LITR 4332 American Minority Literature 2013 Student Midterm Samples midterm assignment #1. Short essay (4-6 paragraphs) on 1 of 2 options option 1a. Highlight and analyze passage from readings

Niki Bippen

Still Rising

            Of all the texts that we have read thus far, Maya Angelou’s poem “Still I Rise” has been my favorite and the most striking.  The poem is full of frustration with the prejudices faced by African Americans, but it is also the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.  Angelou uses imagery, sexual undertones, and repetition to convey her message of hope.  She acknowledges that there is hope for all of those who are facing discrimination and suggests that they will “rise” above it.

            The last stanza is the one that stood out the most.  She effectively combines imagery, symbolism, and repetition to make her point.  She references the slave quarters that are rooted in “history’s shame,” which suggests that we have tried to sweep all the wrongdoings under the rug.  She also beautifully writes that “up from a past that’s rooted in pain/ I rise” (Angelou).  This is a wonderful line that showcases the fighter spirit of the African Americans.  Despite all of the pain and hardships that they have faced, they are able to rise above it.

            One of my favorite parts of this stanza is “I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide, / Welling and swelling I bear in the tide” (Angelou).  The use of the word “ocean” implies that she is deep, strong, and unmoving.  She is capable of weathering storms and remaining intact.  She “bear[s] in the tide” meaning that again, she is capable of taking all the misery inflicted upon her and rising above it (Angelou).  Keep in mind, that “I rise” is the most important part of this poem because it not only provides hope for others, but demonstrates the strength of African Americans.

            “Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, / I am the dream and the hope of the slave” ties the poem together and really gives it meaning (Angelou).  The gifts that her ancestors gave her could be the fighting spirit, their culture, and their rich history.  She is the hope of the slave because she is able to rise above the pain and she is truly free. She refuses to suffer the indignities, prejudice and segregation; she rises above it.  This poem is all about what we are studying in class: prejudice, suffering, and the ability to overcome it all.