Analyzing Resilience in 'Still I Rise'

Which of the following best introduces the text using TAG (Title, Author, Genre) and summary?

• "Still I Rise" is a short story by Maya Angelou about how people can be mean sometimes.

• In her poem "Still I Rise," Maya Angelou uses strong and defiant language to show how she overcomes discrimination with confidence and pride.

• Maya Angelou wrote "Still I Rise," which is about history.

• "Still I Rise" is a book by Maya Angelou about civil rights.

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Which of these thesis statements is below basic (too vague)?

• Maya Angelou shows that she is strong and won’t give up.

• In "Still I Rise," Maya Angelou proves that resilience is possible because she overcomes hate, prejudice, and discrimination with pride.

• Angelou demonstrates resilience by showing confidence and refusing to let others define her worth.

• Maya Angelou’s poem "Still I Rise" celebrates resilience because she stays proud even when others try to hold her down.

 Which of these thesis statements is above average (clear, arguable, and specific)?

• Maya Angelou shows that resilience matters.

• "Still I Rise" shows that resilience is powerful because Angelou uses confidence and pride to overcome oppression.

• Angelou proves that resilience comes from refusing to accept others’ limitations, showing that confidence can be a weapon against prejudice.

• Angelou’s poem "Still I Rise" is about never giving up.

Which line from the poem best supports a thesis about resilience?

• “Does my sassiness upset you?” (Line 5)

• “You may trod me in the very dirt / But still, like dust, I’ll rise.” (Lines 3–4)

• “Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells / Pumping in my living room.” (Lines 7–8)

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 Why is the line “You may trod me in the very dirt / But still, like dust, I’ll rise” (Lines 3–4) important to the theme of resilience?

•  It shows she is rich and doesn’t care what people think.

• It proves she can survive being pushed down and still rise again, symbolizing strength and resilience.

• It explains why she is angry at society.
  

• It shows she likes to walk confidently.

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Which of these best integrates evidence into a sentence?

• Maya Angelou says “You may trod me in the very dirt / But still, like dust, I’ll rise.” (Lines 3–4).

•  Maya Angelou says people are mean.
  "You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes" (Lines 21-22).

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How does the metaphor of rising “like dust” connect to the bigger idea of resilience?

• Dust always rises, no matter what, which shows that true resilience means always returning despite setbacks.

• Dust is dirty, which means resilience is messy and everyone is resilient.

• Dust is everywhere, so resilience is not rare.
  

• Dust doesn’t matter, so resilience isn’t important.

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Which example of analysis is the strongest?

• This quote shows that Angelou doesn’t care what others think, which is why she is resilient.
  

• This quote means she is confident and will not let challenges keep her down, which connects to resilience because she keeps rising despite obstacles.

• This quote shows she is proud of herself and that is what makes her resilient.
  

• This quote explains that she likes sassiness and it helps her be resilient.

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 Which thesis + evidence pairing is the strongest?

• Thesis: Angelou is proud. Evidence: “Does my sexiness upset you?” (Line 25).

• Thesis: Angelou shows resilience by rising above hate. Evidence: “You may write me down in history / With your bitter, twisted lies” (Lines 1–2).

• Thesis: Angelou shows resilience by rising above oppression. Evidence: “You may trod me in the very dirt / But still, like dust, I’ll rise” (Lines 3–4).

• Thesis: Angelou is funny. Evidence: “Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines” (Line 21).

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 Which response best answers the essential question: What is Angelou’s message about resilience when facing life’s obstacles?

• Angelou shows resilience is important because she never gives up, no matter how people try to put her down.

• Angelou shows resilience is about being funny and rich.
  

• Angelou says resilience doesn’t matter if people are mean.
  

• Angelou explains resilience is about ignoring everyone.

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