"Poetry Madness": Dr. Maya Angelou's "Still I Rise" (TP-DASTT)

Still I Rise

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise. 

T – Title: “Still I Rise” implies that the speaker has already suffered a great deal. One has to be knocked down before rising, and “still” (as opposed to titles like “I Rise for the First Time,” “Learning to Rise,” or even simply “I Rise”) signifies that the reason for her fall has occurred several times.

P – Paraphrase: This poem is a record of Dr. Angelou’s emotional reaction to the pride with which she has learned to define herself (and the resilience of the African American population at large), despite the stigma and hatred that the world uses to “trod [her/them] in the very dirt.” Since this is a lyric poem, there is no story to re-tell (a narrative poem, like “Dinner Guest: Me”). Dr. Angelou addresses the poem to whoever looks down on her or the black people as a race, defying such antagonistic people by asserting her self-confidence.

D – Devices: A common device in this poem is simile. Dr. Angelou’s repeated “I will rise…” statements are often followed by similes: “But still, like dust, I’ll rise” (4); “Just like moons and like suns,/With the certainty of tides,/Just like hopes springing high,/Still I’ll rise” (9-12). By likening her rise to certain and durable images, Dr. Angelou brings a sense of immortality and perseverance to her confidence—her “rise.” Specifically, the simile involving the certainty of tides and human hope brings about nature symbolism (geographical (solar bodies and the tides) and human nature (hope)). These forms of nature are used to solidify the permanent, almost instinctual nature of Dr. Angelou’s/the black people’s sense of dignity. Dr. Angelou also uses hyperbole: “…I walk like I’ve got oil wells/Pumping in my living room” (7-8); “…I laugh like I’ve got gold mines/Diggin’ in my own back yard” (19-20); “…I dance like I’ve got diamonds at the meeting of my thighs” (28). The powerful message the hyperboles express aptly demonstrates the extent of Dr. Angelou’s deep-seated self confidence. Metaphor is also employed: “I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide/Welling and swelling I bear in the tide” (33-34). Dr. Angelou’s metaphor serves a similar purpose to the similes; however, its more direct comparison highlights Dr. Angelou’s overwhelming personal strength in a similar manner to the hyperboles. Dr. Angelou also uses metonymy: “Did you want to see me broken…Shoulders falling down like teardrops?” (13-15). The substitution of her shoulders for her whole emotional state highlights Dr. Angelou’s complete sense of fulfillment that stands in direct contrast to the audience’s attempts to denigrate her. The four-line stanzas repeat in a rhyme scheme of “ABCB,” and so on—reminiscent of someone who has been knocked down, only to re-appear later. Dr. Angelou also uses verbal irony: “Does my haughtiness offend you?/Don’t you take it awful hard” (17-18). Obviously, Dr. Angelou’s admitted haughtiness makes it so that she really could not care less if the reader is offended by her pride. Instead, this irony enforces her overall defiantly prideful tone. Finally, Dr. Angelou uses allusion to get her final point across: “Out of the huts of history’s shame/I rise” (29-30); “I am the dream and the hope of the slave” (40). Obviously, these allusions point to slavery. Dr. Angelou uses them to make the point that what is intended to tear down her people only makes them stronger; racial hatred is not a boundary defining what the black people can do. Dr. Angelou refuses to become enslaved to the emotional trauma that prejudice brings about. All of these devices are rich in imagery, which grants the reader sensory access to Angelou’s figures of speech.

A – Attitude: The attitude in this poem is predominantly colored with Dr. Angelou’s personal self-confidence, and pride in the African American race. At times, however, she is willing to acknowledge what people can do to try to lower her esteem—although she assures the reader that they will fail (1-4).

S – Shifts: Shifts occur between the first and second stanzas, the fifth and sixth stanzas, the sixth and seventh stanzas, the seventh and eighth stanzas, and between lines 32 and 33. Each of these shifts share a similar emotional impact: each time, Angelou’s tone changes from a sense of resignation to the injustices done to her and the black people, to one of hope and proud defiance.

T – Title: After reading the poem, one gains a deeper sense of appreciation for the years of pain, fear and hatred that inspired the emotions behind “Still I Rise.” Before, one could only surmise that the title indicated a long history of sadness; now, the reader knows this for sure and understands the different kinds of emotional responses it can create.

T – Theme/Total Meaning: The overall theme/total meaning of “Still I Rise” is (as aforementioned) that prejudice will never become a fence that subdues the black people, but only amplifies their perseverance. Even if they are trod into the dirt or shot with words, their sense of dignity will always rise back up. Black people will never become defined by stigma. A person who learns to appreciate his or her own worth reaches a level of maturity that empowers him or her to defy any possible stereotypes. Despite its painful past, “Still I Rise” works to convey an encouraging message “Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear” about embracing individuality.

