Part one of term paper
During the nineteenth and early twentieth century, the African American population still felt the aftermath of slavery through the beliefs and actions of the white societies. During slavery African Americans were dehumanized, looked upon as property, and treated worse than animals. Furthermore, slaves were denied the right to life, forced to ...

Part two of term paper
... vivid language, repetition, and symbolism to relay his comparison throughout the poem. Ironically, the life of a caged bird is indeed the life of the African American. An African American, like the caged bird, was forced to live in captivity and please others on command. The second stanza begins with "I know why the caged bird beats his wing"(8). The speaker understands why the caged bird fights both physically and emotionally to be set free. The caged bird is willing to inflict pain unto ...