Literary Analysis Of Maya Angelous Caged Bird - 1341 Words

â€Å"Caged Bird Analysis† â€Å"Equal rights, fair play, justice, are all like air: we all have it, or none of us has it.† This quote was taken by the poet Maya Angelou, who stressed the idea of equality in many of her works. One of her poems being, â€Å"Caged Bird.† In the poem the poet references two birds; one who is trapped in a cage, and the other bird who is free. Growing up as an African American in the 1920’s Angelou faced many hardships. She suffered many racial prejudices, and her writing reflects how cruel her society was. When Angelou was younger, a traumatic event happened that left her mute for many years. However, Angelou was very courageous, and nothing could stop her from doing what she loved—poetry. Angelou was inspired by authors†¦show more content†¦The caged bird has been trapped inside of its cage for a long time now, and recognizes its cage as, â€Å"a nightmare.† It still however seeks freedom, by using its voice. The final stanza is a repe at of the third stanza. The tone that is used in the poem stays the same throughout. Angelou would reference the free bird in order for the reader to really comprehend the pain that the caged bird was going through. This would then create tension in the poem. The tension in the poem is caused by the changes of perspectives, which overall deals with an external conflict. This conflict includes the struggle between the caged bird and the barrier that is keeping it hostage. The bird in the cage has a voice, which is being ignored. The free bird also attracts tension by, being the exact opposite from the caged bird. The free bird is very â€Å"joyous,† while on the other-hand the caged bird is completely â€Å"miserable.† Angelou also uses meaning, and word choice to help contribute to the theme of the poem. Some of the connotations in the poem have a big impact on the message, and understanding of the poem. For example, the word â€Å"caged,† has a negative connot ation. The word â€Å"free,† has a positive connotation. Beyond their literal meaning, these words deal with the outside world. The word â€Å"caged,†Show MoreRelatedI Know Why The Caged Bird Sings1482 Words   |  6 Pages Maya Angelou tells of her life experiences and struggles in her book â€Å"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings† that gives us insight about Maya’s life as a young black girl growing up in a time of racism. The novel discusses various forms of oppression that she had to face as well cope with them. Robert A. Gross wrote an analysis for Newsweek about the book and claimed that Angelou’s book is not only an interesting story of her own experience, but also a portrayal of a Southern black communityRead MoreMaya Angelou: A Model Woman Through Influential Literature Essay1708 Words   |  7 Pagessociety itself. Maya Angelou is a great example of the model woman. She has beaten the odds and has become one of the most well know n African American women of today. She is an author, poet, historian, songwriter, playwright, dancer, stage and screen producer, director, performer, singer, and civil rights activist. Her most influential work comes from her extraordinary books and poems. Her literature has influenced the young and old with their contents. Maya Angelous literary significance restsRead MoreWhy Should Anybody Care?1198 Words   |  5 PagesDOK 1 The concluding section of any written piece that you create is your final chance to make your point. Whether the point is to convince the audience to agree with your perspective, compare and contrast two different texts, or to describe the literary elements that an author used to create his/her text(s), the conclusion should tie everything together. Concluding sections do many jobs, such as: summarizing your points/arguments, restating the purpose of your essay, and connecting to your reader(s)Read MoreMaya Angelou’s Unique Self Essay2562 Words   |  11 Pageschildhood (Angelou, 2009, p.20). In Maya Angelou’s autobiography, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, she recounts her early years as a young girl growing up in Stamps, Arkansas who faces displacement, trauma, and prejudice. It is through her character and artistic expression that she is able to overcome the trauma of her childhood and evolve into the distinguished and unique individual that has captivated millions through literature. In her book, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, Angelou reflects on theRead More Censorship in the Classroom Essay2774 Words   |  12 Pages The Hobbit and Sounder, and My Brother Sam Is Dead, along with the classics. None of these books ruined my innocence. When I was date-raped the summer I was sixteen -- that ruined my innocence. Since then, I read that Maya Angelous novel I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings has been censored because the rape of eight-year-old Ritie by her mothers boyfriend, Mr. Freeman, is too pornographic. In Moulton, Alabama, the novel was banned in December, 1995, after the superintendent said, When

Civil War Dbq Free Essays

AP US History This DBQ received a 7 Civil War DBQ As American settlers stretched westward in the 1850’s, the ambiguity of the Constitution framed 60 years earlier increased sectional tension over the topic of slavery. Initially, the framers of the constitution left the issue of slavery to be worked out in the country’s future. This in turn convinced the Southern states that their â€Å"peculiar institution† would be â€Å"respected and maintained. We will write a custom essay sample on Civil War Dbq or any similar topic only for you Order Now However, as years passed, the United States acquired more territory, and as more territories applied for statehood, the issue arose whether or not the new states would be admitted as a Slave State or Free State. Americans also disputed the very status of a slave, and whether or not a fugitive slave in the Northern Free States was guaranteed his or her freedom from their masters down south. It was debates like these, due to the vague details of the constitution, that created enormous repercussions– ones that would trigger a series of Slavery related legislation, and ultimately the destruction the union. Following President Polk’s successful victory against the young Republic of Mexico, Americans gained a significant amount of western land including Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and most importantly the promising, golden coastal territory of California. To pacify the growing discord between North and South, the Democratic Senator, Stephan Douglas of Illinois, combined 5 Bills that would secure California as a Free State and would abolish slavery in the District of Columbia. It also included the Fugitive Slave Act. In addition, Utah and New Mexico would grant its citizens popular sovereignty. This was the Compromise of 1850. As a result, New Mexico and Utah became slave states. Due to the Federal Constitution’s vagueness, this compromise allowed states to decide for themselves the issue of slavery. Consequently, the most favorable and democratic solution seemed Louis Cass’s idea of popular sovereignty. Four years later, the Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed by Congress, which again allowed popular sovereignty in the Nebraska Territory. This also repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which prohibited slavery north of the 36-30 degree of latitude. As a result, Nebraska became a slave state. However, in the fear of losing Kansas to Anti-Slavery settlers, Pro-Slavery Missourians flooded Kansas to overwhelm the polls on Election Day. Though Slavery had passed in Kansas, it was charged a fraud. In 1856, this erupted into the infamous conflict between the Pro-Slavery â€Å"Border Ruffians† and the John Brown supporters of abolitionism. Nicknamed â€Å"Bleeding Kansas,† it was America’s first violent conflict over the unsettled issue of slavery. As a lame duck, Pro-Slavery President Pierce, relied on settling the conflict with the LeCompton Constitution of 1857—a constitution that would legalize slavery in Kansas. Buchanan, soon after, took office just before congress voted. Though passed by the Senate, the LeCompton Constitution failed in the House of Representatives because Northern Democrats fled to the Republican Party. Pierce’s failure to recognize the depth of the Free-Soiler’s sentiment in the North led the historic Midterm Elections of 1858. Republicans, the Anti-Slavery party established only four years prior, took a plurality in the House of Representatives, foreshadowing Lincoln’s election in 1861 and ultimately, Southern succession. As the creation of Slave and Free States spurred political debate, the individual status of a slave remained questionable due to legislation being nonexistent in the Constitution. Following the Compromise of 1850, the Fugitive Slave Act pressured Northerns to recapture and return slaves that fled north. This mandate became the first constitutional law that limited the rights of slaves, nonetheless â€Å"forcing slavery down the throats† of Free Soilers in the north. Northerns could now no longer ride the fence, because now they were coerced by law to act. This also strengthened the Abolitionist movement led by William Lloyd Garrison, which had already picked up momentum from Harriett Beacher Stowe’s best-selling novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, published in 1852. Another historic event that resulted in the Constitution’s ambiguity was the Supreme Court case Scott v. Sanford. Being a former slave residing in the free-state of Wisconsin, Dred