top of page
Edmund W.

Still I Rise: Conceptual Metaphor Analysis

Maya Angelou’s poem “Still I Rise” is tied together with the use of the conceptual mega-metaphors HAPPY/SUCCESS IS UP and HAPPINESS IS A NATURAL FORCE. The poem alludes to the defiant success of African Americans in a prejudiced society with such language as “but still, like [dust/air], I’ll rise.” Furthermore, Angelou uses lots of imagery of natural forces -- the moon, the sun, the tides -- in the descriptions of such success. 


Angelou elaborates on some of the basic conceptual metaphors with such phrases as “huts of history’s shame.” This line elaborates on ABSTRACT COMPLEX SYSTEMS ARE BUILDINGS by creating the image of a specific type of building in which the complex concept of history dwells.


There are some instances of personification throughout the poem. “Does my sassiness upset you?”, “does my haughtiness offend you?”, and “does my sexiness upset you?” are the primary examples of it. Each treats an emotion or personality trait as human. 


Angelou does appear to question a conceptual metaphor, though the name of the specific metaphor does not quite appear in Kovecses’ book. The concept or notion that she questions is that BLACK/DARKNESS IS BAD/DOWN. Kovecses does not quite talk about this, but there are other metaphors that are similar to this concept -- DEATH IS DARK and such. Perhaps there is not a specific linguistic conceptual metaphor that states that BLACK/DARKNESS IS BAD/DOWN, but there is evidence of this kind of metaphor in American culture (and plenty of others as well): villains are often associated with dark colors -- in some pop culture representations of evil, it is referred to as “the dark side.” We refer to media with unpleasant topics as being “dark.” Perhaps the way to describe this is that [BAD THINGS], e.g. DEATH, ARE BLACK, and that Angelou is arguing that the inverse is not necessarily true. Copulas function essentially as equals signs, and the symmetric property in math states that if x = y, then y = x. Of course, this is not generally how copulas are treated in conceptual metaphor theory (if LIFE IS A JOURNEY, A JOURNEY is not necessarily LIFE). But since Angelou did not have formal training in conceptual metaphor theory, but likely did in basic math, it stands to reason that she would apply mathematical logic to her reasoning. Essentially, she seems to be arguing in this poem that while [BAD THINGS] == BLACK, BLACK =/= [BAD THINGS].


There is an abundance of image metaphor in the poem, with references to oil wells, gold mines, and diamonds. These images are all natural resources, which are being mapped to wealth and success.


Image schemas evoked in the source domain of the main mega-metaphor include the rising of dust, air, and tides. These help the reader associate the trajectory of success with (mostly) visible physical phenomena.


0 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Assonance by Lin-Manuel Miranda

Lin-Manuel Miranda is the most esteemed musical theater writer of this century. Earning a Pulitzer Prize and a handful of Tonys, Miranda...

Comentarios


bottom of page