Slavery and Segregation: America's Unfortunate History

Long before America became land of the free and home of the brave, there were various unfortunate events in history that were occurring, like segregation and slavery. Slavery commenced in the North where the African Americans worked cheap labor by manufacturing, picking cotton, brickmaking, and virtually any other form of manual labor. As years passed, slavery was deemed as a social evil. Similarly, segregation was becoming socially unacceptable. Segregation separated the colored people and whites in as many aspects of life possible, namely daily activities like eating at restaurants, utilizing public water fountains and restrooms, and attending school. Consequently, due to the afflictions the African Americans were living, numerous of them

In Dunbar’s poem, “Sympathy,” Dunbar repetitively states how he knows how the caged bird feels. He is able to associate his life experiences with the caged bird, who is suffering and wishes to be autonomous. This is shown when Dunbar states: “I know what the caged bird beats his wing… I know why the caged bird sings (Lines 1,8,15).” Evidently, Dunbar sympathizes with the bird’s emotions and desires to be free. Dunbar pity’s the caged bird instead of writing about how it would be like to be free. The quote shows how Dunbar is aware and can relate to what the bird does. On the contrary, in the poem “Caged Bird,” Angelou writes about the comparison between the caged and free bird. The way Angelou writes about both birds lifestyle is a manifestation of her views of her trials. Maya Angelou states: “The free bird thinks of another breeze/ and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees… But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams… his wings are clipped and his feet are tied (Lines 20,21,24,26).” In this quote the author writes how she was feeling imprisoned due to the racial issues between the whites and African Americans. Just like the caged bird, ANgelou relates to it because she too feared to speak her mind without being punished. Moreover, in “Sympathy,” Dunbar relates his segregation issues and lack of freedom to the caged bird

In Dunbar’s poem, “Sympathy,” the caged bird attempts to free itself but the only outcome is pain. However, the caged bird never hesitated to try again and fly back to its peach. It is written: “I know why the caged bird beats his wing/ Till its blood is red on the cruel bars;/ For he must fly back to his perch and cling/ When he fain would be on the bough a -swing;/ And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars (Lines 8-12).” To begin with, this quote manifests the eagerness of the bird to free itself. Comparatively, the African Americans were craving freedom. However, just like the caged bird, the African Americans suffered. For one thing, they suffered emotionally from not being socially accepted, but they also suffered physically. At last, in the poem, the caged bird gives a prayer of hope from deep inside itself. After all he could do, after all his misfortune and physical damages, the bird still pleas. Dunbar writes:: “When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore-/ When he beats his bars and he would be free/ It is not a carol of joy or glee/ But a prayer that he sends from his heart’s deep core/ But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings (Lines 16-20).” Considering the quote, it shows how the caged bird was beat up past its limits. This shows how African Americans endured