Americans in the 1940’s valued education in a different way than they do today. Americans of that era considered graduating from the eighth-grade the completion of public schooling for many. In her memoir “Graduation Day,” Maya Angelou describes the events and excitement leading up to and including her eighth-grade graduation ceremony. The events that take place at her graduation transform Angelou’s views of her education in a profound manner. The value Angelou places on her education increases throughout the events of her graduation.
Angelou’s value of education strengthens when her community celebrates and encourages her scholastic accomplishments and her continuing education. Angelou’s value of education progresses from an already elevated level. The patrons of the family store display support for Angelou’s educational ventures by gifting money to her “… with the instruction ‘keep on moving to higher ground’” (Angelou, 2014, p. 183). The people of the store see the value in continuing Angelou’s education. The people want Angelo to achieve a better means of living than they themselves could afford; they know that her education would play a key role. This encouragement strengthens the value she places on education when she realizes the overwhelming support her community provides. Similarly, Angelou’s family bolsters the value she places on education. The growth comes when she receives “… a soft-leather-bound copy of a collection of poems by Edgar
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Summary Of Graduation Day By Maya Angelou
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esteem and consider it important. In “Graduation Day,” Maya Angelou recounts the narrative of graduating from the Lafayette County Training School in the small town of Stamps, Arkansas in 1940. Angelou calls attention to the value that she and her community share for education, starting with the community showering the graduates with gifts and ending with the community feeling reassured through understanding the Negro National Anthem at the end. During the graduation ceremony, the commencement speaker
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Analyzing Maya Angelou's 'Graduation'
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“Graduation” by Maya Angelou: “Graduation” Summary “Graduation” written by Maya Angelou focuses on her eighth grade graduation in Stamps, Arkansas. She examines the difference between white and black schools and overall the lack of equality in the south. Before graduation the entire community is excited for the grammar and high school graduation. The underclassman begin to fill in the roles left by the outgoing seniors while the outgoing seniors start acting and be treated like adults. The joy of
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Analyzing Maya Angelou's 'Graduation'
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AP Lang Summer Reading Assignment “Graduation” by Maya Angelou, Page 15 1.Summary In the article “Graduation” by Maya Angelou, Marguerite Johnson tells of the time she graduated from Lafayette County Training School in Stamps, Arkansas of the year 1940. She notes the excitement of the classes that were moving up as well as her graduating class. The juniors’ exerted new authority over lower grades while the seniors attended the last few days of school with little motivation. Marguerite
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Analyzing Maya Angelou's Essay 'Graduation'
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Michelle Nam Discussion Preparation (Summer Homework) 1.) “Graduation” Summary: Maya Angelou’s essay is describing her eighth grade graduation and the racism that was prominent at that time. With an explanation of the roles at graduation, she begins excited for her own graduation but as she listens to the speech of a white man, she becomes angered with the racial discrimination that was hinted at in his speech. In the midst of her anger, she regained hope from the black valedictorian’s speech and
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