Question

read the stanzas.
the free bird thinks of another breeze
and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
the fat worms waiting on a dawn - bright lawn
and he names the sky his own.
but a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.
—\caged bird,\
maya angelou
what can the reader better understand about the caged bird after having read about the free bird?

• why the emotional pain of oppression makes the caged bird shout
• why the caged bird stands on the grave and shouts
• why the caged bird sings of freedom after having a nightmare
• why the caged bird fears freedom and sings instead

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze the contrast between the free bird (living freely, thinking of breezes, fat worms) and the caged bird (clipped wings, tied feet, stands on grave of dreams). The free bird's freedom highlights the caged bird's oppression. The caged bird's shout comes from the emotional pain of oppression (since the free bird has freedom, the caged bird's lack of it causes pain leading to shouting). Other options: the caged bird sings of freedom (not after nightmare), standing on grave is about lost dreams, and it doesn't fear freedom (it longs for it, so sings of freedom). So the first option explains the shout due to oppression's pain.

Answer:

A. why the emotional pain of oppression makes the caged bird shout