Literature-In-English Paper 3 WASSCE (SC), 2023

Question 12
Examine the use of imagery in Caged Bird

This is a popular question. Most of the candidates did not state the theme of the poem.
The requirements of the question include:

  • Statement of the theme of freedom of nature.
  • Explanation of imagery.
  • Images associated with freedom: the free bird moves about in nature. He is content/ happy ‘And dares to claim the sky’, ‘names the sky his own’
  • Images associated with captivity: the caged bird is immobile and lives in ‘bars of rage’, ‘feet are tied’, ‘wings are clipped’. The caged bird is unable to dream; ‘grave of dreams’, ‘nightmare of screams’, ‘narrow cage’, ‘fearful trill’. The caged bird is in agony; ‘bars of rage’, ‘narrow cage’, ‘feet are tied’.
  • The position taken by persona: the caged bird is associated with negative images. The free bird is associated with positive images. It is clear that the persona gravitates towards freedom and the free bird symbolises this freedom.

Candidates’ performance in the question was average.