Maya Angelou Hero

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.

Maya Angelou is a poet and award-winning author known for her acclaimed memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and her many poetry and essay collections. So many things happen to Maya Angelou but she was amazing and a brave woman too not everyone would be same after what happen to her. Maya Angelou has become the most amazing singer, dancer, actress, poet and writer she is even an author of autobiography “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” a book that tells the things that setback and helped Maya to be who she is now. She had a lot of the events in her life that 's helped and setback her life, this was part of her life now. The set setback that made a lot of impact in her life was, what helped her was when miss flower started teaching her literature. So the teacher that helped her is Miss Bertha flowers she helped Maya to talk again so she encouraged her into an interest in literature.

Her work includes the story of her life, from her childhood to the birth of her own child ("Maya Angelou”). I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, though has indicated debate, is taught in some classrooms but banned in others (Cox). The most uncomfortable part of her autobiography is the rape that she describes; considering the novel was written from a child’s point of view, the graphic rape scene is considered more controversial (Cox). Angelou’s openness about rape broke silence and became a turning point in women’s autobiographies (Sickles). Before Angelou wrote I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, rape victims were encouraged to stay silent. Now rape victims are understood, welcomed, and encouraged to speak (Sickels). Her autobiography seemed to be written so “people who had been raped might forgive themselves” (Sickles.)

To me a hero is someone who can overcome trials and tribulations. A hero is brave enough to face the world and help others in a time of need. Langston Hughes is a good example of a hero because he helped his community and other young people in the world.

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.

Maya Angelou is courageous because she fell silent, but she still managed to find her voice through writing. Growing up in the South as an African-American female in the 30's-40's is complex because of all the racial injustices that happened day to day. Maya Angelou was sexually assaulted at the age of eight by her mother's boyfriend (Biography.com). This was only the beginning. Angelou confided in her brother, Bailey, and her uncle found out. Her rapist was then found severely beaten; as a result, she fell silent for five years and blamed herself for the situation. Angelou was sure of the fact that her uncle was the one killed her rapist, and she could not stand for this. She took the burden of going mute because it was her words that caused a life to be taken. Consequently, Angelou voiced her experiences through poetry because no one could take this away from her. Another example of being courageous is how she overcame the sexual assault. While being silent for five years, she studied writing. Her most famous piece is "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings." This book was about her traumatic childhood experiences and how she overcame them. Angelou's story became known as the first nonfiction best-seller by an African-American woman (Biography.com). Maya Angelou has a lot of bravery for falling silent and then soaring through the clouds with success.

Maya Angelou, a mother, a dancer, a singer, an actress, a poet, an author, and a civil rights activist, has become one of the most influential women in the world. Growing up as an African-American in the most racial conflictive years, Angelou has faced many struggles throughout her life. Those struggles didn’t stop her from doing what she loved and standing up for what she believed in. Angelou never gave up and always fought for justice whether it was through writing, performing, or speaking. Maya Angelou’s life experiences have influenced how she writes and performs.

Heroes are people with a kind heart and strong mind, standing for what they believe in and putting their life in harm’s way for the rights of other people. Whether their fighting in a war, Marching for civil rights, saving people from fires or singing on a stage; all heroes have a purpose and that’s to save lives and that’s why heroes are needed and extremely important. Beowulf and Sir Gawain are both literary heroes we have studied and Beyoncé Gisselle Knowles Carter is my personal hero.

A hero is someone who is admired idolized for fulfilling virtues and honorable achievement not only for themselves, but for other. There are money great and noble hero’s that made huge impact on the world and today’s society. Being hero can be very risk and put your life in jeopardy. Many people have died for been injured for being such great heroes. Hero’s such us martin Luther King Jr. strived and worked hard to make sure segregation come to an end. Mlk is a hero and change many lives as he fought for civil rights. He writes on how action needed to be taken for this to change. He fight for equal right cannot be change with people obeying laws.

In Maya Angelou’s I know why the caged Bird Sings Maya goes from being a very young and sporadic girl to a loving and nurturing mother. Throughout Maya’s life she goes through many trials and tribulations. By finding refuge and strength in her family she surpasses racism, rape, and displacement issues.

“A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, a bird sings because it has a song.” This is a quote stated by Maya Angelou herself. Marguerite Ann Johnson was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1928. As a child she grew the nickname Maya from her brother who was her closest friend. As children they both moved around a lot with they’re family and mid childhood ended up in Stamps, Arkansas, where they would live with they’re grandmother. Maya’s grandmother, “Momma” as they called her, helped Maya as best as she could to have the best life she could, but Maya faced many different obstacles that shaped her to who she is. “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings” is a memoir about Maya and these obstacles and cages she overcomes. Angelou encounters an array

A hero is someone who has characteristics like Rosa Parks. Parks was not a bystander who was too afraid to stand up for what she believed in; hence, why Rosa is known today, that is because she stood up for herself and others to make a difference in black people’s lives. Rosa Parks is a hero because she helped out people by doing what was right and not being worried about what would happen to her as a result of her refusal. “You must never be fearful about what you are doing if it is right.” -Rosa Parks True heroes are not afraid to stand up for what they believe in even if they stand

A strong and influential memoirist is able to 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, embodies what it takes to neither be a hero nor a victim as she recollects her past. Growing up, Maya Angelou not only suffered from white prejudice and female gender inequality, she was presented with a feeling of powerlessness.

In Maya Angelou’s autobiographical book I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, she reveals stories from her life. From humorous, to tragic, to inspiring, these stories reveal Angelou’s life to readers. Throughout the book, readers are taken from place to place learning about how Angelou grows from a small child hates herself to a young woman who has found where she belongs in the world. Through her life experiences, Maya Angelou finds her identity by not allowing life to overpower her but to empower her.

In I Know why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou we see self-belief and overcoming adversity when Maya Angelou is talking about the caged bird being trapped in the cage with her wings clipped and her feet tied and the caged bird still tries to open his throat to sing, this can be referenced to the black people when Maya Angelou was growing up and the free bird could be referenced as the white people in this story because the free bird could do anything and fly free in the air as much as they want, but the caged bird is trapped in the caged with nothing they can do. This could all reference to the time when Maya Angelou was growing up because when she was growing up there was a lot of racism around the American people and also gender inequality.