I Know Why The Caged Birds Sing Poem Analysis

After Maya started speaking again at the age of 13, thanks to one of her teacher and as well as a family friend, Mrs. Bertha Flowers who helped her cope though that ruff time period, she had a whole new outlook on what she wanted to do with her life . “It was through literature that she found her voice again. And what a voice it was and is.” (Emilie M. Townes). By the age of 14, during World War II, Maya was living with her mother and brother in Oakland California. She attended the California Labor School where she had won a scholarship to study drama and dance at San Francisco’s Labor School. Three weeks after graduating from school at the age of 17, she gave birth to her son who was named Guy Johnson. Shortly afterwards, she dropped out of school and became the first African American female cable car conductor.

In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, it is shown that the African people had their own complex culture before the Europeans decided to "pacify" them. The idea that the dignity of these people has been greatly compromised is acknowledged in the essay "The Role of the Writer," which is explanatory of Achebe's novels. A writer trying to capture the truth of a situation that his readers may know little or nothing about needs a sense of history in order to appropriately address the topic. It is not enough "to beat" another writer to the issue. Writers should make the attempt to express a deeper understanding. Without proper mental investment in a written work, the

Maya Angelou was a civil rights activist, author, and poet. She wrote many books and poems that conveyed the vivid experiences in her life. Maya Angelou’s works are well known and she is an eminent writer. One poem in particular that is well known is “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” written in 1969. In this work she described racial inequality, and the lack of freedom African Americans experienced in the 1930’s and 40’s. Maya Angelou uses many Rhetorical strategies and literary devices to describe the lack of racial freedom in the world at this time.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the novel I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. Specifically it will discuss the themes of racism and segregation, and how these strong themes are woven throughout this moving autobiography. Maya Angelou recounts the story of her early life, including the racism and segregation she experiences throughout her formative years. With wit, sincerity, and remarkable talent, Angelou portrays racism as a product of ignorance and prejudice. However, she finds the strength to rise above this crippling condition.

The African Americans, experienced for many centuries was very poorly in fact that they treated unfairly. In the communities today African Americans are targeted by their color of their skin. The police brutality towards black people is tremendously horrifying. The population of prisons in the U.S

African Americans living in the south face a lot of hate and prejudice. The civil rights movement improved the lives of many blacks. Maya Angelou in her memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, uncovers the racism that blacks face and how Maya begins to think she is less equal that whites.

He helped awaken the culture and spirit of African American through a literary view and display the injustices African America through his writings and

African American has been facing racial inequalities for hundred of centuries now. Blacks were viewed as being less than human for a very long time, as they fought though the harsh years of slavery which began on American soil back in 1619 when the first African American slaves were brought to the colony of Jamestown, Virginia. These people were being starved, they little to no clothing, no shoes, they were ripped from their family, they were beating, many were killing and the women were often raped. Their children were working at very young ages they were all (men and women) uneducated and basically were under all circumstances they were to be kept that way.

A strong and influential memoirist is able to grasp the reader’s attention and dive into topics bigger than themselves. Maya Angelou, the author of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, describes herself as neither a hero nor a victim as she recollects her past. Growing up, Maya Angelou not only suffered from white prejudice and gender inequality, she was presented with situations that made her feel powerless. According to Angelou, “The Black female is assaulted in her tender years by all those common forces of nature at the same time that she is caught in the tripartite crossfire of masculine prejudice, whites illogical hate and Black lack of power,” (Angelou, 272). However, she found herself persevering through all of the adversity she faced and accepted her reality: “the fact that the adult American Negro female emerges a formidable character is often met with amazement” (Angelou, 272). Angelou did an exceptional job of describing herself as neither a hero nor a victim in her memoir, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.

His own life influenced his art. Being born in a Negro family and at a time of racial discrimination from his early childhood, he had to bear the ruthless behaviour of the whites. So, from the very beginning of his life he faced many problems viz., racial discrimination, lack of identity in the society and no actual or practical freedom of blacks etc. All this put a remarkable impact on his mind, on his soul and made him a poet of blacks.

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a novel about a man in West Africa. It tells about his triumphs and trial ultimately leading to his demise. It explains how the “white man” came into his country and took over. It show you how the “white man” mad things fall apart.

These strong, and independent African women authors use insightful and educational language, which invites the western world to be a part of their world through the power of literature. One of the

Wole Soyinka (1934), Nobel Prize winner in literature, in his novels such as ‘King’s Horseman’ and ‘The Years of Childhood and Death’ portrays his life experiences and thoughts about Africa as well as Nigeria.

Chinua Achebe published the fictional account Things Fall Apart in 1958. It was written to provide a new perspective on the African culture and the societies of the pre - colonial villages in Africa. He tried to dispel stereotypes and overshadow the writers who previously persuaded the world to shun Africa and its culture. Things Fall Apart told the story of the village of Umuofia over a period of many years and how they behaved and what happened with white foreign missionaries entered their lives and started the village of Umuofia on the path to falling apart.

Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart is a modern example of postcolonial literature and is one of the most influential pieces of its genre. Postcolonial writing presents important themes and lessons of justice, equality, and freedom that can be applied to present times. It reminds us of how important our freedoms are and why we need to protect them. The colonized write about their exploitation and show how there is persecution in their colonized society. Postcolonial authors use specific methods to undermine their colonizers and reveal their backward logic. Things Fall Apart has various examples of meta-narrative, decolonization struggles, and colonial discourse worked in throughout the novel. Chinua Achebe’s writing styles showcase these techniques to subvert his European colonizers.