"Graduation" is a poignant and powerful poem written by Maya Angelou that reflects on the experiences of a group of African American students as they prepare to graduate from their high school. Through the use of rhetorical devices such as repetition, imagery, and contrast, Angelou effectively conveys the emotions and expectations of the students as they transition from childhood to adulthood.
One of the most prominent rhetorical devices used in "Graduation" is repetition. The phrase "the ceremony was over" is repeated several times throughout the poem, emphasizing the finality and significance of the graduation ceremony. This repetition serves to heighten the sense of accomplishment and pride that the students feel as they cross the stage to receive their diplomas.
In addition to repetition, Angelou also uses imagery to convey the emotions and experiences of the students. She describes the ceremony as a "cotton field," a metaphor that evokes feelings of hard work and struggle. This metaphor underscores the difficulties and challenges that the students have faced in their academic journey, and suggests that their graduation is the culmination of their efforts.
Another effective rhetorical device used in "Graduation" is contrast. Angelou juxtaposes the joy and pride of the students with the harsh realities of racism and segregation. She describes the "white school" where the ceremony takes place as a place of privilege and opportunity, while the "colored school" is depicted as a place of neglect and inequality. This contrast highlights the ongoing struggles of African Americans in a society where they are often treated unfairly and unfairly.
Overall, "Graduation" is a poignant and powerful poem that effectively uses rhetorical devices such as repetition, imagery, and contrast to convey the emotions and experiences of a group of African American students as they graduate from high school. Through her words, Angelou celebrates their achievements and challenges the systemic racism and segregation that continue to plague American society.
Analysis of Graduation by Maya Angelou
His introduction speech to the graduates had put the black race down while he praised the white kids and said they were going to be doing much better. Pay less attention to what others say or think about you, and worry more about what you think and what you want to accomplish. It defiantly opened her eyes to a realization that was needed to help her through life. They also absorbed the deep religious faith and old-fashioned courtesy of traditional African-American life, the strict religious and moral training. Donleavy and rejoiced with the encouraging words given by Henry Reed. Leaving behind nights of terror and fear I rise Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear I rise Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. It was able to fully demonstrate the literary element of tone.
Within their writing, both men used the theme of racism to convey a direct tone, used differing keywords and phrases, and referenced religious beliefs. They are not given the same opportunities or rights, and are often looked down upon because of the color of their skin. Even more difficult would be trying to become an individual while in a constant state of oppression. As I described in the introduction, Mr. As a result, without adversity, these talents would be left unused. When he could just go to the college down the street he wanted to go for more so he tried to get in the all-white school.
Rhetorical analysis graduation by maya angelou Free Essays
Authors like Maya Angelou can help shed some light on a terrible situation, but in the long run unless we face the same situation we will never be able to understand their pain. Angelou embraced these teachings within the tone she declared to herself and her oppressors. Why are you beset with gloom? They all hear The speaking of the Tree. Englewood Cliffs: Silver Burdett Press, 1990. And when regarded in this way, as apologetic writing rather than as autobiographical writing, the gaps and the tics in these books make sense, revealing a meaning and a value in Angelou's…. The use of juxtaposition is used strategically by Angelou to show her maturation from naivety. New York: Random House, 1970.
She is famous for her poems and series of autobiographies. That following week, on our second Introduction to TRIO class, Nate pointed out a very interesting and motivational point. Are you the greatest? He aimed big and made it in the college. Donleavy, a white man, gave to the graduating class of 1940. It is in my opinion that this influential literary source is a useful tool for teaching, but it is a FACT, that African-Americans in the United States have struggled greatly and have been subjected to a great deal of racism. Bertha Flowers and her graduation ceremony. She loved the feeling of being able to express herself.
Around the middle of the fourth book I realized that what Angelou intends is to pose the difficult experienced life that she has led as a framework upon which to hang a celebration and a defense of black American people as a whole. She explains how it feels to be discriminated and thought of as less than equal. Angelou traces her maturation throughout the day by using her ever-changing use of juxtaposition, irony, and historical allusions. I rise I rise I rise. In this moment, Trump uses the man as a tool to elevate his platform in the eyes of his other supporters.
It address the historical narrative of the education of African Americans in the Southern states of America. In the novel The Women in the House, Suzanne Young captures this theme with literary devices such as metaphor and personification. However, on her graduation day, she feels frustrated and shadowy because Mr. Foremost, at the beginning of this essay, it is evident that Angelou implies the subordination and racial discrimination of the African-American …show more content… Such devices such as juxtaposition, rhetorical questions, and imagery provokes and conveys the development of her epiphany in her essay. Angelou, throughout her autobiographical writing, adopts a special stance in relation to the self, the community and the world.
Rhetorical Analysis Of Maya Angelou 's ' I Know Why The...
In some works, the protagonist is able to reach out and help others after having achieved maturity. In this story we see how a young black girl awaits with great pride and anticipation her graduation day. This act of kindness from Mrs. Through her experiences, she writes about the nonsense she lives through and documents her feelings. From the time that she is abandoned as a child and sent to live with their grandmother in Stamps, to giving birth as a sixteen year old woman, Maya experiences a wide variety of events and challenges, each having their own outcome and own effect on her state of mind. Angelou shows throughout her writing that racial segregation is the product of a group of people advocating supremacy. One of the central concerns in this study is the exploration of a particular kind of self and identity that emerges from her writings.
An Analysis of the Story Graduation by Maya Angelou Essay Example
Angelou describes a particular part of her experience that I relate to most,… From Rejection to Acceptance: the Transformation of Maya Angelou Through Childhood Experiences In this novel, the main character, Marguerite Johnson or Maya, experiences many events that put her through a variety of psychological states. Angelou illustrates the excitement and preparation that leads up to the graduation day. Maya Angelou writes about her graduation in eighth grade from Lafayette County Training School in Arkansas. Moreover, foreshadowing and similes interpret the segragation within the chapter. With careful word choice, Angelou leads her readers through her essay with a sense of mood and feel as if the reader was right next to her during her graduation experience. In the beginning of the story the black girl speaks with pride and self-confidence. Angelou explains graduation as such a sacred event and something supposed to be cherished and celebrated with family.
This leaves Angelou unsettled and angry towards the idea that people think of African-Americans in such a negative way. Bertha Flowers, her graduation ceremony, and the election results. A Rhetorical Analysis Of 'Graduation' By Maya Angelou God made for us to lead us to our path and make us who we are today. Angelou delivers a very detailed, inspirational, and informative story of self-acceptance. If we cannot understand the tragedies people face then we won't be able to empathize with them.
The two essays by Angelou and Walker are about the harsh realities each encounters through racism, and how they each overcome hardships when the odds are stacked against them. Everyone that experienced graduation knows that it ranges from miserable time full of heartbreaks or means to bright future. By resisting to all the discrimination the African Americans showed a sense of rebellion which helped the civil rights movement to advance. The diction in her passage is lacking. By resisting to all the discrimination the African Americans showed a sense of rebellion which helped the civil rights movement to advance. It in fact, appeased the situation.
