Question

What function does imagery perform in these lines from "Africa" by Maya Angelou?

Thus she had lain
sugarcane sweet
deserts her hair
golden her feet
mountains her breasts
two Niles her tears.


It highlights a continent's important rivers.


It compares a continent to a woman.


It describes the topography of a continent.


It emphasizes the pain and loss borne by a continent.

Answer 1

The correct answer is B) It compares a continent to a woman.

Throughout the entire poem, Maya Angelou compares the continent of Africa to a healthy woman, to describe the actions made in African History, when the European had invaded the continent. In this particular extract she uses landmarks such as deserts, mountains, the Nile River, to describe the physical appearance of the woman.