Last time, we looked at this poem through the lens of a feminist literary critic. For tonight's homework, I'd like you to consider how a Marxist literary critic might read this poem...
30 Comments
s
9/27/2011 12:14:13 am
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Beth Feindt- Scott
9/27/2011 12:19:28 am
A marxist literary critic may read this poem as the free bird representing marxist country. The free bird would be marxist because it is social and finacial level as everyone else in his country. The caged bird could be represnting someone who just losed his/her job. The marxist bird is free because it can't be exploited from his/her job.
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Derek S
9/27/2011 12:19:48 am
There are two birds of different classes. The free bird is rich and the caged bird is poor. The free bird is rich enough to "call the sky his own" and has far more opportunities than the caged bird. The caged bird is stripped of his of any opportunity since his "wings are clipped and his feet are tied" and all he can do is dream and he "sings of freedom".
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Josh KAUFFMAN
9/27/2011 12:22:00 am
A Marxist would look at "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" in a certain way. They see the caged bird as the lower class, encased in their own poverty. They see the free bird as the upper class, free to do whatever they want just because they are rich. A Marxist would want to eliminate these two extremes, creating a middle class. This middle class would still be caged, but they would have a little more freedom.
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Samuel Yin
9/27/2011 12:22:27 am
In the view of a Marxist, the poem would be seen as the free bird is the rich and the caged bird is the poor. In the first stanza it says "and dares to claim the sky", like the rich claim the government and all the resources the free bird claims the sky. In the fourth stanza it says that the caged bird is standing on the grave of dreams. A Marxist would say that the poor are also standing on the grave of dreams because they have almost no chance of getting to a higher class. In the end the caged bird sings for the unknown because it doesn't know what will happen in the future but it still longs for a better life and freedom.
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Sophie E.
9/27/2011 12:23:32 am
A Marxist would view the poem by Maya Angleou as an allegory for the freedom of the rich and the struggle of the poor. The caged bird clearly shows that the poor are trapped in their cage of social and economic strife while the rich take unnecessary freedoms with life. But even because of this difficulty, the poor are still trying to raise their postion in life, as shown by the bird when he "open[s] his throat to sing." A Marxist would take this poem as a political statement about social status and the inequality of life.
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Kelly D
9/27/2011 12:23:41 am
'I Know why the Caged Bird Sings' talks about prejuduce and applies to almost any situation. The caged bird symbolizes anyone who is deprived their rights or treated differently because of uncontrolable circumstances. A marxist might read the poem and see two social classes mirrired in the birds. The caged bird would be the poorer person, unable to pay for education so therefore unable to get a job and make money, they are stuck in a constant cycle. The free bird stands for a higher class, given everything from the begining, never having to struggle for their rights like those that the other bird symbolizes. The second bird could share it's freedom but instead it leaves the other bird locked up. That is how a marxist would view a society with classes.
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Joshua Eng
9/27/2011 12:23:46 am
A Marxist literary critic will read this poem and analyze it differently than a feminist literary critic. A Marxist literary critic may percieve the caged bird as monetary or an "object" of capitalism. In the Marxism view, Capitalism mainly forms people to be monetary "objects" that really do not have individual or personal value. The caged bird is, in a sense, an "object" that is kept in cruel and small conditions for the entertainment of its human owners. A Marxist literary critic may also view the free bird as an example of someone who is under a Marxism type of government. There is no exploitation of this free bird. The bird has no private property, but it can roam free as it pleases. There is value to this bird as an individual and not a monetary object. The free bird is equal to its environment and surroundings, and it works to enrich itself and for its own benefit. The contrast between the two birds has a lot to do with Capitalism and Marxism; the caged bird in Captalism, and the free in Marxism.
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J Chang
9/27/2011 12:25:13 am
The caged bird is trapped in the capitalist society- it has no place in it, and it sings for the freedom presented by the Marxist ideals, represented by the free bird. But once freedom is a given, the free bird seems to become worryless,without purpose,and airheaded. This shows that the ideals are strongest when they are supressed, but when they become mainstream, society becomes lethargic.
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Rochelle Yang
9/27/2011 07:06:06 am
From the point of view of a Marxist, "I know why the caged bird sings" seems to be focused on social and economic status. The free bird, the symbolism of a rich man, is abundant in his territory and wealth. Going so far as to 'claim the sky', he wants to control everything underneath his oppression.
