Still I Rise - Maya Angelou free essay sample

Describe at least one memorable use of language in the text. Explain how this use of language helped you to understand one or more important idea in the text. â€Å"Still I rise† a poem by Maya Angelou is about a black woman’s point of view towards a white person in the 1900’s. Angelou used various language techniques, rhetorical questions, metaphor, and similes to show us her thoughts at the time when she was being ruled over. Self-esteem was the reason that the poet wrote this poem in the first place and it was self-esteem that she overcome the obstacles she faced in life. Firstly, Angelou uses similes to compare herself to nature that unremittingly â€Å"rises†. Although she was being treated poorly, â€Å"you may trod me in the very dirt†, but her pride and resilience swallowed that unforgivingly thing to do to a human being and â€Å"still, like dust, I’ll rise†. We will write a custom essay sample on Still I Rise Maya Angelou or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The simile â€Å"like dust, I’ll rise† show the reader that she is strong and will-powered who â€Å"rise† seamlessly. This language feature helped me understand that you should not give up easily when downed, because you will only lose pride for yourself. Having pride for you means much, it can about help you do anything you want to accomplish and, for Angelou she hopes to have her freedom taken back to her. Secondly, metaphor was used by Angelou to describe her; she described herself as something that has liberty over herself. She looked at herself as something that’s free and pure despite her painful terrorizing past, â€Å"A black ocean, leaping and, wide†. This portrays that she is free who can do anything she wants. â€Å"I’m a black ocean leaping and, wide† this tells the reader that she has power over her life now, big and powerful who can’t be controlled or be abused by anyone. Thirdly, the poet used abundant of rhetorical questions that were really powerful to show us that even in difficult times you should have confidence in you. Angelou asks powerful questions every time, after she makes a point. â€Å"Does it come as a surprise that I dance like I’ve got diamonds at the meeting of my thighs? † This was asked after she made a point, and it made it come out more significant that made it convincing to the reader and the person she was referring to that she has power and that she is a one mighty person. This helped me understand that if you want something, freedom for that matter, you should fight for it, it can’t be given on to you on a clean plate and, by having genuine confidence it will take you there. In conclusion, the once helpless woman who was a victim of slavery is now free from all of it, the chains are finally broken, and it was portrayed potently by Maya Angelou. She crafted the poem bits by bits of language features that were really interesting that couldn’t be forgotten without a hitch. No matter how difficult life can be, there will always be hope that it can be amended, and if you see the opportunity you should take it.