Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou once said, “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it”. Perseverance is exactly that: overcoming struggles and not being defeated. There are many different ways to interpret the meaning of the word perseverance. This is the idea that will be explained in this paper. Perseverance is the topic of this essay because it is a main theme that has been explored in the books read by the freshmen English class. Perseverance is an idea that mostly has one definition, but the meaning of the word can be understood many different ways by different people. Perseverance is a universal

In her essay “Champion of the World” by Maya Angelou, she talks about a boxing fight that took place when she was a minor while working at her uncle's store. The fight was between African American and White American. The fight was a huge deal to the black race because they want to prove them that they're equal too like them. The fight wasn’t just about winning to them, it's for their freedom too. Angelou is telling us about how she knew that Joe Louis was more than just a boxer. Louis was a hero to the African American society. She explains how significant it was for Louis to win the fight and what the consequences could be if he did not win.

In an excerpt from her novel I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings called “Graduation,” Maya Angelou narrates the anticipation surrounding graduation in her small town of Stamps, Alabama. Angelou effectively contrives noteworthy differences between paragraphs 1 through 5 and 6 through 10 through the use of emotional and descriptive diction, powerfully bold comparisons, and a shift in perspective in order to instill pride and dignity in Angelou and her race despite the era’s highlighted social injustices which she endures.

Throughout life we go through many stepping stones, Maya Angelou's autobiographical essay "Graduation", was about more than just moving on to another grade. The unexpected events that occurred during the ceremony enabled her to graduate from the views of a child to the more experienced and sometimes disenchanting views of an adult. Upon reading the story there is an initial feeling of excitement and hope which was quickly tarnished with the awareness of human prejudices. The author vividly illustrates many mood changes she undergoes throughout the story.

“I’m a woman…Phenomenal woman, that’s me.” This quote from Maya Angelou’s poem “Phenomenal Woman” characterizes the common theme between the novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston, the speech, “Ain’t I a Woman”, by Sojourner Truth, and “Phenomenal Woman”. The common theme between these three different pieces is the idea of a strong, independent woman, which ties into feminism and the concept of being equal to men. Even though these three pieces are each diverse genres, they are all conveying the same general theme in their own way. Throughout any of these texts, it is evident that the authors are pushing the idea that a female is not inferior to any man just because they have a different body structure or a different gender.

Maya Angelou acclaimed poet and author wrote a poem entitled “America”. The poem offers words of truth of our country America. The poem begins, “ The gold of her promise, has never been mined.” America, promises us that all men are created equal. The first problem with the promise is we are not all men. The gold of her promise, address equality. Although it is promised to all in this country, its never delivered, when discrimination, of race and gender are still existent. “Her borders of justice, not clearly defined.” We all have our opinions on what justice is, because circumstances differ when we speak of justice in the terms of punishment, to make up for ones wrong doing. Yet, the borders of justice are not

As a matter of fact this particular poem requires thinking to understand that the writer is trying to say to the reader. This next quote is the last stanza in the poem “Phenomenal Women.” “ The need for my care. Cause I’m a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, that’s me”(Angelou). Maya Angelou is trying to say in this quote that at some point in life a man will need the care of a woman. Although she might not be what many men would want, but yet again mot many men choose the most beautiful women out there, but they do choose what is inside of a woman such as their

The literary works “Indian Education” by Sherman Alexie and “Champion of the World” by Maya Angelou both contribute to the very prevalent subject of cultural pride and diversity. However, each author strives to attain this common result through different rhetorical techniques. Angelou narrates a memory of watching African American Joe Louis win a televised boxing match, with the goal of exhibiting the steadfast conviction of African Americans in the face of discrimination. She attempts to provide a heightened sense of realism in “Champion of the World” through her use of colloquial dialect and rather informal style, which allow for a much more comprehensible work. Alexie writes about his experiences from his first grade year to graduation, using them to illustrate for his audience the hardships in the lives of Native Americans both on and off reservations. He creates a somber effect in “Indian Education” through formal diction and a rigid organization of content. The arrangement of his narrative into sections causes it to appear both orderly and understandable for his audience. Although both works achieve the similar goal of communicating the struggle of minorities, the use of specific rhetorical techniques give each work an entirely different effect.