Scott sued for his freedom. However, in 1857 Chief Justice Roger B. Taney ruled by â€Å"majority opinion† that any blacks, regardless of their territory, possessed no right to sue. They had rights. This decision angered many Northerns because the ruling was based off opinion alone. There was no clear Constitutional law that had justified prohibiting the rights of Northern free black. Moreover, to maintain national unity, the original absence of any constitutional restriction or protection of the institution of slavery led to sectional discord. Such tension between North and South, due to their polarizing philosophical views on slavery, led individual states to decide whether or not they were Pro- or Anti-Slavery. In addition, Federal (Pro-Slavery) legislation ironically began to deny the citizenship of even Free Blacks within Free States, which seems almost hypocritical for the Pro-Slavery leaders to proclaim States’ Rights to justify their succession. However, because there was no constitutional restriction, Southerns lawfully claimed had the right to succeed from the Union, and did so in 1861 out fear of Lincoln’s Freeport Doctrine. Therefore, because the constitution circumvented the issue of slavery to achieve national unity, the addition of new states reintroduced the sectional discord rooted in slavery, which ultimately dissolved the union. How to cite Civil War Dbq, Essays

Catholic Church And Contraception Essay Example For Students

Catholic Church And Contraception Essay The issue of contraception has been an extremely controversial and debated onein the Catholic Church. The Catholic religion declares that the threerequirements for healthy sexual expression include a mutual physical drive forpleasure, intimacy and committed love between the couple, and the openness toprocreation and parenting children. This last aspect is the subject of muchdisagreement between people both inside and outside the church community. Theauthoritative voice of the church, the Magisterium, holds that artificialcontraception is a sin and only accepts the form of contraception called NaturalFamily Planning. This method involves avoiding sexual intercourse during certaintimes of the month and will be explained in more detail shortly. There aresituations which are argued should be exceptions, such as rape, a family whoalready has children and can afford no more, and the overall health of thecouple involved in the sexual relationship. The viewpoint of the Church is anold one, b ut the Magisterium claims that it will not change anytime soon. Thereare many different types of contraception available. Type one classifiedcontraception includes barrier methods such as condoms, diaphragms, the cervicalcap, and spermicides. Type two classified contraception is hormonal methods,such as birth control pills, emergency contraception or the morning afterpill, IUDs and Norplant. Type three contraception is Natural FamilyPlanning, the only type approved by the Church. Natural Family Planning issometimes confused with the rhythm method, but it actually more effective thanrhythm. NFP is a method that involves careful regulation of a womansmenstrual cycle to determine when her fertile period falls begins. The day ofovulation and a few days before is considered a womans fertile periodand by either avoiding or participating in intercourse during these days, awoman can decrease or increase her chances of pregnancy respectively. The signsthat a woman is close to ovulation are a n increase in basal temperature, changesin vaginal secretions, an opening of the cervical os, physical symptoms such ascramps or moodiness, and an increase in sexual desire. It is important tocarefully monitor all these aspects to ensure proper prevention of pregnancy. This practice is accepted by the Catholic Church because they defend that theintegration of intimacy between partners and the receptivity to procreation arenot obstructed. It is important to observe how we ended up at the teaching thechurch now holds dealing with contraception and sexuality. Throughout thecenturies, many different decisions from the church have influenced the viewthat is now held. In 306, the Council of Elvira found that a priest who wassexually intimate with their wife the night before a mass would lose his job. Atthe Council of Nicea in 325, the rule that priests could not marry after beingordained was created, and in 385, they could no longer sleep with their wives. The first chastity rules were then being formed for religious people. St. Augustine had a profound impact on sexual teachings. He lived from 354-430 as aphilosopher and theologian, recently converted from a sinful life. It isbelieved that St. Augustine developed the first codified teachings of sexuality. He deeply believed the philosophy of Manichaeism, which states that