Poetry Analysis- Still I Rise, Maya Angelou

The subject matter can be perceived as a woman who is black and possibly a slave overcoming or rising from the hardships presented by society. The theme can be seen as the way people can come back, that no-matter how cruel and unforgiving one acts, someone who remains confident and has hope and dignity can move forward. As long as you remain hopeful and believe that you can achieve one will generally succeed.



The poet has successfully conveyed a strong, hopeful and contradicting emotive of regret. The emotion of will power and strength along with determination presents the reader with a flood of varying emotions. An general emotion could be felt as stated above, is a strong happy feeling. Maya Angelou has created a character with such a desire and determination to let nothing hold her back, she gives off her determination and the reader cannot help but feel happiness and admiration for her perseverance. "You may trod me in the very dirt, but still like dust I'll rise," This quote can be used as an essential in addressing and supporting the previous statement. but although the predominate emotion felt is happiness a contrasting emotion of sympathy can be experienced. "You kill me with your hate fullness" and "shoot me with your words." These quotes support the statement that the 'white race' did not treat everyone with respect and your colour represents how you should be treated- in this case with insults and hatefulness. After reading such quotes the reader would be prone to the feeling of sympathy and regret, for the way we alienated fellow beings.

Still I Rise, is a regular, free verse stanza poem. With appropriate to the genre language and striking, vivid and descriptive vocabulary. The language is specific and acted with vitality in addressing the subject matter. The word choice for example "I'm the dream and the hope of the slave" and "I'm a black ocean," acts as an aid in identifying two main key objects. From those lines it can be deciphered that Angelou's character is black and a slave. Phrases such as "sassiness" and "sexiness" also help in deciphering that the character is most likely female. The word choice also correlates with the imagery the reader would experience. Words such as "soulful cries" suggests deep, meaningful cries and creates an image of a woman lost for words but engulfed in overwhelming emotion. Another example includes "like dust,I'll rise," this phrase creates the image of a big cloud of dust rising, like that after a stampeed or that of which a person has just walked on. Imagery is also presented through the use of smiles for example "I walk like I've got oil wells pumping in my living room," this simile creates an image of a wealthy woman walking with pride and dignity. Metaphoric phrases also creates imagery "I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide," the image portrayed is a huge furiously jumping.

Angelou used sounds such as rhyme: gave-slave, wide-tide and surprise-thighs in particular areas to demonstrate a more upbeatness, the character triumphing over her hardships. In these more upbeat areas the reader would feel happiness. The rhyme appears to be restricted to these areas. Enjament is also a contributing factor to the movement of the poem. Enjament is used to make the reader slow down, this statement appears frequently in areas where the poet wants the reader to feel sadness, and that feeling is best and most effectively conveyed whilst reading slowly.

Overall Angelou succeeded in creating a touching poem, that demonstrates how this particular character has triumphed over the doubts of others.

The Surfer Poetry Analysis

The subject matter can be perceived as the enjoyment a man feels towards surfing from the eyes of a observer. The surfer is poem that can serve the purpose of portraying the way a man surfs and all of the different stages that he experiences for his enjoyment, but it also shows the mood change. for example the first and second stanzas portray the differences between the ocean and man, or man versus nature and only shows the strength of the ocean and on some occasions suggest the the beach is beautiful, enjoyable place of happiness. but as stated in the last stanza the poet strongly demonstrates the mean/dangerous side of the ocean after sunset.

within this poem the mood shifts from one of joy at the surf "as he is water, with delight" to caution "turn home... as the last leaf of gold vanishes." as the poem ends the mood is much more sombre and illustrates the danger of the ocean "grey wolf sea lies, snarling."

The structure of the poem is a three stanza free verse. this best conveys the change in mood from one of joy and closeness, and with the sea to that of caution and damage. the language that is portrayed would be a reflection of the descriptive, vivid choice of words that the poet has used. for example "wires of water," "brown strength," and "gold leaf vanishes from the sea curve, " are all examples that show the meticulously of Judith Wright. These are all vivid striking examples of words that correlate with the poem to created a dreamy set of imagery. striking examples of metaphors for example "brown strength," "broken toys," and "hawthorn hedges in spring." Personification is used throughout the poem examples include "cold twilight wind splits the waves," "sand crouches on sand, fawning and mouthing" and "drops there and snatches again."

The last stanza is symbolic to the water that can be dangerous and rough after sunset. movement can be portrayed through the poem with enjament which helps to add a pause and therefore dramatic effect. the sounds that are conveyed within the poem minimal rhyme e.g curve and serve and onomatopoeia: snarling. this has no real potentially dramatic effects on the poem but it adds to the slowness and down-beat of the poem.

Overall Wright succeeded in demonstrating the theme of man and ocean and just how simply the mood of the poem changes in correlation with the mood of the poem.