Reading “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou made me realize the importance of self-love, confidence, and being thankful for all past experiences. Everyone’s past has at least a small portion of sadness or pain, and it is important to learn how to move past it but not forget it, because all of those experiences have helped us grow into who we are today. I love Angelou’s writing because it points out that along the way there will always be someone who will want to deter you and make you feel like you are not worth it and that you will never be good enough, but it is up to you whether you want to believe everything you hear them say or whether you want to prove to everyone, especially yourself, that you are capable of great things.
In the poem, some lines especially speak to me because when growing up, I was around many people who I thought would always be there for me, but sooner or later, they would turn their backs on me. There were other people who would only do wrong in my life and expected me to always keep quiet. I had to learn how to speak up for myself in the most painful ways, but thanks to that, I have grown to be someone who always speaks up when something is wrong. In “Still I Rise,” Angelou writes:
Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lower gaze?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops,
Weakened by my soul cries?
(lines 13-16)
Many people will want to see you broken, not necessarily because you might have done something wrong to them, but because they find joy when you feel miserable. Some people find happiness knowing that they have control over you, no matter what you do, as they say. This is sad to think about because even the closest people to you, like your family, could treat you like this without even realizing it. When someone is being manipulated for the longest time, they tend to think that whatever they are experiencing is normal and don’t see anything wrong with it. People who have gone through this type of manipulation have trouble realizing, accepting, and asking for help because they are so used to it that it is very hard to make them see things differently. It is hurtful to think that the kindest people are most likely to experience oppression and abuse. It takes longer for them to see what other people are doing against them.
A connection to the poem “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou is that in “Antigone” by Sophocles, Creon, who is Antigone’s uncle, is known for being feared and “respected” because of it. He believes his word to be law and that he is never wrong; because of this, he gets furious and denies anyone who disagrees with what he believes. Creon expects no one to stand up against him and expects everyone to do as they are told. Similar to the poem “Still I Rise” by Angelou, in Antigone, the son of Creon, Haimon, calls his father out for always thinking he is right and wise. Haemon says:
Do not believe that you alone can be right.
The man who thinks that,
The man who maintains that only he has the power
To reason correctly, the gift to speak, to soul–
A man like that, when you know him, turns out empty.
(lines 565-569)
These lines demonstrate the type of person Haemon is; not only is he being fearless against his father, but he is also calling him out on what he lacks. As children, we are often afraid to tell our parents what we believe they lack because we fear how they might react. Furthermore, Creon is also known for having a short temper and hating anyone who goes against him, so Haimon doing this is showing his father that he has a mind of his own. He is also showing that he is not as dependent on his father as many might think he is. This is also a sign of protest, which, for a king, is not a good sign because it could mean that protests and rebellions will soon follow.
Haimon tells his father that someone who thinks that only they are right and that they have all power soon loses everything because someone like this is ignorant and fails to see what might be obvious to others. A king who rules with true wisdom listens to his counsel, cares for his people, and is respected and followed because they choose to follow him. In my opinion, this type of rule is better because when people love their king, there is nothing they wouldn’t do to protect him, whereas if the people fear him, they would most likely betray the king if they fear someone or something greater.
In both writings, both characters stand up against being silenced and being denied the right to speak up for themselves. These quotes, though not very complex, can be perceived as inspirational because they encourage others to be strong, brave, and not be afraid of others because living in fear is not living life at all.
In the poem “Still I Rise,” the main theme is standing up and overcoming all the challenges one is forced to face, while in Antigone, the main theme is about the importance of family and the pain that having and losing family members can cause. Still, the poem “Still I Rise” has many quotes that have gotten me to reflect on what I am currently experiencing in my life. The one quote that stood out to me the most is
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.
(lines 21-24)
Over the years, I have experienced a lot of things regarding family and friends. Most people say, “Well, it's part of life, so deal with it,” but still, it is not that easy to deal with all of these things. Not only that, but you’ll also realize that things only get harder as you get older. But you also have to understand that regardless of what others might think of you, what matters the most is the type of person you truly are. Many will call you a liar, and there will be moments where you want to prove to people that you are telling the truth so desperately that you’ll break your head trying to figure out a way to do so. Though if they don’t want to believe you, then there is nothing that you can do to change that, because, as many people say, the truth always comes out in the end, and that is an advantage you already have against anyone who calls you a liar. So stop worrying so much about what others think and what their opinions might be of you, because that is just a waste of time.
Yes, it is hard to just move on and act as if nothing has happened. “It's easier said than done,” and it's painful to experience your family or friends not having your back when you most need it, but at least that way you know now who your true family is. Family is not only about sharing the same blood or about who you grew up with. Family is about them continuing to show you every single day that no matter the circumstance or the situation you might be in, they will also give you their support and their love. Anyone who breaks the true meaning of family is not worthy of you or being called family. We all deserve way better than to be surrounded by people who are constantly hurting us.
My inspiration for this writing was relating my own experiences to what the characters in Antigone had to go through because of family and relating all the feelings and emotions that Maya Angelou transmitted through her poem “Still I Rise.” Both writings helped me reflect on all the things I had to go through and all the moments I thought I would not make it, yet I am still here. There were moments in my childhood where I thought my world was ending because of the amount of pain I was put through by my parents. It had always been hard for me to stand up to my parents for myself, because how could I correct my parents? I was scared of how they would react because when we are young, we believe so strongly that our parents are always right and that they don’t make mistakes. This is why it is so easy for parents to manipulate their children into thinking or doing anything.
I related to Haemon from Antigone because it must have been hard for him to speak to his father like that, but he was also brave, fearless, and honest, and did not let himself be intimidated by his father. I admire him for that because there are many people who, even when they are grown adults, are still afraid to stand up against their parents. I have learned the hard way that I have to put myself first, even against my own family, because the people who have caused me more pain have been the ones who were once called my family. It is a long process that I am still going through to let go of all those people. Just like in “Still I Rise,” I might break and fall into a very deep hole, but in the end I will use all of my strength to push myself back up, and I will still rise.