matter isevil opposed to spirit. His teachings were very specific and strict. Stoicphilosophy influenced St. Augustine to require that procreation be the primaryfocus of sexual intercourse and marriage. This teaching was held in the churchall the way until Vatican II. St. Augustine was the first to condemn abstinenceduring the fertile period and coitus interruptus. He did not believe thatthe pleasure involved with sex should in any way be the motivation, but wasacceptable as a necessary side effect. St. Augustine did not view sex interms of love or expression, but simply as a procreative act necessary for life. The Second Council of Tours in 567 excommunicated any religious person found inbed with their wife. In 580, the church leader was Pope Pelagius II who had arather casual outlook on sexual matters. He did not want to bother the clergyand rather looked the other way from the corruption going on. Pope Gregory theGreat served from 590-604 and stated that all sexual desire in any form waswrong. Throughout the world, sexuality was a key issue. Seventh century Francefound most priests to be married. Germany, in the eighth century, reportedthrough St. Boniface that hardly any bishops were following their call tocelibacy. The Council of Aix-la-Chapelle in 836 found that abortions and killingof infants were being practiced in convents and monasteries to concealuncelibate activities of the religious staff. St. Ulrich fixed thisproblem by allowing priests to marry. St. Thomas Aquinas was a key religiousfigure of the Scholastic Period. He was the first to publicly discuss thegoodness of sexuality with reason. He stressed the use of ones conscience todetermine what is right and wrong. He, as well, agreed that sexuality andmarriage should have its main purpose as procreation. Although Aquinas held thebeliefs of many former theologians, there was more leniency towards sexualpleasure. Pope Boniface IX resigned the papacy in order to marry in 1045. In1074, Pope Gregory VII made it necessary for anyone being ordained to take anoath of celibacy. The extremity of this was seen in 1095 when Pope Urban II soldthe wives of priests into slavery and left all children of them abandoned. TheFirst Lateran Council took place in 1123, where Pope Calistus II found allclerical marriages to be officially invalid. This council was supported in theSecond Lateran Council. The Renaissance was quickly approaching and literatureand art were beginning to stress procreation in relationships. The Council ofTrent, from 1543-1563, declared that celibacy and virginity were superior tomarriage. St. Alphonsu s Ligouri, a doctor of the church, was one of the first tostate that an important part of marriage was a means for sexual expression. TheTwentieth Century brought with it many of the most significant documents andmeetings influencing todays stance on sexuality and contraception. TheLambeth Conference took place in 1930 and decided that couples could makedecisions about contraception themselves, but that contraceptives were notapproved by the Church in any way. Pope Pius XI wrote his encyclical, CastiiConubii, in 1940, stating that procreation should be the primary end for sexualintercourse in a marriage. He stated any use of marriage whatever, in theexercise of which the act is deprived of its natural power of procreating life,violates the law of God and nature, and those who commit anything of this kindare marked with the stain of grave sin. (Pope Pius XI). In his Address toMidwives in 1951, Pope Pius XII condemned artificial contraceptives and declaredthat this ruling could not be changed. Pope Pius XII did, however, condoneNatural Family Planning and the rhythm method and became the first time to allowsex apart from procreation. In 1965, Vatican Council II: Constitution on theChurch in the Modern World took place. Pope Paul VI delayed making a decision onthe proposition to have human nature and his acts as the governing principle insexuality at this conference. He was awaiting the presentation by Pope JohnXXIII of the decisions made at the Meetings of the Birth Control Commission,which took place from 1963-1966. Theologians, cardinals, bishops, priests, andlaypeople met to discuss sexual issues, including that of contraception. Thedecision reached was that the previous teachings of the church were notinfallible, that artificial contraception was not evil, and that Catholicfamilies should have freedom to decide their method of family planning. Thesedecisions, however, were overturned by Pope Paul VI in Humanae Vitae in 1968. Marijuana Essay ThesisMany people see hope in reform in the near future despite the insistence by theChurch that these decisions are final. One nun has even made headlines byresigning her sisterhood and devotion to God because of her disagreement withthe way Church