What is the overall meaning of the poem and how does it relate to modern teens?
“Still I Rise” is a poem written by Maya Angelou and was published in her book “And Still I Rise” in 1978. The poem is about Maya overcoming racism and sexism to become who she wants to be. She uses metaphors and similes to show her feelings more clearly in words. Her message throughout the poem is inspirational and has direct correlations to the youth of present day.
Maya Angelou wrote her poem to empower people struggling with oppression and doubt. It shows her ignoring other people’s opinions and being her own person despite the hardships she faces. She uses the phrase “still I’ll rise” throughout the poem to express how she will continue to persevere no matter how people try to discourage her and bring her down. The poem talks about how the things people say and do can hurt people but also how being hurt doesn’t have to stop you and you can keep going despite it. You can still rise even if everyone tries to stop you.
Maya uses the use of aggressive words to push the poem’s point about being affected by negativity and learning to overcome it. The phrase “bitter, twisted lies” is used because it puts emphasis on how hateful people are. Bitter shows that the lies are full of resentment and twisted shows that they are a distortion of the truth being used to make things happen a certain way. She also uses violent words in phrases such as “you may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness” to press the point of words being harmful. She does this by using metaphors of physical harm to describe verbal harassment which cannot physically harm someone on it’s own. Maya uses repetition of the phrase “Still I Rise” to show her unwillingness to give up or give in and her stubbornness to stay true to herself.
The poem’s meaning talks of resilience and change for all to be free to act, and work as they wish. This relates to modern teens in the fact that we should try to be the generation to normalise being resilient and acting as we wish. Maya saw that it was possible and wrote her poems to try to encourage us to try and improve the future of the world we live in to be a safer and more accepting place for everyone no matter their race, gender, or sexual orientation. We should be the generation to rise up and change the world for the better not for the worse. Maya’s poem captures the essence of the rebellion from the days of racism, sexism and homophobia that we need to try to channel into our everyday lives. It is a symbol of freedom for all.
Maya Angelou’s poem “Still I Rise” has an amazing message of rebellion and empowerment. It has strongly worded lines that show struggle and hardship while staying solid in the belief that she can overcome it. The message is important in how teens today can shape the future to be something better than the past. It is well written and holds hope within its lines. And still, together, we rise.
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