Still I Rise

Rising back up is not only a tough thing multi-talented Maya Angelou had to do in her life but also plays a huge role in her poem, “Still I Rise.” Maya Angelou went through many hardships in her life at a young age. Her parents had split up, so she ended up living with her father’s mother in another state. She faced a ton of racial prejudices and discrimination which only brought her self-confidence lower. To make things worse, she was sexually assaulted by her mother’s boyfriend at only the age of seven. Such a traumatic experience caused Maya to spend years as a virtual mute. With all the horrific things that happened to her, Maya’s sense of self-acknowledgment with her through thick and thin and as a result, she was able to rise and get back up. She worked incredibly hard and became successful in multiple careers as well as being well-known and inspirational to many. The ones who thrive are those who push through everything that gets thrown at them and get back on their feet when they fall because nothing can stop them and still… they rise.
Throughout her works, Maya uses strong figurative language that resonates with the reader, opening their minds. The simile, “like air, I’ll rise,” (Angelou) has a strong meaning. Not only does air rise up, but the air is essential to life, just like how everyone and their voices are. Nothing would change without a voice leading the way. The only way towards improvement is to speak