April 5th: Sympathy

"Sympathy" by Paul Laurence Dunbar


Title: "Sympathy," is a title that implies deep sadness in an already settled situation one empathizes for. 
Paraphrase: The narrator realizes the bird's desires for freedom. He uses the visual and descriptions of a warm sun, a flowing river, and blossoms to show what the bird is missing out on, and desperately wants to be a part of. The narrator then shifts to the more sad reality of the bird, describing the creatures suffering in the cage as he can only watch the world through bars and futile, attempt to escape despite the hurt and pain of it. Lastly, the realization is made that the bird's song is directed at heaven in a prayer.
Form: It is based on a traditional ABAABCC rhyme scheme and conforms to the structure of a locked in poem, much alike the locked up bird. 
Diction: Painful and damaging word choice using words such as: pain, sore, throb, etc.
Imagery: The natural environment around the cage is beautiful and glorious, reflecting a life to be desired
POV: The poem is told from the POV of an observer of the caged bird. He is able to describe what the bird feels and what is happening to the bird from afar. First person omniscient. 
Details: Repetition is found in the poem often to emphasize the "I" and aloneness of the bird.
Allusions: ---
Symbolism: Cage=societal and emotional barriers. Bird=oppressed life or the author, in this case.
FL: "Stirs soft" alliteration. "Like a stream of glass" simile
Attitude: Sympathetic (as title so kindly points out) yet resigned.
Shifts: occur as the speaker gets more and more in depth with the birds treatment/situation or in other words, each stanza continually.
Title: Represents the whole poem's intent of describing a sympathetic misdoing in life
theme: freedom


1) The caged bird is unhappy because it wishes to obtain freedom but is stuck in captivity.
2) The scene shows how amazing the world is outside the cage's bars, and shows us what the bird is obviously missing out on.
3) At first, the bird is viewing the outer natural world beyond the cage, and we realize it desires to be free. Then, we see that the bird is tortured as he is trapped in a cage he cannot stop from attempting to escape. It hurts himself, and reveals the pain it feels. Lastly, we understand that the bird is all the while praying to heaven for freedom, and for release. The progression is that we get closer and closer to the bird, until we are within the birds thoughts and mind.
4) The bird and the speaker share a sense of entrapment, and are behind a barrier of their "freedom." Both relate to each others feelings and situation.