Make and defend a specific claim in three-five pages about how the following passage reflects and/or responds to its cultural or historical surroundings. You can show how the details of the following passage celebrate a culture, challenge a history, make us reimagine a cultural understanding, or simply reflect the cultural norms of its time period. The author was writing during a particular time from a particular culture. How does that show up in the writing, and what was the author attempting to say about that culture or history?

Please also use 3-5 sources in MLA format.

Caged Bird

BY MAYA ANGELOU (Links to an external site.)

on the back of the wind

and floats downstream

till the current ends

and dips his wing

in the orange sun rays

and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks

down his narrow cage

can seldom see through

his bars of rage

his wings are clipped and

his feet are tied

so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings

with a fearful trill

of things unknown

but longed for still

and his tune is heard

on the distant hill

for the caged bird

sings of freedom.

The free bird thinks of another breeze

and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees

and the fat worms waiting on a dawn bright lawn

and he names the sky his own

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams

his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream

his wings are clipped and his feet are tied

so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings

with a fearful trill

of things unknown

but longed for still

and his tune is heard

on the distant hill

for the caged bird

sings of freedom.

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48989/caged…

In your argument:

1. Give a brief description of the cultural and/or historical context

2. Make a clear, interpretative claim about how the reading reflects and/or responds to its cultural or historical surroundings

3. Support your claim with evidence from the text and analysis of that evidence

4. In your analysis, explain how at least two literary elements add to this argument: an image or set of images, the author’s tone, style, diction, or any other literary element that shows how the style of the piece adds to the argument as much as the content.

Your response should have a clear organizational structure and use MLA citation rules wherever applicable.

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