wrote this poem to show that she and others can rise above the racism and the poor treatment of black people. She is able to rise and succeed even after the “twisted lies” written down in history.
3.I think that the reason that Maya Angealou repeated the words “I rise” was to prove that she will continually rise and keep rising no matter what comes at her.
4. “Shoulders falling down like teardrops”, this metaphor refers to black slavery in America. Maya Angelou had ancestors who were brought to America to be slaves. “Shoulders falling” means that back in the slave days black slaves had to lower their eyes, head and shoulders as they walked past a white person. If not it would be seen as disrespectful and they will most likely be punished.

“I’m a black ocean”. This metaphor makes Maya Angelou seem strong and powerful. Oceans are unstoppable, she uses ‘black ocean’ to show that she is unstoppable, even after everything that she has gone through.

“Cause I walk like i’ve got oil wells”. Oil wells represent wealth so when she says that she walks ‘like she has oil wells’ she is saying that she walks like she’s rich. This is ironic as she grew up in a poor household.