LO: To explore how Angelou uses poetic techniques and language to communicate ideas of injustice in the poem ‘Caged Bird.’ Caged Bird – May Angelou Little Boy Crying – Mervyn Morris Sonnet 43 - Browning Rising Five – Norman Nicholson Farmhand – James K. Baxter Amends – Adrienne Rich Muliebrity – Sujata Bhatt Sonnet 29 – Edna St Vincent Plenty – Isobel Dixon Marryson – Dennis Scott The Three Fates – Rosemary Dobson Not Waving But Drowning – Stevie Smith Those Winter Sundays – Robert Hayden She Dwelt Among the Untrodden Ways – Wordsworth Mid-Term Break – Seamus Heaney Sunday, 03 February 2019 LO: To the use poetic methods used to communicate the ideas of injustice in the poem ‘Caged Bird.’ Think Pair Share •How does this picture make you feel? •What connections can you make with the poem? Tone and Mood Tone refers to an author’s What do we mean use of words and writing we talk stylewhen to convey his or her attitude towards about tone aintopic. Tone ispoetry? often defined as what the author feels about the subject. What the reader feels is known as the mood. Tone and Mood Stick in this tone sheet. Keep it in a place you can easily access. This will come in useful for all of your writing. Listen to a reading of The Caged Bird As we are reading make notes: • What tone is present in the poem? • Does the tone change from stanza to stanza? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r ZzOxWAxde0 Maya Angelou Watch the clip about Maya Angelou. • Bullet point notes in your anthology of you watch. • How does this knowledge help you understand the poem? The importance of a title What connections can you make with the title to Angelou herself? I know why the caged bird sings Make notes in your anthology Bird Symbolism What could the image of the bird symbolise? Endurance Independence Courage Drive Creativity Freedom Perspective Cage Symbolism What could the image of the cage symbolise? They can see the world but cannot grasp it. Imprisoned Confinement oppression Extended Metaphor The poem is an extended metaphor comparing free and caged bird to the segregation during the Civil Right movement. Contrast What could the contrast between the caged bird and the free bird be about? Stanza 1 A free bird leaps on the back of the wind and floats downstream till the current ends and dips his wing in the orange sun rays and dares to claim the sky. Stanza 2 But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage can seldom see through his bars of rage his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing. Stanza 3 The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hills for the caged bird sings of freedom. Stanza 4 The free bird thinks of another breeze and the trade winds soft through singing trees and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn and he names the sky his own. But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing. Stanza 5 The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom. The message of the poem Which statement do you think best sums up the message? •To prepare yourself for sadness and loss. Be stoic and simply accept loss as a part of life. •To consider how social injustice creates a life where some are free and some are not. •She is sad about being trapped in a relationship when she really just wants to be free and by herself. Explore how Angelou creates a feeling of injustice in her poem ‘Caged Bird.’ Complete the table Consider the language she uses and the effect this has on the audience. Then write a paragraph answering the question above. Peer Assessment Read your partners answer. Give them a WWW and EBI. • Use a quote • Zoom in on a word- can you name the word class • How does the reader react • What is the writers intention LO: Develop a considered, personal response to the poem ‘Caged Bird’ by investigating the meaning and themes of the poem Associating words and images In pairs, create a mind map around each image with anything you associate with a caged bird or a free bird. An example for each has been done for you. Extension activity: How could these images be used to symbolise problems to do with difference and inequality that exist in our modern world? Make sure you give reasons for your ideas. Read the poem once again. Stanza 1 A free bird leaps on the back of the wind and floats downstream till the current ends and dips his wing in the orange sun rays and dares to claim the sky. Stanza 2 But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage can seldom see through his bars of rage his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing. Stanza 3 The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hills for the caged bird sings of freedom. Stanza 4 The free bird thinks of another breeze and the trade winds soft through singing trees and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn and he names the sky his own. But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing. Stanza 5 The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom. Blue: Take notes on the meaning of the poem Red: Take notes on the themes of the poem Green: Take notes on the poet’s attitude Yellow: Take notes on the three most important quotations in the poem and why they are so important. Plenary Write up a paragraph detailing their personal response to the poem by using Worksheet 4. Worksheet 4: My considered, personal response Now that you have considered the meaning, themes and poet’s attitude of the poem (and explored some of the key quotations), what does this poem make you think about in terms of what is happening in the world at the moment? Or, can you relate personally to the ideas in this poem? Write up your thoughts using the writing frame below. The meaning of this poem makes me think about _______________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ because _______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ The themes of _________________ and ___________________ in the poem also apply to this as ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Furthermore, given the poet’s attitude in the poem, I believe the poet would feel _______________ _________________________________________________________________ about this since ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ • Extension activity: • Choose one of the key quotations that your group identified and discussed. How does this quotation relate to the personal response you have written above? Write a paragraph in your notebook explaining your ideas carefully.
