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WorksheetsSympathy by Paul Dunbar
Total questions: 25
Worksheet time: 25mins
What is a "caged bird"? In what way is it a metaphor?
How would you compare an imprisoned or enslaved person to a caged bird?
What conclusions can you draw about the speaker of the poem?
What do you notice about the behavior of the caged bird?
What does the caged bird symbolize in the poem?
Freedom
Oppression
Nature
Happiness
Dreams
The title of Maya Angelou’s poem refers to an image in Paul Laurence Dunbar’s poem. This is an example of
A
B
C
D
How is the "caged bird" a metaphor?
Identify an example of simile in the poem "Sympathy".
Identify two examples of alliteration in the poem "Sympathy".
What is the rhyme scheme of the poem "Sympathy"?
Does this poem illustrate a desire or a yearning? What is that desire or yearning? What images develop this desire or yearning?
Sympathy was written by _____?
What would happen if you freed a caged bird? Why?
Is it in man's nature to desire freedom?
Support your answer with evidence.
Why is the "bud" compared with the "chalice" in the poem Sympathy?
because of its scent
because of its contents
because of its shape
because of its colour
The poem ‘Sympathy’ is written by——
William Makepeace Thackeray
Paul Laurence Dunbar
Maya Angelou
According to the speaker in “Sympathy,” how does the caged bird feel?
bright, happy, perfumed
alarmed, shamed, fearful
constrained, oppressed, imprisoned
faint, clinging,
Which of the following BEST explains the title “Sympathy”?
The speaker feels bad for the caged bird because of its injuries.
The speaker also shares the caged bird’s desire for freedom.
The speaker is critical of the caged bird’s reasons for singing.
The speaker admires the caged bird’s courage.
they pulse again with a keener sting—I know why he beats his wing! these lines in the poem “Sympathy” suggest that...
the bird is so crippled it will never be able to enjoy freedom.
the bird has not given up hope despite a lifetime of captivity.
as the bird gets older, its desire for freedom increases.
the bird could enjoy its captivity if only it would stop fighting.
What is the primary theme of the poem 'Sympathy' by Paul Laurence Dunbar?
Freedom vs. Captivity
Love and Loss
Nature's Beauty
Friendship
In 'Sympathy,' what does the repeated phrase 'I know why the caged bird sings' signify?
The bird's happiness
The bird's longing for freedom
The bird's love for music
The bird's acceptance of its fate
Which literary device is predominantly used in the poem 'Sympathy' to convey the bird's emotions?
Metaphor
Simile
Alliteration
Personification
How does the speaker in 'Sympathy' relate to the caged bird?
The speaker feels indifferent to the bird's plight
The speaker shares the bird's desire for freedom
The speaker envies the bird's captivity
The speaker is unaware of the bird's suffering
What does the 'cage' symbolize in Dunbar's poem 'Sympathy'?
A safe haven
A prison
A home
A playground
Which emotion is NOT expressed by the caged bird in 'Sympathy'?
Despair
Hope
Joy
Frustration