"Symbolism Poem" Response

ThInk

I lift my fountain pen’s nib to the light of a bulb, preparing to polish.

Soaked from its cleaning, the metal shines smooth.

I look at the work it was used on.

Steel, or gold—which have I made?

My thoughts, on paper.

Had I taken the time to polish them, too?

Or has eighteen-carat Pelikan rapidity crippled me?

No, no…my nib was sharp, and its ideas sharper.

These ideas—have I scratched out steel, or glided out gold?

Across the table. Ballpoints there.

Next to that busywork that I just wanted out of the way.

My hand, flying here and there with the narrow grip—

No discipline in being pragmat-BIC.

May I never steel from gold.

Plucked from pondering by liquid on my hand.

Brown ink cascading, natural thought flowing—

The nib is on my palm. Its engraved sparkle catches

The eye, the spark of inspiration and knowledge.

This fountain of intellectual gold…Steel, where is your sting?

Ornate and ethereal, yet strong enough to forever

Change my legacy. He who knows what I wrote,

Will know me. I have to act like Midas, now.

Clinging to my cross of gold—steel is not an option.

This nib—by bending to my slant,

Taking away from itself, adding to my own work.

This nib—at my command, two roads. My choice.

This power—do I use it to make steel, or gold?

"Death of a Salesman blog" Response

     Arthur Miller's play, Death of a Salesman, exposes the ostensible desirability of the American Dream as a mere facade. Instead of depicting the American Dream as providing hard-working Americans with an attainable goal, Miller portrays it more as a grand illusion that dehumanizes those who futilely pursue it. Interestingly enough, though, Miller does present the audience with one character who does not allow his "American Dream" to unravel his life--Bernard. Even though Bernard seems to embody all the success that comes with the Dream (especially to people like Willy), he would be the last person to even consider publicly mentioning his job as a renowned lawyer (Miller, 92). Bernard's modesty reaches all the way back into his childhood, when he is described as "...earnest and loyal, a worried boy" (39). Bernard's earnest side and his loyalty are what ultimately prepared him for his future success; by combining these two attributes with his cautious ("worried") streak, Bernard received the wealth of the Dream--but only as a byproduct. Rather, Bernard's "American Dream" more  emphasizes the value of mastering the art of diligent, honest work (physical or academic). For instance, even though Bernard was one of Biff's biggest childhood fans (Kesey, 86), he risks angering Biff and Willy when he delivers the news about Biff's poor grades, advising Biff to "start studyin'" before wiping his glasses (Kesey, 39; 46). Bernard's characterization as a boring "nerd" far from the charismatic, "well liked," "clean-cut" reputation required to attain the American Dream may at first hinder him from achieving it. Ultimately, however, it amplifes his complex relationship to the Dream. Even though he lacks most of the social qualities needed to grasp the Dream, Bernard does not let this seeming setback disappoint him. He refuses to allow social norms and customs to curtail his natural talents (in Bernard's case, "book-knowledge"). Ironically enough, characters like Willy and Happy are willing to conform to whatever job society tasks them with, as long as they are promised an eventual piece of the Dream. In comparison to these disappointed characters, Bernard's unique "nerd-quirks" add a dimension of individuality to the way he pursues his American Dream. Bernard's tailoring of the pursuit of the American Dream to fit his special abilities is not a perversion of the Dream. Rather, Miller uses Bernard's approach to the Dream to show that adding individuality to the Dream is what inspires a person to fight harder for his or her goals. Therefore, Bernard's determination to apply his knowledge in a meaningful way draws him to his American Dream. Bernard's relationship to the American Dream is complex because his embrace of personal identity over wealth or legacy purifies and authenticates his ambition, which grants him the rare combination of financial riches and inner satisfaction.
     Bernard's path to his American Dream helps illuminate the emptiness and dehumanization that the American Dream adored by Willy (and spurned by Miller) represents. As mentioned before, the complexity of Bernard's relationship to his American Dream lies in the individualistic way he pursues it. Therefore, when he finally does achieve success, he can also live with inner peace and esteem in his ability to work hard. Essentially, Bernard's American Dream is, like Biff's eventual Dream, Miller's theatrical/thematic rejection of the corrupted American Dream that Willy and Happy desire. However, Miller's overall endorsement of Bernard's American Dream is summed up with Willy's respect for it: "I'm--I'm overjoyed to see how you made the grade, Bernard, overjoyed. It's an encouraging thing to see a young man really--really...What--what's the secret?" (Miller, 90).
     The current "American Dream" I see in society today revolves neither around hard work nor a tenacious pursuit of wealth alone. Rather, our postmodern society emphasizes the gain of wealth only as a tool in one's ultimate effort to please his or her self. America's emphasis on "freedom" has been horribly distorted, forcing it to fit the mold of "living in the moment" or for what one may feel is right for his or her self alone. Unfortunately, this selfish way of living has forced its way into what it means to be successful in American society. Traditional morals and cultural values are discarded because they are seen to hinder individual growth (whose definition has also changed--from a sense of spiritual and intellectual progression, to its current meaning--the freedom to practice whatever lifestyle one desires to live). In conclusion, the current American Dream is a mockery of what it means to be a successful person. Its emphasis on pleasing the self can only lead to a permanent cycle of discontent that will lead to social, economic and political chaos.

