Describe how techniques have been used in the text. Explain how these techniques have been used to create a particular effect.
In the poem “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou, many techniques have been used to create a particular effect. “Still I Rise” is a poem written to inspire those who have seen and experienced racist acts , and what consequences that has. The first technique used are poetic comparisons, secondly repetition, and thirdly historical references to slavery. These techniques were important to the poem because they helped us to understand the importance of the message being put forward, and make us feel as though we have experienced it.
Poetic Comparisons are used to help the reader link their feelings to something that we might relate or understand more. They are comparing two different things. “You may shoot me with your words” This metaphor makes it clear how violent, direct and agressive the oppression she faces everyday is. Although words don’t actually shoot someone, that’s what it can feel like. It puts into perspective for us what it feels for these people who have done nothing wrong, and how powerful the oppressors can be. Whilst a person’s colour skin can sadly cause a lot of hate, they don’t let that get to them. The simile “Just like moons and like suns” is expressing that their ability to rise above their difficulties, and others will not only never fade nor stop, but they will continue to get stronger and unite as one. This has been noticeably strong throughout the Black lives matter movement going on right now in our world. They all have strength to do so and this metaphor “‘I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide” shows how highly she rates herself and how successful she actually is. An ocean is very powerful and has the ability to do many things, and that’s what she refers herself to. She believes she is unbreakable, and she has well, made it far in this world. All together these poetic comparisons help us to understand what these real life experiences actually are like and what they can come across as.
Repetition has been used to give a harsher effect and has given it urgency. If the same line or word is repeated it makes it sound more important and meaningful to the reader. The repetition “I rise, I rise, I rise” is a very powerful ending to the poem, one last statement against the oppressors. As readers, we are left with the key message and it sinks in because of the repetition. She has also broken the pattern and structure of the poem, the same concept of going against the odds and normalities of the world. In addition repetition is also used to sound more accusing,
“You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness”
These three lines are a great example, ‘you may’ is a direct address to accuse the listener and to make them part of the conversation, without this repetition this stanza would not have the same effect on us as readers. The verbs they have used are very violent, making it one of the strongest stanzas in the poem. The last line “But still, like air, i’ll rise has great contrast against the first 3 lines because it is the exact opposite. This is a common structure throughout the poem. The repetition in each stanza gives the poem a stronger message and makes it sound as cruel as it actually is.
Historical references are used to create the feeling of a harsh and difficult history and what it is like in our present day. By Angleou adding theses references to slavery into the poem, she is not only referring to her family history but she is adressing those who changed their country for the worst. “I am the dream and the hope of the slave” is telling us about what they have come to now and that they didn’t treat people as people, but as items. The standards were so much lower for them and I think that is why we are where we are today. The line “Up from a past that’s rooted in pain, I rise” is another quote stating the fact still after her past and what happened to her loved ones, she strives to be unscathed. She will be hurting on the inside just as much as others but she pushes that behind her. Considering what’s going on in our world right now with the BLM protests, the entire world is backing them. Although there are still problems around this topic, I think we have changed the way we deal with it. These historical references create the effect of how punishing the past was how it has changed our view on it today.
In conclusion, throughout the poem ‘Still I Rise’, Angelou has used many different literary techniques. They have all been used to create a particular effect. Poetic comparisons, Repetition and Historical references have all allowed us to have a better relationship to the poem, along with the understanding of the Black Lives Matter movement. As you look more into these techniques, they are all connected together to give us the specific effect of rising above others as one, and that is what our world is aiming for today. ‘Still I Rise’ is all about having the freedom and justice to do so, and the poem has helped us connect to this.
By Ruby McLachlan
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