has dealt with these issues. Sr. Lavinia Byrne explains herposition by stating I am resigning because of the pressure from theCongregation for the Doctrine of the faith the burden has become intolerable. They are using techniques that seem to belong to mother age and are behavinglike the Inquisition. I feel bullied. (Malcolm 8). There are several reasons whythe present teaching can be changed however. Firstly, the teaching of HumanaeVitae is not infallible, but is only a part of Catholic tradition. Natural lawdetermines a large portion of teachings throughout time and as the way societyworks changes, the teachings of the Church move with it. There is no purenature and there is always room for change and this could lead to a change ofteaching. Also, the Church, in the past, followed many practices that seemridiculous today such as slavery, indulgences, and persecution of women. Theculture that these practices were in changed, and thus, so did the stance of theChurch. This has set a precedent that is expected to be followed. Contraceptionhas been termed a mortal sin, but this would require a grave matter, fullknowledge of seriousness of what you are doing, and sound consent of mind and will. The questionable aspect is the gravity of the sin. The faithful members ofthe Church community have, for the most part, rejected the current teaching. Even those Catholics who are extremely religious use contraceptives, and usuallyfor very good reason. An alarmingly high percentage of Catholics use artificialbirth control, and very few agree with the Church on the evil involved withcontraception. Natural Law was named as one of the factors involved in thetemporary status of the current teaching. There are many differences in howsexuality is incorporated into our society today, compared to the time periodwhen this teaching was created. Rahner, as well, states that The Church ismaking authentic pronouncements which are promulgated by the Magisterium, whichare, for their arguments, dependent on justifications and proofs taken from thesecular sciences and universal human reason. (Rahner 33). The differencestoday that could influence some kind of change include several important aspectsof society. First, females are becoming much more independent and appreciated inthese days. A womans experiences of wifehood, motherhood, and sex are tak eninto account and not looked down upon. Probably the most important change iscontinuing education. Marriages are delayed until mid-twenties and earlythirties on average because of peoples desire to go to college and graduateschools. This leads to longer (and probably more) relationships and a differentmaturity about sex. Artificial contraception is more strongly needed in casessuch as these. Other people these days are just not opting to marry or arehomosexual. Procreation is not in anyway a focus anymore, but is more of anunwanted incident that is possible. Contraception, whether artificial ornatural, is obviously not favored by the Church, but the latter is allowed as acompromise it sometimes seems. The teachings and advisements are rather blatant,but it has been shown that couples are still turning away from the Church onthis matter. Many religious teachers, because of the strong opposition bothwithin and outside the Church, instruct their followers to go with what theirconscien ce feels is right and to use the Churchs teaching as an advisement. To this day though, if one was to strictly follow the teachings of theMagisterium, artificial contraception would be out of the question and toregulate pregnancy, Natural Family Planning would be the right choice. BibliographyCahill, Lisa Sowle. Can We Get Real About Sex? Commonweal 14 Sept. 1990: 497-503. Catholic Church: Pope John Paul II. Familiaris Consortio. Boston:Daughters of St. Paul; 1981. Catholic Church: Pope Paul VI. Humanae Vitae. Catholic Mind. Sept. 1968: 54-55. Harris, Peter. On Human Life: An Examinationof Humanae Vitae. London: Burns Oates; 1968. International HumanaeVitae Conference. America 25 Sept. 1993. Kaufman, Philip, ODB. Why You CanDisagree and Remain a Faithful Catholic. New York: Crossroads Publ.; 1988. Malcolm, Teresa. Bullied By Vatican, Nun to Leave Order NationalCatholic Reporter 21 Jan. 2000: 8-9. Rahner, Karl and Herbert Vorgrimler. Dictionary of Theology. New York; Crossroads Publ,; 1981. Ribadeneira, Diego. Vatican Sets the Record Straight: Its Views on Sex Are Unchanged. BostonGlobe 2 Oct. 1999: B2. Ward, Stephen. Society: Birth Control: Baby Faith GoodCatholics Could Not Use Contraception, Said the Priests. But Now It May Be aMatter for Individual Conscience. The Guardian 29 Apr. 1998: T002. Winikoff,Beverly and Suzanne Wymelenberg. The Whole Truth About Contraception: A Guide toSafe and Effective Choices. Washington D.C.: Joseph Henry Press; 1997. Religion