Maya Angelou Figurative Language

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Figurative language often transports the reader to a place that may be unfamiliar to them. It helps engage the reader, and makes the writing easier to relate to. In Graduation, an essay written by Maya Angelou, the use of figurative language aids the reader to better understand the writing. Specifically, the use of hyperboles bring life to the piece, while imagery brings attention, sight, and detail to the piece. Therefore, hyperboles and imagery modify the writing and make it easier to comprehend. Hyperboles are often used as extreme exaggerations to express or make a point. In this case, Angelou utilizes hyperboles to convey her opinion on the topic of eighth grade graduation and high school graduation. In the essay, she often uses hyperbole to describe and exaggerate an important detail, …show more content…
On paragraph fifteen, page twenty, Angelou stated that “A tangy scent of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and chocolate wafted around the home economics building,” this was used to bring describe positive and detailed side to graduation during the last few weeks of school. Angelou’s use of imagery in this paragraph was effective because it brought attention to the writing, and portrayed the overall message to the reader about how the last few weeks of school were positive for most students. Hyperboles and imagery often modify the writing and make it easier for the ready to comprehend. Angelou uses hyperboles to exaggerate important details within the writing that are necessary details that the reader should pay attention to. While imagery is used to bring depth, detail, and description to the essay so that the reader can imagine the event as it develops within the writing. Overall, Angelou’s use of figurative language causes the reader to become more interested, while also bettering their understanding of the writing, causing a curiosity about the next piece of literary

Caged Bird Sings Figurative Language

Maya Angelou wrote I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings in 1969. In her book, she uses a several rhetorical devices to help us better understand her perspective on how poorly black peoples lived and were treated during this time. One theme in this book is race, the reader gains more knowledge on the subject of living life as a black young woman. Maya also applies imagery in her book to give the reader context and to bring them in while reading the story. Another strategy this author uses is symbolism…

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A Raisin In The Sun Figurative Language Essay

“ If growing up is painful for the Southern Black girl, being aware of her displacement is the rust on the razor that threatens the throat. It is an unnecessary insult.” (Angelou 4); is one of many vivid metaphors throughout Maya Angelou’s autobiographical novel, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings that likens the experience of growing up as a black girl in the segregated American South to having a razor at one’s throat. In contrast to Angelou’s vividity, Lorraine Hansberry’s magisterial choice of words…

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Comparing Poems 'Caged Bird And' I, Too

The poems “Caged Bird” by Maya Angelou and “I, Too” by Langston Hughes the theme is escape, which if you read the poems you can see the themes clearly. As in both poems the bird and man are trying to escape their lives that they are stuck in. They want to be the beautiful ones in their society, not the outcasts like they are. Maya and Langston do a really good job in showing figurative language and imagery to put emotion into their writings. Imagery is shown throughout the poems to connect with…

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A Life Full Of Nothing

Despairing cries float ceaselessly toward me, day and night (Walt Whitman: Despairing cries, Imagery) Lying, thinking Last night How to find my soul a home (Maya Angelou: Alone) Nothing, a life full of nothing (Trevon-Poet) On my black coffin let there be strown, (Shakespeare: Come away death, Symbolism) A life full of nothing, please, let that be known (Trevon-Poet) As I slowly deteriorate, I think about what…

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On The Pulse Of Morning Poem Analysis

the poem “On the Pulse of Morning” written by Maya Angelou she talks about history and how it is important for forgiveness. Maya Angelou read her poem “On the Pulse of Morning” at the presidential inauguration of Bill Clinton in 1993. Hence, regardless of the pain endured through history over the years, it is essential to live life with joy. Furthermore, happiness is the key to life and it is something that cannot be purchased, Moreover, Maya Angelou is speaking to the entire human race when she…

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Champion Of The World By Maya Angelou Analysis Essay

In “ Champion of the World”, an excerpt from the autobiography, I know Why the Caged Bird sings, Maya Angelou explores racial oppression in the 1930’s. Through this excerpt she talks about the racial difference between whites and black through a “boxing match” that exemplifies the extreme discrimination in the South. In the “boxing match” the two contenders is a white challenger and a –black– heavyweight champion, Joe Louis. The two contenders fight each other to win the championship, but also,…

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Critical Thinking, Reading, And Writing

McGrawHill page 48 assignment Annotation helps with making the passage more twentyfirst century for the reader and helps them understand what they are reading. It also gives Ethos, Pathos, and Logos, which will help the reader know that the passage is not nonse. Language and Composition…

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Iwc1 Literature, Arts and Humanities Essay

IWC1 Test 1.02 Module Pre-Test Question 1: Multiple Choice The historical revival of Classical culture began during the: a) Middle Ages b) Renaissance c) Baroque Era d) Romantic Era Feedback: The correct answer is b. The historical revival of Classical culture began during the Renaissance. Question 2: Multiple Choice Which of the following was a key feature of ancient Chinese humanism? a) An emphasis on theoretical philosophy. b) A subordination of intellectual life to religious…

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