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Anna J
9/27/2011 07:43:55 am
I think a Marxist might read "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" stating it as a perfect example of Capitalism, with the free bird being the bourgeoisie and the caged bird the proletariat. The free bird is very "wealthy" and has lots of freedom, whereas the caged bird is unfortunately "poor" and only sings of freedom. The Marxist would say how unfair this is. They are both "birds", after all, and deserve to be equal. No longer should the caged "bird" deal with "shameless, brutal exploitation" but as the real being it is. A Marxist would say that there should be a balance between a class that "claims the sky" and one thats "feet are tied".
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Virginia Wolff
9/27/2011 07:48:36 am
A Marxist could interpret the poem "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" as an example of Capitalism. The free bird could represent a wealthy person and the caged bird could represent a lower class person. The free bird, being an upperclass citizen,"dares to claim the sky", meaning that he/she has more power merely because of their class. The caged bird, "his wings are clipped and his feet are tied." This means that he has little opportunities because he/she is a lower class citizen. A Marxist would find this kind of division of classes problematic.
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Holly S
9/27/2011 07:50:24 am
A Marxist literary critic would read the poem "I Know Why The Caged Birds Sing" in a different way then a feminism literary critic would. The Marxist would see the caged bird as the poor, lower class person. They would see the free bird as the wealthy, upper class. The free bird has no worries because they have enough money to support them in whatever they do. On the other hand, the caged bird is limited in what they do. A Marxist, would realize this distinct seperation and eliminate the "caged bird" and the "free bird." There would be only one bird that would be free, but still have limits.
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Andrew Lombard
9/27/2011 08:10:37 am
A Marxist literary critic would read "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" and think it represented Capitalism. The free bird would represent the rich. They are able to do whatever they want. The caged bird would represent the poor. They cannot go anywhere and are stuck in one place, and have little to no opportunities to become a "free bird" due to their situation.
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Adam T
9/27/2011 08:19:20 am
A Marxist literary critic would think that in the poem "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", the two birds are examples of Capitalism. The caged bird would represent the lower class, while the free bird would represent the upper class. The caged bird is unable to fly and has a very little amount of opportunities, if that, in life, while the free bird is able to fly and sing happily and eat whenever he pleases. That shows that the free bird has power over the caged bird because of class, which is something a Marxist is against.
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Elijah House
9/27/2011 08:43:58 am
A Marxist literary critic might see the poem, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" as a representation of capitalistic classes and its injustices. The free bird is the wealthy, rich, man with opportunities, as he "dares to claim the sky his own". The caged bird represents the poor man without opportunities, as he is confined to a cage. The critic would find it unfair for the caged bird, as he is like an exploited subordinate in capitalism. In the critics view, this poem shows the benefits of a classless society; there should be no caged bird and free bird, but a limited free bird.
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Caroline Lentz
9/27/2011 08:48:00 am
A Marxist literary critic would read Maya Angelou’s poem “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” as an example of the negative effects Capitalism has on our people. They’d say that the birds, representing both extremes of the different social/ economical classes, should neither be caged, nor completely free. The caged bird’s singing demonstrates the “shameless, brutal exploitation” that comes with being at the bottom of a Capitalist society as it sits around the house like a decoration, or a commodity. The free bird cannot “claim the sky” like the rich man claims the government, because in a Marxist society everyone is equal, and everyone is handed their equal piece of the sky. Maya Angelou represents the bird that is caged, because, in reality, she is “caged” by Capitalism because of her very low class. That’s how a Marxist literary critic would view this poem.
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David Yin
9/27/2011 08:49:20 am
A Marxist literary critic would think that the two birds in the poem would the poor and the rich. The poor are stuck at the bottom of the ladder unless something amazing happens to make them famous and/or rich just like how the caged bird is stuck in the cage unless something amazing happens. The free can fly around and thinks about the things he has while not bothering to do anything about the people who are in the streets and cannot get enough to eat. However if the people are Marxist then all the people would be free without anyone at the bottom like the caged bird.
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Emily W
9/27/2011 09:14:45 am
From a Marxist's point of view, the free bird in the poem "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou, represents a Marxist. This bird is free from exploitation. The free bird is also equal to all others. While the caged bird, who represents someone from the proletariat class in capitalism is trapped. The caged bird is also controlled by the government. Hoping to be like a Marxist, the poor caged bird sings of both equality and freedom.
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Jamie T.
