Still I Rise: Historical Context and Vocabulary

Still I Rise: Historical and Social Context

• The poem was written during the Civil Rights Movement.
• Maya Angelou was an influential figure in the feminist movement and racial equality.
• The poem reflects the struggles of African Americans facing oppression.
• It illustrates how African Americans persevered despite discrimination and segregation.
• Angelou wrote Still I Rise to encourage perseverance and empowerment.
• The poem’s tone is comparable to the speeches of Martin Luther King Jr.
• Civil rights activists like Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, and Harriet Tubman share similar messages with Angelou.
• Many African Americans related to Still I Rise because it reflected their experiences of resilience when facing discrimination.
• The Civil Rights Movement inspired Angelou’s activism and poetry.
• The poem reflects Maya Angelou’s personal experiences of facing and overcoming discrimination.

Vocabulary & Word Choice in Still I Rise

• "Beset" means troubled.
• "Tread" means to step on.
• "Haughtiness" suggests confidence.
• "I laugh like I’ve got gold mines diggin’ in my own backyard" implies self-worth.
• "You may trod me in the very dirt" means the speaker is being oppressed but plans to rise above it.
• The repetition of "I rise" shows defiance and resilience.
• "I am a black ocean, leaping and wide" best symbolizes resilience.
• The phrase "I am a black ocean, leaping and wide" suggests strength and endless possibilities.
• An antonym for "rise" is "fall."
• "But still, like dust, I’ll rise" reinforces the theme of resilience.

Literary Devices in Still I Rise

• "But still, like dust, I’ll rise" uses a simile.
• "I am a black ocean, leaping and wide" uses a metaphor.
• "You may shoot me with your words" contains hyperbole.
• The repetition of "I rise, I rise, I rise" emphasizes resilience.
• "Does my sassiness upset you?" uses a rhetorical question.
• "Gold mines / Diggin’ in my backyard" symbolizes the speaker’s inner wealth and self-worth.
• "Shoulders falling down like teardrops, weakened by my soulful cries" contains a simile.
• "You may shoot me with your words" contains personification.
• "Bitter, twisted lies" is an example of alliteration.
• The poet uses rhetorical questions to make the reader reflect.

Understanding Still I Rise: Short Answer Questions

• Still I Rise connects to oppression and discrimination by highlighting the resilience and strength of those facing injustice.
• Repetition in Still I Rise emphasizes themes of perseverance and defiance, reinforcing the speaker's determination to overcome adversity.
• The poem’s message about resilience is that despite facing adversity and oppression, one can rise above challenges with strength and dignity.
• Maya Angelou empowers modern readers by inspiring them to embrace their inner strength, challenge societal norms, and persevere in the face of adversity.
• Angelou uses contrast in Still I Rise to highlight the disparity between the oppressor's attempts to diminish the speaker and the speaker's unwavering determination to rise above.
• Angelou may have written this poem to provide a message of hope, resilience, and empowerment to those facing adversity, particularly within the African American community.
• Still I Rise challenges negative perceptions by celebrating the speaker's self-worth and defiance, countering stereotypes and promoting a positive self-image.
• Imagery is used in the poem to evoke strong emotions and vivid representations of both oppression and resilience, enhancing the reader's understanding of the speaker's experiences.
• Maya Angelou has had a profound impact on literature and activism by giving voice to marginalized communities, inspiring social change, and promoting themes of equality and resilience.
• Still I Rise remains relevant today because its themes of resilience, empowerment, and overcoming adversity resonate with individuals facing challenges across various social, cultural, and historical contexts.

Poetry Comparison: Blowin’ in the Wind & The Rose That Grew from Concrete

Theme & Message

• Both poems share the central theme of struggle and perseverance.
• In Blowin’ in the Wind, the speaker asks rhetorical questions to make the reader reflect on injustice.
• The Rose That Grew from Concrete suggests hard work and determination lead to success.
• The phrase "How many times must a man turn his head / Pretending he just doesn’t see?" suggests people ignore injustice instead of fighting it.
• The Rose That Grew from Concrete challenges stereotypes by showing that talent and success can emerge from hardship.
• Both poems encourage readers to reflect on social issues and personal growth.