"This is Your Life" Extra Credit Blog: King Hamlet's Ghost

     Hello! My name is King Hamlet, Sr. You may be wondering why a ghost of some dead king is writing on a blog. The answer is that, quite frankly, I feel that I need to justify myself. Personally, I find it quite healthy.

     After reading the rather depressing ending of Hamlet, dear reader, you may be thinking that it was wrong of me to even show up in the first place and emphasize revenge to my emotionally unstable son. Perhaps you are even bitter or angry at the fact that I ruined his life and his sanity, no matter how directly or indirectly. While this is a perfectly legitimate argument, the fact that I was killed (by my own brother, too) and sent straight to Purgatory without a confessor is an excellent reason for me to return in the name of Justice. Plus, I couldn't bear to watch my son walk around in such ignorance and misery; telling him the truth would restore a sense of purpose to his life. By showing Hamlet the darkest aspects of Man's corrupt desires, I also prepared him to face sycophantic villains in his own future, should he ever meet any. 

     Another major reason for my appearance was to inform Hamlet of Gertrude's personal flaws, which, if unchecked, could have destroyed any dignity left in the Danish court. All along, I had been suspicious of Gertrude's "virtues" and "innocence"; her quick marriage to Claudius after my death confirmed my doubts about her. Knowing that Hamlet would try to kill her along with Claudius, I deprived her of such an easy punishment and forbade Hamlet from killing her, instead allowing her to live out every day of her life with excruciating guilt. In my opinion, this is a much more fitting punishment. Take, for example, my second appearance in Gertrude's bedroom as Hamlet is confronting her. My instructions to him about calming down and speaking more civilly to her were also part of my "guilt-trip" plan. For instance, is it better to drive your horse-carriage into one gigantic pit, eventually be rescued, and continue on your way unharmed? By Jove, I say not! 'Tis much more irritating to suffer small to mediocre potholes in the road every day you travel. I couldn't let Gertrude ultimately recover morally from one argument with Hamlet, or allow her to die quickly and possibly get to Heaven by some fluke. The most effective punishment is to plague this deceptive Jezebel with guilt of the highest degree. 

     There you have it, my friends--these are the reasons why it was absolutely necessary for me to act the way I did in Hamlet. Now, if only I can find a way to get to Heaven and persuade God to let me in...

"Antigone" Blog

Quote:
"The Father of Heaven abhors the proud tongue's boasting;/He marked the oncoming torrent, the flashing stream/Of their golden harness, the clash of their battle gear;/He heard the invader cry Victory over our ramparts,/And smote him with fire to the ground" (130).

"Deeper Meaning" Analysis: 
     This quote foreshadows Creon's future humiliation (interestingly, through the illusion to Polynices's attack) that arises from his own over-confidence in the righteousness of his law. It also complements Antigone's position as a Greek tragedy: no matter how triumphant the characters may feel, their happiness will be ruined by spiritual means (4-5). Most of all, however, this quote is a rebuke towards human pride. It mocks the concept that human beings can even have pride at all--this quote specifically emphasizes this idea because of Polynices's assumption of what he thought the future would look like, and for this arrogance he was punished.  Only the gods, then, know what the future holds because they are the only ones with the power to affect it. This power translates to what Man calls "fate", which ultimately got the best of the prideful Polynices and Creon. Also, the setting, diction, and imagery within this passage portray human pride as not only a foolish sin, but an aggressive declaration of war, so to speak, of Man against God. As far as setting goes, this analogy is apt because of the story it describes--Polynices's arrogant preparations for battle. Some examples of diction and imagery are shown in phrases like "flashing stream of their golden harness", and words such as "battle gear", "invader", "Victory" and "ramparts". The Chorus's inclusion of this ostentatious description of Polynices and his destruction serves to solidify the objectivity (and thus credibility, given the typical "observer" role of the Chorus) of the concept of the foolishness, and futility, of Man's pride.

