Maya Angelou Risks

Taking risks can be a difficult choice in life. A person doesn’t know where that could lead him/her to. Taking risks is like jumping off a burning building. What that means is that taking risks isn’t just straightforward. It is sometimes necessary to take a chance because it could lead a person to somewhere good.

Maya Angelou, named at birth, Marguerite Johnson was on April 4th, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri. Her and her family moved from St. Louis to Stamps, Arkansas, where she was raised growing up. Maya Angelou was an American author, dancer, screenwriter, actress, poet and civil rights activist. Angelou gained a majority of her fame with the memoir she wrote in 1969, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. This memoir made literary history as being the first nonfiction best-seller by an African-American woman. Angelou received many awards and honors throughout her entire career. These awards included two NAACP Image Awards in the outstanding literary work (nonfiction) category, in 2005 and 2009. Angelou became one of the most legendary and influential

Maya Angelou was born April 4, 1928. Her real name is Marguerite Johnson, but she later changed it to Maya. She was born in St. Louis, shortly after her birth her family up and move to Arkansaw. Maya grew up there in the rural parts of Arkansaw, and later married to a South African Freedom Fighter. She lived in Cairo with him, there she began her career as editor of the Arab Observer.

“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.

Taking risks allows you to push beyond your limits. We all have a comfort zone where we'd like to stay and think we are entitled to certain luxuries. When you take risks, you can change that way of thinking, establish new limits, improve your ability to succeed in society. Jeannette lived an adventurous life, and many nights didn’t even eat. She was still the head of the schools newspaper and still received amazing grades. Who would have known that a little girl that lived in a old broken down house on 93 Little Hobart Street would have received a full scholarship to an Ivy League College. This was accomplished though her desire for freedom, she had the will to reach out for what she desired. All she had to do was put her mind to it, and she could become the richest person in the world if she wanted to. The inspiring Benjamin Franklin once stated, “Those who surrender freedom for security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.” We took a poll on regular elementary school students, and asked them what have they learned on their own. They all stated similar answer which related to the following, “Many times we learn the trick and the trade of real life, but some of my friends are confined to staying inside and being secure. I always want to go outside and learn something new.” The parents that put a burden on their children by making them stay indoors are

In the book, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”, by Maya Angelou the main character is Marguerite Ann Johnson (Maya). She is portrayed as a mature young girl suffering from the traumatic events associated with being a black female in America. She is said to be a smart and imaginative person. Maya felt that people judge her unfairly due to her awkward appearance. She fantasized that she actually was a blond-haired, blue-eyed girl trapped in a “black ugly dream” and would soon wake up and reveal her true identity. She faced three obstacles in the south white prejudice, black inability, and female subjugation.

Maya Angelou, who was the first African-American to work in the San Francisco streetcars, accomplished many things in her life. This fact proves that Angelou was a woman who believed in doing what needs to be done in order to accomplish her goals. Angelou made an influence on the world with her books and poems that related to diverse people in different situations, but most importantly, she fought for African-American right in the early and middle 1900s.

“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

“If you want it, go for it. Take a risk. Don't always play it safe or you just might die wondering.” - Every day we take risks, whether you know it or not. Some risks might be good some might be bad but we will never know if we don't take them. Risk taking happens from the time we wake up in the morning till the time we go to bed.

“Take risks:If you win you will be happy;if you lose you will be wise.”It’s worth taking risks in life than to never try anything new.it’s good to risk something for a big problem,risks can come with a big reward,it’s O.K to make mistakes in life just you have to learn from them.

The inspiration that one receives during her formative years often determines the type of person she will become. Inspiring people may also even change one;s personality and outlook on life. . Maya Angelou is one of many authors who sheds light on this idea in her memoir I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings. Maya Angelou wrote this autobiography in 1969 to make people aware of the Black- American lifestyle that she and many others grew up in. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings takes readers on an emotional journey of Maya’s childhood as she struggles with overcoming racism and distress.

Maya Angelou was a civil rights activist and a writer. She was born on April 4, 1928 (biography.com). I chose to write about her because I wanted to know more about the hardships she

Taking risk is one of the most sheer ways to develop as a person. By experience, You will recognize that playing it safe will lead you to an unsuccessful life, and your mistakes educates you by your faults and achievements. For instance, attaining things that you aren’t capable of doing, and making mistakes that help you enhance yourself. In a way, taking risk is exposing yourself. For example, purchasing a new wardrobe to reveal your personality. You have to be liberal to what you attempt to master, and you will develop as a person.

Angelou’s Lifestyle Connection with her Literature Maya Angelou is a well-known author, regardless of being known for her poetry, or countless autobiographies that she has written that related to some of the tragic events that took place throughout her childhood up into her adult life. Angelou used different themes throughout her work that expressed her own life experiences. Whether it was being raped as a child by her mother’s boyfriend or having the feeling that she was the person at fault when it came down to the death of her rapist. According to an article written by Smelstor and Bruce, at birth, she born with the name Marguerite Annie Johnson on April 4th, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri.

Sometimes taking a risk helps people like for example when you risk your own life for a person or animal, but doing those risks, you always sometimes regret it in the end. When you go to a theme park and ride a ride after eating too much, know right there you took a risk, a horrible one. So when taking a risk think twice or many times before taking that risk or something bad will happen and you will regret it. When taking risks you will teach yourself to succeed. You will be able to correct yourself next you do it. You learn from your mistakes when taking risks and it will build up your character.