Still I Rise

715 Words3 Pages
We live in a culture that relishes tearing others down. It’s ultimately more fulfilling, though, to help people reach their goals. Instead of feeling jealous, remember: If God did it for them, He can do it for you. (Joel Osteen) The message in this poem is that people can be hurt, but they can also get right back up again, and continue what they were doing is demonstrated in Maya Angelou’s poem “Still I Rise.” In “Still I Rise,” Maya Angelou uses similes, visual representation, rhymes and repetition to convey the idea that no matter what happens in your life to bring you down, you will always be a strong person and be able to bring yourself back up. Repetition is one of the main literary devices used in the poem. The term “ still I rise” is repeated throughout the poem, but mostly appears towards the very end of the poem. The repetition of this phrase is there to assure you that the poet or the intended audience will continue to get up, just being said in more elegant terms. Little bits and pieces of repetition throughout the poem…show more content…
The use of similes throughout this poem could be used to infer the difference between you can knock me down and I can get back up again. Similes add attitude to a poem. While similes were only used twice in this poem, they pack a big punch. “Shadows falling down like teardrops” (15) could infer that a lot of people are falling down (shadows), because of someone or something making them fall down. This is where the “Still I Rise” part comes into the poem. “‘Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines” (19) could mean that someone or something feels superior to others. Sometimes people with a lot of money are accused of being selfish or snooty. This person that is laughing like they have gold mines might be acting as the bully in the poem. You may not be able to see what is going on in a poem, but a good poem will always allow you to create an image in your head for what is going on in the
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