I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings Figurative Language Analysis

Figurative language is a tool that many people use in real life or in stories to enhance or give a deeper meaning to something. Figurative language is something commonly incorperated in stories as a way to give depth and complexity to the situation. Many talanted authors use this to make the writing more advanced. In the excerpt of “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou, metaphors, similes, and hyperboles are used as a way to enhance the story. To begin, Angelou uses metaphors consistently throughout her writing as a way to show the importance of an object. For example, Angelou writes, “...built in the heart of the negro area” (Angelou 33). This specific metaphor implies how important the store is. The heart is a vital organ needed to survive. The metaphor is implying that the store is needed in order for the negro area to survive. It can also give the location of the store, saying it is at the center of the area as well. The author uses this as a way to notify the reader of the stores importance without directly stating it. This essentially strengthens the text and makes the story more interesting to the reader. This is a perfect example of how a metaphor can

One piece of evidence was a quote from the text that states, “I sopped around the house... like an old biscuit dirty and inedible” (Angelou 33). The tone implied by the author is shame. The words she uses like dirty, inedible, and old give a negative aura around the character. This also gives us a glimpse to her insecurities and her thoughts on herself. Describing herself in such ways shows how lowly she thinks of herself. This gives the reader a gateway to her thoughts while also giving depth to the character. The mood then becomes very pitiful. The insecurities she shows gives the reader an image of a shy timid, and troubled girl. Furthermore, this is another case in which figurative language can add to the