"Personal Meaning" Analysis:
     I chose this quote because of its powerful imagery (i.e. "the golden harness", "smote him with fire to the ground"), and the intensity it lent to the concept of pride leading to a fall. I also knew that one of Antigone's major themes is the law of the gods v. the law of Man. Therefore, I saw this account of Polynices's (attempted) attack on Thebes, and his consequent downfall, as an excellent quote for both pride and thematic  examination (what man expected v. what the gods knew--this is the essence of law, at least on Earth). The aforementioned ideas shown in this quote also applies to society today: people (especially Christians) who believe that they are capable of living strictly to please their own desires make themselves gods in their own minds. This leads to nothing but a lack of fulfillment, and an abundance of confusion and low self-esteem. On a personal level, I have come to understand that giving in to pride and assuming that I can proclaim "Victory over the ramparts" does nothing but form a wall between myself and God. As a Christian, it is my spiritual responsibility to constantly remind myself that without God's intervention, any talents or even dreams I have are absolutely nothing. For example, I hope to one day get an M.D.-Ph.D., entering vascular surgery and genetic research. However, even stronger than a desire to get these degrees for me is the knowledge that God is the only Being Who will ever hold the answers to unlocking the mysteries of the human body. I have no right to walk about attempting to achieve such a goal off of my own abilities; to do so would be, in my own way, putting on the "armor" of Polynices and challenging God in a field He already possesses and understands. Simply put, my place before God (as well as every other person's) is to glorify Him by remaining humble and acknowledging that His law and Will are always supreme to those of Man.

"Unpacking" Mere Christianity

     Paragraph 1: "Unpacking" the Quote
     In his book, Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis asserts that the worst sin of all is Pride because "[I]t was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind" (Lewis 122). By beginning his argument about Pride with the "infinitely ancient" story of Lucifer's fall, Lewis places Pride on a higher level than all other sins because of the way it has managed to survive through time in its various ways. Lewis explains this point by declaring how Pride "leads to every other vice"; that is, Satan has constantly hidden the seeds of Pride in his victims by building their self-esteem and faith in their own moral strengths and standards in both Christians and non-Christians. Unfortunately, especially for believers, allowing Pride to dictate one's actions removes God as the ideal center for one's life and replaces Him with one's own concerns and fleeting emotions. Some examples of this concept's manifestation in the rest of the world include governments controlled by dictators, such as Saddam Hussein and Moammar Gadhafi, whose extensive reigns over their countries no doubt inflated their pride and sense of invincibility. By refusing to give any glory to God, just as King Herod, both of these dictators, and many like them, have fallen to terrible fates they could have never imagined. The reason why wars break out stems from individual nations' refusal to admit that they might not have the best solution for conflicts with another country. Indeed, even the world of economy, or at least certain economic systems, are built off of the principle that the greatest rewards come from staying ahead of one's economic and financial competition--the drive to remain better than anybody else is what drives one to pay for the cost of living as a whole. Returning to a more spiritual definition, however, it is impossible to lead a fulfilled, godly life, to be "still and know" that Christ is Lord of All, or to even be a "follower" of God at all if one is constantly following his or herself. In other words, the self-centeredness that rides on the coat-tails of Pride brings one's spirit into direct rebellion against the sovereignty of God. This is what Lewis is referring to when he calls Pride "the anti-God state of mind".
    
    Paragraph 2: Personal Perspective

     Worst of all, when God sees one's unwillingness to heed Him in their life, He will remove His Hand from his or her life, which will crumble into an unsuccessful mess without Him. For Christians, there is a spiritual arena whose boundaries are created from Christ's Blood and God's supreme order. As long as Christians act in a way pleasing to God, they exist within the arena and they benefit from God's protection and blessings. However, there is only one thing that can cause a believer to trespass God's Will by walking outside the arena: Pride in one's own ability to lead one's own life without a need for God. Unfortunately for those who do give in to Pride and let it drag them outside the arena, Satan has the right to devour their spirit in despair and humiliation. Personally, the concept of evading the traps of Pride is extremely important because of the career I wish to enter--the field of medical sciences and research. Science is notorious for being one of the most "anti-God" schools of thought, which correlates perfectly with Pride being the "anti-God state of mind". This prospect is even more ominous when one realizes that many of the principles behind science highly revolve around the abilities of the analysis possessed by the human mind. My goal, then, as a Christian in the field of science, is to try my best to include God in all my scientific work and understand that without Him, I have no reason to be proud of my mental abilities.

Test Blog - First Assignment Continued

This is a continuation of the first blogging assignment. During this post, I will speak about the process of blogging itself. Firstly, blogging is a tad complex. Secondly, blogging is a unique way to publicly share one's thoughts that remains modern and technological, which is, of course, a good thing. Thirdly, blogs don't offer very many font choices.