Still I Rise Question Answer (2/6 Marks) Class 11 2nd Semester English

The Answers of the Questions given in “The Text Book (Realm)” as sample.

What reflection of the society do we find in the poem?  [Q. Marks – 2]

👉🏻 The poem reflects the historical and ongoing struggles of African Americans against racism, sexism, and social injustice. It speaks to the experiences of marginalization and the fight for dignity and equality.

Who is addressed as ‘you’ and addressed as ‘I’? [Q. Marks – 2]

👉🏻 ‘You’ represents the oppressor, the society that seeks to diminish and degrade the speaker.

  ‘I’ represents the speaker, an empowered individual who refuses to be broken by the ‘you’.

Of Studies Question Answer (Full 2/6 Marks) Class 11 2nd Semester

How is identity presented in “Still I Rise”? [Q. Marks – 6]

 👉🏻  The Poem “Still I Rise” tells the story of an unnamed, first-person speaker. The Speaker’s identity is developed bit by bit throughout the poem. Words such as sassiness and sexiness suggest that the speaker is a woman. When the speaker says that she is a black ocean, leaping and wide, her race is disclosed. She is a Black woman who takes pride in her Black identity. She Proudly embraces her race, gender and physical appearance. When she says that she is the dream and the hope of the Alave, she alludes to her ancestors as Slaves Who are Afro-Americans. She is the voice of Black People. She refuses to remain in the Shadow of her white. Oppressors. She powerfully expresses her Strength to rise above oppression.

Analyse the various images as found in “Still I Rise”. [Q. Marks – 6]

 👉🏻  The Poem “Still I Rise” is full of images. Throughout the Poem, Angelou employs several natural images such as dust, suns, moons and the tides to support the central theme of rising against oppression and injustice. In the opening stanza, the striking image of dust helps the speaker to make her point that she will rise. Through this image, the speaker asserts her resilience and determination to overcome obstacles.

    Other powerful images are that of suns, moons and the tides, Angelou uses them to symbolize the certainty of her continued rise beyond the reach of oppremion

    Lines like ‘You may shoot me with your words’ and ‘you may cut me with your eyes’ speak of oppression and violence.

রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুরের ‘ছুটি’ গল্পের প্রশ্ন উত্তর একাদশ শ্রেণী দ্বিতীয় সেমিস্টার

WBCHSE Sample Questions Paper

What do the first two lines of the poem “And still I rise” signify?  [Q. Marks – 2]

 👉🏻  The first two lines of the poem “You may write me down in history / With your bitter, twisted lies,” signify that attempts to diminish or misrepresent the speaker’s history and experiences through lies will not ultimately define them.

What does Angelou suggest the ader by addressing the oppressor figure as “You”?  [Q. Marks – 2]

👉🏻  By addressing the oppressor figure as “You,” Angelou creates a sense of direct confrontation and challenges the power dynamics of the situation. It emphasizes the speaker’s defiance and refusal to be silenced or defined by the oppressor’s actions.

Analyse the title of the poem, ‘And still I Rise’.  [Q. Marks – 6]

👉🏻  The title “Still I Rise” encapsulates the poem’s core message of unwavering resilience and indomitable spirit. It’s a powerful declaration of defiance against oppression and a celebration of the human capacity to overcome adversity.

  The word “still” emphasizes the consistent and unwavering nature of this rising. It suggests that despite facing numerous attempts to suppress her, the speaker will persistently rise above the challenges and limitations imposed upon her. The act of “rising” itself symbolizes a journey of self-discovery, empowerment, and a refusal to be defined or limited by the prejudices and injustices faced.

The title, therefore, serves as a powerful anthem of hope and a testament to the enduring human spirit’s ability to transcend suffering and emerge stronger. It’s a reminder that no matter how deeply one is pushed down, the human spirit possesses an inherent capacity to rise above, to heal, and to ultimately flourish.

2 Marks Questions from “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou.

Who is the author of the poem “Still I Rise”? What is the primary theme of the poem?

👉🏻 The author of the poem “Still I Rise” is Maya Angelou, a renowned poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist.

     The primary theme is self-empowerment and resilience in the face of adversity and discrimination. It celebrates the strength of the human spirit to rise above oppression and prejudice.

Who is the speaker of the poem? Who is the speaker addressing?

👉🏻  The speaker is an Afro-American woman who has faced discrimination and prejudice. She is addressing the oppressor, the society that has tried to keep her down.

How does the speaker say, “She will rise” in the first stanza of the poem?

👉🏻  The speaker declares her resilience by stating that even if she is written down in history with lies and trampled in the dirt, she will still rise like dust, asserting her strength and indomitability.

What historical injustices does the speaker refer to in the poem?

👉🏻  The poem alludes to the historical oppression of African Americans, including slavery, racial segregation, and the ongoing struggles against discrimination and prejudice.

