Maya Angelou Essay

In Maya Angelou’s gloomy “Graduation” essay she asserts that the significance of that moment allowed her to outpace the discrimination and stereotypes of the 1940’s. Angelou develops her claim by the use of imagery, transparent diction and pathos. Angelou's purpose is to draw forth the discrimination and stereotypes put into black people in the 1940’s in order to notify the effects that this might cause. This essay is not directed towards a specific type of audience but to a general one. Angelou’s use of imagery connects the reader to the moment of her graduation.

Flowers. Mrs. Flowers was the one who helps Maya regain her voice. She used her unusual techniques to gain Maya’s confident. She knew that Maya like poetry and used that as a reinforcement to free her voice. “That’s good, but not good enough. Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with the shades of deeper meaning (Street, 2017),” those where Mrs. Flower words to Maya. Furthermore, Mrs. Flowers challenge Maya by stating “you do not love poetry, not until you speak it (Street, 2017).” It was that saying and Mrs. Flower’s actions that encourage Maya to speak again at the age of 13. Maya’s teacher was her motivation to become an educator in poetry and humanities.

Oppressed women have been unjustly held back from achieving full equality for much of human history. A woman no matter neither color nor education faces discrimination on a day to day basis. Barriers that are place in their way to advancing includes: lack of mentoring, lack of opportunities for career development, biased rating and testing system and counterproductive behavior and harassment by colleges (Schaefer, pg 15). In the past, women did not have jobs and were to clean, cook and care for the children, also did not have the right to vote. While the man work long hours to provide for his family and gave orders as the women followed. As time went on and rights were given to women, the men did not like the idea that controlled was being lost. They refused to let women become equal to males. Women are allow to work the same career as males, but will never be paid the same as males. This paper addresses Maya Angelou life and how her writing and public speaking inspired women to overcome discrimination.

Maya Angelou is a leading literary voice of the African-American community. She writes of the triumph of the human spirit over hardship and adversity. “Her style captures the ca-dences and aspirations of African American women whose strength she celebrates.” (Library of Chattanooga State, n. d.) Maya has paved the way for children who has had a damaged

Maya Angelou, the current poet laureate of the United States, has become for many people an exemplary role model. She read an original poem at the inauguration of President Clinton; she has also appeared on the television show "Touched by an Angel," and there read another poem of her own composition; she lectures widely, inspiring young people to aim high in life. Yet this is an unlikely beginning for a woman who, by the age of thirty, had been San Francisco's first black streetcar conductor; an unmarried mother; the madam of a San Diego brothel; a prostitute, a showgirl, and an actress (Lichtler, 861927397.html). Her book I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings argues persuasively

“You have tried to destroy me and although I perish daily I shall not be moved,” (Angelou, 2014), says Maya Angelou in her Commencement speech to the 1992 Spelman College graduates. Poet and award-winning author, Maya Angelou, is most well known for her poetry, essay collection, and memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Angelou happened to be the first black female cable car conductor who later started a career in theatre and music (Maya Angelou: Poet and Historian, n.d.). Once her acting and musical career began to take off, Angelou began touring with productions and released her first album Miss Calypso (Maya Angelou Fast Facts, 2017). Later, Angelou earned a Tony Award nomination for her role in the play Look Away and an Emmy Award nomination for the work she performed in the television mini-series Roots (Maya Angelou: Poet, Civil Rights Activist, Author, Activist, 2017). Angelou was also the first African American woman to have her screenplay produced (Maya Angelou: Poet, Civil Rights Activist, Author, Activist, 2017). Out of the number of poetry collections Angelou published, Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘Fore I Die happened to be her most famous collection that was also nominated for the Pulitzer Prize (Maya Angelou: Poet, Civil Rights Activist, Author, Activist, 2017). The focus of this paper is to critique Angelou’s credibility, sincerity, and appeal to her whole audience in her delivery during the Spelman Commencement Address in 1992.

Perhaps the reason that Maya’s poetry has had such a lasting impact on Americans is because of her poems such as ‘Caged Birds’ and ‘Still I Rise’ that demonstrate the issues that African – Americans faced, which she has done through the power of her words. She also challenges the readers with the theme of oppression that is carried out through her pomes as she felt very strongly about it by being surrounded by it her entire life. Maya Angelou has left an everlasting mark by influencing the society through her poems by inspiring others to persist towards their goals and dreams with strength and pride. Overall, Maya Angelou’s work can be attributed to the fact that her personal and cultural experiences of power have not been forgotten by overcoming adversity and oppression, which is clearly reflected in her inspiration body of work seen

However, when a baby is thrust upon her, Taylor must quickly learn how to protect those who can not look out for themselves. A story set in the 80s, Kingsolver unpacks Taylor’s realization that the world is more complex than she could have ever predicted. Through their novels, Kingsolver and Angelou are able to depict female characters as empowering to women, congratulating their inspiring actions to obtain their voices. The character of Maya Angelou faces numerous obstacles, however, her choice of actions allows her to mature and become a hero to women.

The fact that African-Americans were prejudiced and treated in an ill manner stands as a well-accepted historical statement, but the injured emotions, identity and cultural heritage of them are often neglected. is an autobiography of Maya Angelou in which she recollects her childhood memory and sends a strong message to the reader.

Angelou’s powerful and most famous work. Thursby comments on Angelou’s eloquence on “The ‘I’ of black poetry is not a singular or individualistic referent but a symbol for the idea of the black collective.” (Thursby 240) She also states that, Angelou’s word choice allows her to be able to touch her audience and improve their moral

In Maya Angelou’s “Graduation”, she discusses the discrimination

Society has an overpowering voice that can cause many negative affects on one’s mindset. Society has various expectations, sometimes forcing one to give up on what they strive for because the expectations seem impossible to achieve. In “Graduation Day,” written by Maya Angelou, her dignity becomes challenged by the discouraging words left by Mr. Donleavy. Throughout graduation, Angelou’s attitude transitions from anger to proud. Although Angelou faces adversity, through the astonishing experiences of her graduation day, she gains a greater mentality of herself.

Within the confines of “Graduation Day” by Maya Angelou lies the intricate story of an African American girl graduation the 8th grade, who struggles with the societal imbalance of the 1940s. Although various issues claim responsibility for this social imbalance, one major contributor to this predicament includes communication and word choice. Angelou, in her essay, struggles personally with understanding her role in society. At one point, she falls in to a depression in the essay. However, the loving and encouraging words of those around her bring her out of her depression and sadness.

The duration of Maya Angelou’s life saw African Americans being looked down upon by and oppressed by whites. People like Angelou weren’t seen as equals or professionals that strived for success which is something Angelou greatly defends in poetry. Angelou believes that anyone can be successful and prosper with hard work regardless of the color of their skin. In the poem “Times-Square-Shoeshine-Composition,” Angelou depicts a day in the life of an African American shoe shiner in Times Square, and a white man’s pity and refusal to support the shoe shiner’s business which can relate to all. In her poem “Times-Square-Shoeshine-Composition”, Angelou creates a distinct speaker’s voice using sound elements and structural variations to prove that African Americans can achieve success and prosperity despite being looked down upon.

Maya Angelou describes what her life with her grandmother is like while constantly being discriminated against her race. She then found her father, and he leaves Maya and Bailey off to their mother’s house. There, the mother’s boyfriend rapes Maya. After suffering from psychological shock, Maya then moves back to her grandmother’s. As a teenager Maya gets nervous about her sexual identity and tries to discover it. Through these harsh times, the naïve and softhearted Maya grows to become a strong, independent woman.