Maya Angelou Obstacles

The inequality of women is also vital in the novel written by Maya Angelou, “I know why the caged bird sings” a powerful and truly moving autobiography “written at the end of the civil right struggles in the 1960’s” (8). The reception of the novel was incredible, it is the most highly acclaimed of her autobiographies, making Angelou “one of the most renowned black women in America” (9). Maya Angelou describes her “caged life as a black girl growing up in the south” (10), her lost youth, the dangers of innocence and need for emotional and physical affection, “I had given up some youth for knowledge, but my gain was more valuable than the loss” (5). In the 1920’s and 1940’s, America was separated by discrimination and prejudice not only between

Maya Angelou once said “We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated” and this phrase speaks volume in comparison to Angelou’s life story. She was born Marguerite Ann Johnson on April 4th, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri. The name Maya was given to her by her older brother, Bailey Jr. Maya Angelou is not only a sister, but also an inspirational role model, a mother, an author, a poet, a civil rights activist, and an actor. In 1969 Angelou’s world renowned book “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” was first published. Within the book, she speaks on her early life as an insecure young black girl who had to grow up in Southern America in the 1930s and later in California during the 1940s. Written over and over in a multitude of history books, black history still remains in the shadow of being a horrific story that Africans and decedents of Africans had to endure. Angelou’s autobiography is a testimony to first-hand witness accounts of the social injustice people of color had to experience. Within Angelou’s book, she shows her strength and inner will to do better. Along with early life, Angelou also speaks on her resistance against racism during her life in both Southern America and California. Angelou’s resistance is not the only one noticed during this time though. Many other African Americans also resisted racism by installing fear in those of the “superior race”, demanding respect by vocalizing voices of the unheard, and as well as moving forward to desegregation

Maya Angelou’s use of symbolism in the book is used to describe her displacement in society and how difficult it is to find self-identity, revealing the form of being a “Caged bird.” Maya is a caged bird because she is aware of the displacement of blacks in America and the entitlement and freedom of whites. “if growing up is as painful for the southern girl, being aware of her displacement is the rust on the razor that threatens the throat” (Angelou 4). Angelou is aware because of the color of her skin, she is living in a society that does not want her or anyone who looks like her. With her awareness Angelou, “...escapes stasis to become a subject in the perpetual process of forming and emerging. It is a dynamic subjectivity that emerges out

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 memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is an autobiography written by Maya Angelou as she grew up in the mid-20th century, where being a black girl and facing racial issues in society, had to overcome many problems that show the larger issue of the time period. I chose this book over the other nineteen memoirs because of the strong recommendations I received from my fellow class mates, and because of my interest in racial issues during the terrible times of segregation. Life was not fair, and Maya Angelou had to face a lot during the 30’s and 40’s in order to try to live a normal lifestyle and become a confident person. Maya shares her story with us to increase our knowledge of racism, prejudice, unequal treatment of women, and sexual

“A Rock, A River, [and] A Tree”(1) are three objects mentioned in Maya Angelou’s poem spoken at Bill Clinton’s inauguration ceremony, “On The Pulse Of Morning.” These objects remain through all of Earth’s history to represent our past and future. Sunlight is used to represent the unified future that is to come in this poem, and shadow is used to represent hatred, and ignorance. The title of the poem refers to this improved future, represented by a sunrise, which begins to portray the motif of light and shadow throughout the poem. When we are approached by this new beginning, we have the “space to place new steps of change”(98). She wants to eliminate all discrimination and ignorance in our future. Maya Angelou also wrote a memoir, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, which carries out the theme of progress and advancement. Throughout her life you can see her rise through all of the hardships she faces, such as racism and rape. Rape is not discussed in the

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.

The characters in the novel I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings were affected by both society and family. In the south at the time, African-Americans were defined as housemaids/servants, unintelligent, and barbaric. Maya Angelou stepped outside of the negative stereotype by using her intelligence and persevering through tough times. While Maya lacked the physical appearance of the rest of her family, she excelled at school and in her studies. During the novel, Maya realized that she did not need to conform to society’s ideals to be successful. Bailey Johnson Jr. faced pressure from society to be a supportive brother even though he really wanted to be more like his masculine father.

As Maya was living with Mrs.Annie Henderson, Maya and her brother learned family values. Every night before Maya and Bailey Jr. went to bed , Mrs. Annie Henderson and their Uncle Willie made sure their homework was done , their prayers were said, and their feet were washed (Liandrelli 19).”It was her older brother Bailey Johnson Jr. who had given Marguerite her name when he refused to call her Marguerite, but addressed her as Mya sister , then My, and finally Maya (14). Growing up, Maya had a good education and learned all she needed to , then she went to

In Maya Angelou’s I Know the Caged Bird Sings (1969), the reader is absorbed into a personal account of her life starting from her childhood to young adulthood during the 1930s and 1940s. From a young age, Maya witnessed the first-hand effects of racism in the South for blacks growing up alongside her brother, Bailey. In the novel, Angelou faces racial discrimination and displacement inside and outside her own community that act as metaphorical cages barring her from the freedom to be her true self.

As an African American women living in the segregated era. She became involved in the civil right movement alongside Dr. Martin Luther king. As an activist to civil right movement, she many of her works express the frustration of the oppression of African American were dealing with in a prejudiced world by speaking about the issue through her writing, like many great leaders. Maya can connect with her reader with from her writing. Maya is writing give hope for those who suffer from in the past of segregation. In her autobiography, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings she talks about the anger of watching her grandmother staying silent until a disrespectful white girls, because she was raised to believe children should respect elderly and act properly. As a child, she could not understand why black people treated as a second-class citizen to the point where they could not eat a certain color ice cream on a certain day even if they hold a higher standard in the community. She speaks of her experiences of seeing her uncle hiding in the potato bin because the fear of being Lynch by angry racist seeking revenge. She dealt with being called out her name by employee who doesn’t acknowledge her and dined medical treatment by a man her grandmother help because he rather touch a dog mouth then an n*gger. As a child her grandmother teach bailey and her the proper way to behave but it anger her

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

Before the mid to late 1900s, women, especially African American, were inferior to men. They were expected to do their work in the house and let the men do the hard labor to bring in the money. They were excluded from certain tasks and places either because they were colored or a woman. Many women during the time tried to change these standards and combat discrimination. In Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, the protagonist, Janie, goes through multiple marriages, each of which tells their own story and has their own obstacles. Throughout the book, the readers are able to see Janie’s transformation as a character and her female voice begins to be more prominent. In Maya Angelou’s autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya encounters multiple experiences that portray the racist time period. She lives with her grandmother, Momma, and both the these women are greatly respected throughout the community. All these women overcome discrimination and shut down the patriarchal view of the time.