What does the expression “Bitter twisted lies” suggest?

👉🏻  This phrase suggests that the historical accounts of African Americans have been distorted and manipulated to portray them in a negative light, perpetuating harmful stereotypes and misrepresenting their struggles and contributions.

How does the speaker describe the wealth in the poem?

👉🏻  The speaker describes wealth metaphorically, comparing it to oil wells, gold mines, and diamonds. This symbolizes her inner strength, resilience, and self-worth, which are far more valuable than material possessions.

What imagery has the poet used to describe in her “Still I Rise” poem?

👉🏻  The poem is rich in imagery, using metaphors like “oil wells,” “gold mines,” “diamonds,” “moons and suns,” and “tides” to convey the speaker’s strength, resilience, and determination.

What does the speaker bring from the ancestors?

👉🏻  The speaker brings the gifts of resilience, strength, and hope passed down from her ancestors who endured slavery and oppression.

How does the speaker describe herself in the poem?

👉🏻  The speaker describes herself as powerful, confident, and unapologetic. She embraces her sexuality, her laughter, and her sassiness as expressions of her strength and individuality.

How does the speaker describe the past?

👉🏻  The speaker describes the past as rooted in pain and shame, filled with nights of terror and fear. However, she acknowledges that she has risen above this past and is moving towards a brighter future.

What is the overall message of the poem “Still I Rise”?

👉🏻 The overall message is one of empowerment, resilience, and hope. It encourages individuals to overcome adversity, embrace their identity, and rise above prejudice and discrimination.

According to the speaker, what will not hurt her?

👉🏻  The speaker asserts that words, eyes, and hate cannot harm her. She will rise above any attempt to diminish her worth or break her spirit.

What does the speaker mean by saying she rises like dust?

👉🏻  This metaphor signifies that no matter how much she is oppressed or trampled upon, she will always rise again, just as dust settles after being disturbed.

Who are the speaker’s ancestors?

👉🏻  The speaker’s ancestors are African Americans who endured slavery and oppression, passing down their resilience and strength to her.

6 Marks Questions from “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou.

Who is the speaker of the poem? whom does the speaker talk to? How is the speaker Portrayed in the poem?

👉🏻 An Afro-American woman is the speaker of the poem. She is the voice of Angelou herself.

    She talks directly to her oppressors who are addressed as you. The oppressors are the White Americans.

    The speaker is a black woman. Her oppressors misrepresent her with bitter, twisted lies. They try to tarnish her legacy with false statements. They walk over her in the very dirt but it cannot stop her from rising. She is confident, strong and powerful. Her sassiness besets her oppressors with gloom. Her haughtiness offends them. Her sexiness upsets them. She is the dream and the hope of the slave. She is determined to rise above, and the rises.

Write a note on the use of symbolism in the poem “Still I Rise”.

 👉🏻  Symbols abound in the poem “Still I Rise”. The symbols used in the Poem are fascinating. There are symbols of ‘dust’ and ‘air’. They Symbolize the speaker’s ability to pick herself up. There are symbols of ‘suns’, ‘moons’ and the ‘tides’. All of them rise. Like them the speaker will also rise. Like the sun, the moon and the tides, She will rise and stand against oppression. Angelou uses the symbols of ‘Oil wells’, ‘Gold mines’ and ‘Diamonds’ to highlight the worth of her Physical self as well as her mental strength. They are symbols of wealth, confidence, inner strength and power. The ‘black ocean’ symbolizes her power that cannot be controlled by her oppressors. The symbols used in the Poem reinforce the theme of resilience.

How is identity presented in “Still I Rise”?

 👉🏻  The Poem “Still I Rise” tells the story of an unnamed, first-person speaker. The Speaker’s identity is developed bit by bit throughout the poem. Words such as sassiness and sexiness suggest that the speaker is a woman. When the speaker says that she is a black ocean, leaping and wide, her race is disclosed. She is a Black woman who takes pride in her Black identity. She Proudly embraces her race, gender and physical appearance. When she says that she is the dream and the hope of the Alave, she alludes to her ancestors as Slaves Who are Afro-Americans. She is the voice of Black People. She refuses to remain in the Shadow of her white. Oppressors. She powerfully expresses her Strength to rise above oppression.

Analyse the various images as found in “Still I Rise”.

 👉🏻  The Poem “Still I Rise” is full of images. Throughout the Poem, Angelou employs several natural images such as dust, suns, moons and the tides to support the central theme of rising against oppression and injustice. In the opening stanza, the striking image of dust helps the speaker to make her point that she will rise. Through this image, the speaker asserts her resilience and determination to overcome obstacles.

    Other powerful images are that of suns, moons and the tides, Angelou uses them to symbolize the certainty of her continued rise beyond the reach of oppremion

    Lines like ‘You may shoot me with your words’ and ‘you may cut me with your eyes’ speak of oppression and violence.