Symbolism

• In Blowin’ in the Wind, "the wind" symbolizes the uncertainty of finding answers to injustice.
• The rose in The Rose That Grew from Concrete represents a person who overcomes obstacles to succeed.
• The concrete in The Rose That Grew from Concrete symbolizes a harsh and difficult environment.
• In Blowin’ in the Wind, the cannonballs symbolize the destructiveness of war and violence.
• Both poems use symbolism to represent struggles and hope.

Tone & Mood

• The tone of Blowin’ in the Wind is reflective and questioning.
• The tone of The Rose That Grew from Concrete is proud and inspirational.
• Blowin’ in the Wind does not provide clear answers to let the reader reflect on social issues.
• The Rose That Grew from Concrete inspires readers by showing that overcoming difficulties is possible.
• Blowin’ in the Wind is uncertain, while The Rose That Grew from Concrete is confident.

Historical Context

• Blowin’ in the Wind was written during the Vietnam War and Civil Rights Movement.
• Blowin’ in the Wind reflects the 1960s by questioning war, injustice, and ignorance.
• The Rose That Grew from Concrete reflects Tupac’s experiences with overcoming hardships in a tough environment.
• The Rose That Grew from Concrete relates to inequality by highlighting the unequal opportunities for success..
• Blowin’ in the Wind is still relevant today because people still face war and injustice.

Relevance Today

• Both poems encourage activism and social awareness by inspiring people to fight for change.
• The Rose That Grew from Concrete is inspiring for young people today because it shows that anyone can succeed despite obstacles.
• Global issues like racism and war reflect the message in Blowin’ in the Wind.
• Both poems challenge the reader by encouraging deep thinking about struggles and perseverance.

Comparing All Three Poems

• All three poems focus on overcoming struggles.
• Still I Rise differs from Blowin’ in the Wind by focusing more on personal confidence and defiance.
• All three poems use imagery of war, nature, and personal struggle.
• These three poems are still studied today because they relate to ongoing struggles for justice and perseverance.
• A lesson that can be learned from all three poems is that overcoming obstacles is part of life.

Language in Context – Practice Questions

Prefixes & Suffixes

• The prefix "mis-" in "miscommunication" means wrong or incorrect.
• The prefix "un-" in "unfair" means not.
• The prefix "re-" in "rebuild" means again.
• The suffix "-able" in "relatable" means capable of being.
• The suffix "-less" in "fearless" means without.
• Adding the suffix "-ment" to "achieve" forms a noun.
• "dis-" in "disagree" means opposite of.
• Correct sentence using the word hopeful: She is very hopeful about her test results.
• The word "thoughtless" means lacking thought.
• The word "unbreakable" means not able to break.

Synonyms & Antonyms

• The closest synonym of empowerment is authority.
• The antonym of independent is dependent.
• A synonym for resilience is perseverance.
• The opposite of validation is rejection.
• A synonym for critique is review.
• An antonym for vulnerability is strength.
• The word that means the opposite of triumphant is defeated.
• A synonym for haughtiness is arrogance.
• The opposite of elevate is fall.
• Inequality means lack of equality.

Homophones

• The correct homophone for principle is law or belief.
• The correct homophone: "I love to read books, but my favorite genre is read."
• The correct homophone: "She left her book over there on the table."
• Select the correct homophone: "I need to write a letter to my friend."
• Identify the correct homophone: "The new student sat over there with her friends."

Nouns

• The abstract noun is courage.
• A proper noun is New York.
• Apple is a common noun.
• Justice is an abstract noun.
• The sentence that contains a proper noun is "She lives in Paris."

Pronouns

• The personal pronoun is they.
• A demonstrative pronoun is these.
• "This is my book" contains a possessive pronoun.
• The personal pronoun is it.
• "Those are my books" contains a demonstrative pronoun.

Explore the historical and social context of Maya Angelou's poem, 'Still I Rise,' written during the Civil Rights Movement. Understand the vocabulary and word choice that empower the poem's themes of resilience and perseverance. Discover how it reflects the struggles of African Americans and Angelou's personal experiences.