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Situational Irony
Chapter 13
Explanation and Analysis:
Throughout I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Angelou utilizes figurative language heavily as an element of her literary style, choosing to do so in moments of high emotion as a means of illustrating her childhood imagination.
In Chapter 13, Angelou utilizes figurative language to explore her emotions following Mr. Freeman's trial, including her feelings of fear at the thought of revealing forbidden information:
Instinctively, or somehow, I knew that because I loved [Bailey] so much I'd never hurt him, but if I talked to anybody else that person might die too. Just my breath, carrying my words out, might poison people and they'd curl up and die like the fat black slugs that only pretend. I had to stop talking.
Related Themes:
Chapter 15
Explanation and Analysis:
Throughout I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Angelou utilizes figurative language heavily as an element of her literary style, choosing to do so in moments of high emotion as a means of illustrating her childhood imagination.
In Chapter 13, Angelou utilizes figurative language to explore her emotions following Mr. Freeman's trial, including her feelings of fear at the thought of revealing forbidden information:
Unlock with LitCharts A+Instinctively, or somehow, I knew that because I loved [Bailey] so much I'd never hurt him, but if I talked to anybody else that person might die too. Just my breath, carrying my words out, might poison people and they'd curl up and die like the fat black slugs that only pretend. I had to stop talking.
Related Themes:
