Poem Analysis of Still I Rise by Maya Angelou Essay Example

The essay Still I Rise is written by Maya Angulou. The essay Still I Rise is telling us about how we can be beat down and broken by the world, but we can still get back up and rise. It tells us how having hope is very important as it is what keeps you going.In the poem it says “I am the dream and the hope of the slave.” This tells us that if we have hope we can have others to have that same kind of hope and triumph over anything. Having hope leads to also being positive. This then leads to people standing up for what’s right once you gain enough confidence. Another quote that tells us more about this poem It tells us through all the pain and adversity we go through it will only make us stronger and more determined each time we rise. Another quote shows us how each time we get knocked down and get back up we always get back up stronger and tougher than before. This is shown from the poem lines “You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes, You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I’ll rise.” This tells us how no matter how much adversity, anxiety, pain, or fear we have we can always make it out of the otherside coming back stronger and tougher than ever before.

The author uses specific word choice throughout this poem to communicate both an angry, sad, and happy vibe. All three have specific reasons for being communicated to us. The first quote that I am going to discuss will discuss anger and sadness. Anger is a very powerful emotion and also can cloud your judgment, but is necessary sometimes. Sadness is an emotion that is also necessary to help us make change in our livesThe quote “Does my sassiness upset you? Why are you beset with gloom? ’Cause I walk like I've got oil wells Pumping in my living room.” This tells us how what you're dealing with and your situation can always be worse than another person. This quote specifically dives into the idea that one person is sad about something while the other person is angry about something because he has a tougher life to deal with meaning he has to be tougher. The part of the quote that talks about beset with gloom is the part that deals with sadness, while the part about oil wells is the part that deals with anger. The second quote I am going to talk about will include the emotions of sadness and  happiness. The quote “Leaving behind nights of terror and fear I rise Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear I rise Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave slave. I rise, I rise , I rise.” discusses how however tough our past and fears we have currently we can overcome all these obstacles with a determined mindset. The part of leaving behind nights of terror tells us how we were afraid and sad because we were afraid of others and what they might do to us. The part of the quote I rise into a daybreak tells us how we overcame all these obstacles and came back stronger than ever. We get up and raise it with a suit of armor that is not penetrable. This is my own metaphor. It is comparing a suit of armor to mental toughness, saying that you can not be broken. Overall, the poem is saying if you always try and get back up you can do anything you want and achieve what you want in life through a sheer force of effort and will. 

The author uses the development of ideas throughout the poem to convey a message of always trying no matter what and always getting back up when you fall. Early in the poem the author develops the ideas of how people can try and make u feel bad and powerless through actions and words. This is shown through the quote “You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies,  You may trod me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I'll rise.” This quote tells us how people can say mean things and gossip about you behind your back, but you can still get up and keep moving forward. This further helps us understand the author and hardships the author may have faced throughout life. The quote that ties this all together is the quote about truly overcoming these obstacles. The quote “Does it come as a surprise That I dance like I've got diamonds At the meeting of my thighs?” This tells us how as time goes on and we grow more experienced throughout life we grow tougher and tougher each time we rouse again. This fully bridges what I was talking about earlier when talking about being shot down by people and getting the hell back up.

There are many things the author is trying to help us learn from the poem. The main thing the author wants us to learn is to always stand up for yourself and others. When the author says “you may shoot me with your words but still I rise” the author is telling us when someone hurts you let that pain fuel you to be a tougher and stronger and better person and get back up and fight and stand up for yourself. At the end of the Poem it says “I rise I rise I rise.” It says this three times to convey the idea of always standing up for what is right and helping others who don’t have the confidence to stand up for themselves. Overall, you should always fight for what you believe in because that is what makes us each unique.