The two literary works, “Ain 't I a Woman?” and “Sweat,” focus on the lives of African-American women and the racial inequalities and gender stereotypes they face. In Zora Neale Hurtson’s short story “Sweat,” Delia challenges the male-dominant relationship between herself and her husband, Sykes, by being the provider in their household. As a person of color in the 1920s, Delia already lacks power in society; because of her gender, she is also objectified in her home by an abusive husband. Delia’s tolerance of Sykes’s disrespect towards her fades throughout the story, redefining Delia’s perception of herself as a woman. At the end of the story, Delia finally experiences freedom from Sykes’s objectification, when she chooses not to save him,

In 1936, Maya and her brother traveled back to her mother in St. Louis, Missouri. During her visit, Angelou was raped by her mother's boyfriend at the age of eight("Encyclopedia of World Biography"). When she revealed what had happened, her uncles beat the man to death("Maya's Childhood and Youth"). Traumatized and shocked by the power of her words, Angelou became mute for the next five years(Moore). She was sent to Stamps once again due to no one being able to handle her state of condition. In Stamps, a female named Mrs. Flowers and her grandmother helped Angelou regain the confidence and pride she once had. Angelou and her brother went back to their mother again. As this was still difficult for her, Angelo ran away to live with her father

Majority of African American women get judged on the day to day basis. When scrolling through social media there will be large amounts of individuals who will bully or even belittle a colored female because of the natural kinks of her hair, her sense of fashion, the full shaped curves of her body, and the color of her skin . The poem “Still I Rise” by the well-known poet, Maya Angelou, specifically describes the reasons why she had so much confidence; even if she were to be judged by her appearances and mindset. This poem is about embracing females, but it mainly introduces similar life situations that many African American women have experienced. The symbols and point of view that Angelou specifically added in her poem made her readers realize that there are many meanings to this poem.

That night, the life of all African American people from that period of time will change. Joe Louis is going to defend his world title against a white contender. For many people that is just another boxing match, but for all the African American people is not just a title match. That match is the chance to show the world what they are made of. At the same time they have the opportunity to show the whole world that they can be more than just another black worker or another black maid.

Kunwarjeet Sodhi Analysis Essay Class: A3 In Momma, The Dentist and Me, Angelou the main character towards the end of the story says “I preferred, much preferred, my version”. While she doesn't say why she prefers her version we can assume that it had to do with her mother being her hero and her actions at Dentist Lincoln's office. Angelou and her mother visit Dentist Lincoln, who is a white doctor, to fix Angeles cavities. Upon reaching Doctor Lincoln’s office the Doctor denies them service as they were Negroes.

In “The Story of an Hour” and the poem “Still I Rise” Kate Chopin and Maya Angelou have explored the theme of oppression in a variety of different ways. “The Story of an Hour” is a short story based around how dramatically things can change within the space of an hour and how this can affect your life in the short period of time. Within the hour Mr Mallard is presumed dead in a railroad disaster, resulting in Mrs Mallard short lived ‘freedom’ after years of being oppressed, before soon learning that her husband is not dead as she encounters him. This shock triggers an ongoing heart problem and Mrs Mallard is soon confirmed dead. “Still I Rise” is a poem based around Maya Angelou and how she will overcome challenges that are thrown at her.

When the persona watched her from a far, it seemed as if she was just a “dancing Shape” that “haunted” him. This suggests that despite being a vague figure then, the woman still stirred deep emotions within the persona that lingered thereafter. Moreover, these feelings only grew when the persona saw her from a “nearer view”, not only was she a “Spirit” but a “Woman!” as well. Wordsworth indicates that a woman is a more virtuous being than any other entity by contrasting it with “spirit” and using an exclamation mark to emphasize its importance. Furthermore, the woman is implied to be pure and angelic as she is “light and free” in her movement and takes steps of “virgin liberty”. This indicates that the persona’s lover is untainted and will remain so – making her even more desirable. Finally, in the last stanza, the persona is looking at her with “eyes serene” and remarks that she is a “perfect” woman. By shifting the tenses from past to present, and using the word “serene”, Wordsworth suggests that the persona is more collected and older now. Also, it is inferred that the persona is in love with woman as he does not correlate her with anything other than herself and finally sees her in her whole