Courage And Hope In The Poem Still I Rise And The Book Black Boy

December 17, 2021 by Essay Writer

Both “Still I Rise” and “Black Boy” from Maya Angelou and Richard Wright have inspired people with their stories. “Black Boy” and “Still I Rise” being powerful stories, all about the struggles of having hope. Have given the message, no matter what happens the protagonist will always rise.

The poem “Still I Rise” and the book Black Boy has similarities in the stories in the way they show courage and hope.

Both Maya/Richard convey similarities as they both show Courage. In different occasion, they showed how they overcame everything with their self-esteem. For example in “Black Boy” by Richard Wright has shown how Richard (the main character) had to be a man and stand for himself in his childhood. When Richard had the task to go buy groceries, he got beaten by other kids in his neighborhood. Her mom taught hen to stand for himself because no one would. It says, “You just stay right where you are,’ she said in a deadly tone. ‘I’m going to teach you this night to stand up and fight for yourself.’ ‘Take this money, this note, and this stick,’ she said. ‘Go to the store and buy those groceries. If those boys bother you, then fight.’ (1.1.206 Wright) This shows courage in the way how Richard had to stand up for himself. After Richard getting beaten more than once, he portrays courage and showing how he will always get up when put down. In the Poem “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou conveys courage too. It says “You may write me down in history, With your bitter, twisted lies, You may tread me in the very dirt, But still, like dust, I’ll rise.” ( Angelou) In the poem, Maya Angelou reveals how she will always reveal, how she will overcome anything with the courage she has shown. Both stories covey’s message of courage because they show that they will what always get up.

Maya Angelou/Richard Wright also portrays hope in the stories. They have shown multiple occasion how they have hope for their dream or beliefs. In “Black Boy” by Richard wrights shows how Richard ( the main character) has hopes on his dreams, and how no one can stop hen of having hope. This is shown in the book where his uncle is trying to tell Richard that he can’t’ achieve anything. If Richard accomplished something of his dreams, someone will bring hen down. ‘You’ll never amount to anything,’ he said, shaking his head and blinking his eyes in astonishment. ‘I’m not worried about that,’ I said. ‘All I want you to do is keep away from me, now and always…’You’ll end on the gallows,’ he predicted. ‘If I do, you’ll have nothing to do with it,’ I said.[…]’Somebody will yet break your spirit,’ he said.’It won’t be you!’ ‘You’ll get yours someday! ‘You won’t be the one to give it to me!’ (1.6.42-57) this show how Richard believes oh having hope for his dreams. Also, it demonstrates that society will like to see hen broken, but still, Richard will have hope of achieving what he believes. Just like Black Boy. In the poem of Maya Angelou, “Still I Rise” symbolize the hope too. “Out of the huts of history’s shame, I rise, Up from a past that’s rooted in pain, I rise.”(Angelou) Maya Angelou talks about having the hope of rising no matter what struggles she has. She explains how her poem covey’s the message of hope because she shows that not even their skin color can stop here Also, the scene demonstrates hope that she obtain despite all the problems the character of the poem has had.

In conclusion, Both Maya/Richard convey similarities as they both show Courage and hope. The stories portray courage and hope by showing how the characters will always get up when put down. Also, both characters in the stories show not even their skin color will stop them from having courage and hope.

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