9/27/2011 09:39:45 am
"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" can be interpreted as a Markist's literary critic. The free represents the upper class and the caged bird represents the poorer, lower class. This would be a form of capitalism in a Marxist's point of view. The caged bird "sings of freedom", meaning there is no equality and he is less fortunate then the free bird who "names the sky his own." This interpreted as the wealthy having more opportunities then the caged bird because he is upper class.
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Selena Hunter
9/27/2011 10:13:12 am
A Marxist literary critic might read this poem as showing the class struggles between poverty and the wealthy. In the poem, Maya Angleou wrote there are two birds. One bird is in a narrow cage and longs for freedom. A Marxist may think the caged bird represents the people in the world that are in poverty. They might think this because the bird wants to be free and happy just as those who live in poverty want to be free from want. The other bird, the free bird represents the wealthy people. The free bird can fly and explore the sky, just as the rich can go anywhere and have anything they want. Therefore, a Marxist might imagine the caged bird as the people in poverty and the free bird as the wealthy people.
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Lia C
9/27/2011 10:20:25 am
A Marxist would view the poem " I know why the Caged Birds Sings" by Maya Angelou differently then a feminist would. They would view it as a negative effect that capitalism has on society. The free bird represents the wealthy upper class person. While the caged bird is the poor, lower class person. In the poem the caged bird has less opportunities, like life. On the other hand the the free bird has very little worries and limit, like reality. This is how a Marxist would view this poem.
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Dylan C
9/27/2011 10:59:15 am
In the poem, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou, the free bird has more power and freedom over the caged bird. In other words, this means the free bird represents the wealthy rich upper classmen and the caged bird represents the poor lower classmen. Different classes are only found in captialism. However, Marxism has true "equality and freedom" and there would be no classes such as the wealthy and the poor. Unlike capitalism, Marxism would allow the caged bird and free bird to be equal.
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Taylor Davey
9/27/2011 11:41:00 am
A marxist could read this poem and see it differently from, for example, a feminist. In this poem, the poem shows about the classes. The caged bird represents the "poor class" and the free bird represents the "rich class". It shows that captitalism can be found everywhere in different classes. Marxism is where everything is free and equal but this poem shows how our society today is not how Marxist wanted it, "classless". We have many different classes and then on top of that we stereotype everyone. The way Marxist wanted the world to be, for example, the birds, where they both were free and equal to each other and everything else around them.
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Kat M.
9/27/2011 11:46:49 am
If a marxist were to read the poem 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings' by Maya Angelou, they might think that it symbolizes life in the class system. The 'free bird' might symbolize the life of a wealthy person, with much success, they are able to accomplish anything. The 'caged bird' could symbolize a person locked in the cage of poverty. The caged bird's cries of freedom are heard, but are never answered.
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Jimmy Donoghue
9/27/2011 11:50:16 am
If Karl Marx were to read "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings",I think that he would have very strong beliefs about what the poem meant. I think that he would view the poem as the normal system of the rich and poor. He would view the caged bird singing as the poor crying out for help to the rich. The free bird blissfully flying above would be the rich ignoring the poor. The poor are grasping while the rich are greedy. Marx's vision was to have all birds flying above as equals.
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Jimmy Donoghue DO NOT GRADE LAST ONE
9/27/2011 11:51:38 am
If Karl Marx were to read "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings",I think that he would have very strong beliefs about what the poem meant. I think that he would view the poem as the normal system of the rich and poor. He would view the caged bird singing as the poor crying out for help to the rich. The free bird blissfully flying above would be the rich ignoring the poor; the poor are grasping while the rich are greedy. Marx's vision was to have all birds flying above as equals.
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Katie S.
9/27/2011 10:02:53 pm
A Marxist would read the poem, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" in a completely different way than a Feminist literary critic. While a Feminist would see the caged bird as women, a Marxist would see it as the lower class. A Marxist would also see the free bird as the upper or middle class people.A Marxist would view the poem as a metaphor for capitalism.
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Alyssa Graham
9/28/2011 06:26:07 am
The way I read "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" through a marxist view was completely different from the way others viewed it. I viewed it as the caged bird represented marxist views and the free bird was capitalist views. I think they would view it as even though the caged bird is oppressed it still sings, even louder than the free bird. So I think they would just assume that why let them be free if they do work (sing) if not as well, than better when it is caged.
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Kelly Sanders
11/27/2012 05:12:05 am
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