Question

test
grade level: 9-12
\still i rise\ - maya angelou
first: read the poem. mark/make notes on anything you find interesting or have a question about.
second: mark all examples of personification (p), allusion (a), similes (s) and metaphors (m)
third: answer the questions using complete sentences (unless multiple choice).

1. what is the meaning of her first two lines? think about the museum resources and how african americans in history have been treated.

i think the meaning of the first two lines is

1. the last two lines of this stanza set the tone for the whole poem. what is the tone?

a. wistful
b. defiant
c. jubilant
does my sassiness upset you?
why are you beset with gloom?
cause i walk like ive got oil wells
pumping in my living room.

1. look up the phrase rhetorical question. write the definition you found.

Explanation:

1. The first two lines (implied as the opening rhetorical questions) reference the frustration and anger of oppressors at the speaker's unbroken spirit, tying to the historical oppression of African Americans who were denied dignity and self-determination, yet persisted. The speaker acknowledges the discomfort their confidence causes those who wish to keep them subjugated.
2. The final lines of the stanza use a bold metaphor of abundant wealth (oil wells) to assert unshakable self-worth, which is a bold, unyielding stance against oppression.
3. A rhetorical question is a standard literary and rhetorical device defined by its purpose, not the need for a reply.

Answer:

1. I think the meaning of the first two lines is that the speaker is calling attention to how her unapologetic confidence and resilience upset those who have oppressed or sought to diminish African Americans throughout history, highlighting the frustration of oppressors at the refusal to be broken.
2. B. Defiant
3. A rhetorical question is a question asked not to elicit a genuine answer, but to make a point, emphasize an idea, or persuade an audience.