The themes in both, "Still I Rise" and "Sympathy", are very apparent. With such expressful words and phrases, both authors convey the true meaning and theme of each poem. In "Still I Rise", the reader sees the theme as self-respect. With phrases such as "You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes... but still, like air, I'll rise" (Lines 25,26, and 28), the reader sees that Angelou is explaining how someone could possibly put her down, and somehow she will overcome it with self-esteem. In "Sympathy", the reader sees that the theme is all about discovering how a "caged…
