Thuy Anh Le

Mrs. Garza
English II 1
st
period
February 21, 2014
Outline
I. Introduction
a. Maya Angelou is an admirable activist that is best known for her contributions to
the African American Civil Rights Movement and for her masterly poetic works.
b. Angelou wrote a poem called Still I Rise which speaks for the minority voices
and reveals the crime of discrimination.
c. She wisely used her talent in literature to condemn the injustice.
d. Thesis: The poem contains a rich variety of literary devices including figurative
similes and many allusions which perfectly convey Angelous spirit and poetic
soul to readers.
II. First Body Paragraph (Meaning with Biographical Information)
a. Still I Rise presents a deep insight into the reality of a black womans strife in
1950s America.
b. Angelou was a victim of strong discriminations, supplemented by a tough
upbringing from her own family, which I believe, formed her harsh and
experienced personality as shown in this poem.
c. At the end of the poem, she sincerely tells us that the hardships she had to endure
in the past gave her strength to stand up.
d. The poem is a strong message to her enemies and a brilliant life lesson for us.
III. Second Body Paragraph (First Poetic Element)
a. Although similes are used widely in literature, as well as in daily life, Angelou
has sparked interest in her readers by making unique comparisons.
b. Maya applied most similes in a witty way to show her confidence and positive
tone throughout the poem.
c. Shoulders falling down like teardrops is the only simile used to express her
weak moment and easily captures our sympathy.
d. Still I Rise draws more attraction and power through her remarkable use of
similes that actualize and express complex emotions.
IV. Third body Paragraph (Second Poetic Element)
a. Allusion is an irreplaceable element contributing to the success of Still I Rise.
b. She used many images which allude to the painful past of her life and her
community.
c. In contrast to past generations, allusions located in the last stanza refer to the
incredible growth of black people and their hope for a brighter tomorrow.
d. Angelous allusions insist on the truth that no matter what, they will break the
chains of slavery and rise up to freedom eternally!
V. Conclusion
a. Maya Angelou has successfully navigated our emotions from anger and created a
sense of pride, empowerment, and optimism through this poem.
b. Anyone, despite race or gender, who has experienced discrimination in different
ways can relate to this poem.
c. Humans have so much potential that they need to realize and take advantage of.
Our world is too small to discriminate. Life is too short to love everyone in this
loveable planet, so why do you hate?