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ENG 130 Unit 4 Discussion Board.
- Course
- ENG 130
- Institution
- Post University
Theme discussion for Eng 130.
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Content preview
Initial response: We have now come to the half way part of the course. You have all read and viewed a numberof different types of literature. Considering what you now know about literature, how do you think the study of
theme can relate to our daily lives? Select one of the works of literature from the first four units to support your
answer. Also, make sure to analyze the theme of that story and to show the implications that work of literature
may have on your daily life.
Response:
The concept of “theme” relates to each individual's daily life differently. There can be one hundred people sitting
in a movie theatre, and each one of them is touched differently by what they are watching. Often, if more than
one person tells you their summary of a movie or television show, the two summaries will differ. This is because
we all think differently and perceive situations differently. Some of us like the main character of a movie. Others
may like the villain more than the hero. Our perceptions give us the theme of a story.
In Maya Angelou’s, Still I Rise, there are so many different ways you can think when reading this poem. For
example, In lines 21-24:
“You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But, still, like air, I’ll rise.” (Angelou, 1978)
A teenager reading this may think about the kids at school that pick on him. He may feel empowered to hold his
head up and push through the bullying he faces. A middle-aged woman reading this may think of the devil and
his evil ways and how she will stay strong in her faith and “rise” up with God one day.
The “theme” of Angelou’s, Still I Rise is pride in the face of an oppressor. Angelou is using her personal
experiences to earn the reader’s trust. Maya Angelou is one of the sweetest ladies ever to walk the face of this
earth, and all of her literary works have positive, uplifting themes.
I read a literary review of Still I Rise, and how the person reviewing this poem explained part of it I did not
perceive in the same context.
“That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?” (Angelou, 1978)
The person reviewing this stated Angelou was referring to when she used to be a stripper. Before this review, I
had no idea she was ever a stripper. I took these two lines as if people hate to see her move about like she is
worth a million bucks (having confidence).
Every human being has a unique perception of what goes on around them—everyone with different opinions,
likes, and dislikes. The “theme” when referring to any scenario is the message we believe the writer is giving
us.
Resources
Chen, Wendy. "Still I Rise." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 28 Oct 2019. Web. 30 Mar 2022.
Still I Rise by Maya Angelou 1978 | Poetry Foundation. (2022). Retrieved 28 March 2022, from
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46446/still-i-rise
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