The Heart’s Deep Core

“Sympathy” Lit. Unit 1, Lesson 6

Objectives

--to understand the meaning of an important poem

--to examine how current events influence author’s works

--to identify symbolism in a poem

The use of one object or

action (a symbol) to

represent or suggest

something else.

• What is the bird symbolic of?

• What is the bird’s song symbolic of?

What do you think?

• 1. In the first stanza of the poem, the speaker

says he knows how the caged bird feels. He

then goes on to include several images of

freedom. Describe why the images bring

freedom to mind, and how a bird in a cage

might feel about seeing such things. What does

the fact that the speaker understands how the

caged bird feels tell you about the speaker?

2. In the second stanza of the poem, the bird is

described as beating its wings against the cage

and injuring itself. Why does the speaker

identify with this action? What does the fact

that the bird is willing to injure itself in a futile

attempt to escape tell you about how desperate

the bird is?

• 3. In nature, birds are free and can fly from place to

place as they choose. In that way, a bird may be

considered a symbol of freedom. However, in this

poem, the bird is caged. It cannot go wherever it

chooses. It cannot even escape its cage. However, the

bird can sing. What do you think the song

symbolizes? Why? Cite specific lines, phrases, and

words from the poem to support your answer.

Questions???