Many struggle with the concept of growing up. Some struggle with school work others with social status or making friends. These problems can be narrowed down to one thing that is the most important thing to have while growing up. Not friends, not perfect grades, not the newest car, but confidence. Confidence allows one to excel of what you are good at, but when you sit back and doubt yourself you will never make it to where you dream of being.
Marguerite in “Why the Caged Bird Sings” was good at school work and reading and liked it too. She should be confident in that but that confidence should push her to be better. As Mrs.Flowers “Why the Caged Bird Sings” said “Your grandmother says you read a lot. Every chance you get. That is good, but not good enough. Words mean more than what is set down on paper….” (Angelou, 56) This showing that confidence can help her push to get better, to advance into life with one foot ahead of where she was.
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Let it push you to be as good or better than them. David from “On Being Seventeen Bright and Unable to Read” says “They would make fun of me every chance they got, asking me to spell words like “cat” or something like that.” (Raymond 79) That could have been used to maybe ask for help sooner, or even try to find ways around his problem. That shaming that other kids brought him could have only brought him confidence, to be better than what he is now. In “The Utterly Perfect Murder” Doug was seeking revenge for how Ralph treated him as a child, such as bullying and disrespecting him. He thinks back to a moment in his childhood with Ralph “Remember how he hit my arm? Bruises. I was covered with bruises, both arms; dark blue, mottled black, strange yellow bruises.” (Bradbury 21) Now if Doug had the confidence to say stop and go find other people to be around he could have been a lot better off. He would be able to move on and not feel the need to “kill”
After Maya started speaking again at the age of 13, thanks to one of her teacher and as well as a family friend, Mrs. Bertha Flowers who helped her cope though that ruff time period, she had a whole new outlook on what she wanted to do with her life . “It was through literature that she found her voice again. And what a voice it was and is.” (Emilie M. Townes). By the age of 14, during World War II, Maya was living with her mother and brother in Oakland California. She attended the California Labor School where she had won a scholarship to study drama and dance at San Francisco’s Labor School. Three weeks after graduating from school at the age of 17, she gave birth to her son who was named Guy Johnson. Shortly afterwards, she dropped out of school and became the first African American female cable car conductor.
She first learns about confidence in life as she faces a problem. One example is, “I know how to make choices and speak up for myself.” (319) She understands her own fate and she knows how to control her feelings as well. To add on, “I had found my proper place. I was sure of it.” (321) This is how her confidence builds up as she says that she was sure of it. That type of feeling determines that fate of whether it’s right or wrong. Confidence is one of the traits she learned in order to pass different obstacles.
Maya Angelou is a leader by example, she sets the standard by her actions and the stories she tells teaches the audience a lesson. Majority of her work is to inform us of the past and she wants us to learn from her experiences in life; she is a life teacher. The purpose of this poem was to inform us of the history of our country. The poem is titled “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings” and her purpose of writing this is to teach the reader why the caged bird sings. Maya Angelou wants to put the reader in her shoes to get the ultimate experience of racial inequality but instead by taking the role of a caged bird or a free bird.
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.
In Francine Prose’s essay “I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Sing” Prose tends to evoke her unsureness on why schools use certain books to teach students their moral values. Prose argues that certain books should be taught in English classes, that in fact, teach students their values. Prose uses several literary examples, such as Frankenstein, How To a Kill A Mockingbird, The Great Gatsby, etc. She also provides several controversial opinions, such as using different books to try and teach students, like The Diary of a Young Girl, Teaching The Novel, and many more that she has personally read in her lifetime. She also claims that teacher should start teaching curriculum that has meaning and that will provide skills that a student would
African Americans living in the south face a lot of hate and prejudice. The civil rights movement improved the lives of many blacks. Maya Angelou in her memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, uncovers the racism that blacks face and how Maya begins to think she is less equal that whites.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, an autobiographical novel written by Maya Angelou, was published in the year 1969. The novel follows Maya as a young girl facing challenges such as racism and sexism following the civil rights movement. While reading the book, the reader is introduced to events in history such as the Great Depression and World War II.
What was the effect of the Black fighter, Joe Louis ' victory over his white opponent?
Everybody in the town of Stamps always trembled with the anticipation. Today is the day that all the large classes from grammar school and high school were finally graduating. As the ceremony began the principal welcomed parents and friends. The principal talked about the “great leader” Booker T. Washington our great leader. Like a river diminishing to a stream and then to a trickle his voice became quiet.. He cleared his throat and said “ Our speaker tonight, who is also our friend, came from Texarkana to deliver the commencement address, but due to irregularity of the train schedule, he’s going to, as they say ‘speak and run’. He said that we understood and we wanted the man to know that we were most grateful for the time he was able to give
“The hardest part about growing up is letting go of what you were used to, and moving on with something you’re not.” Growing up can be fantastic. Growing up can also be scary. Many people do it on their own time. Others must do it quickly. Some have a nurturing family and a wonderful environment in which to do this. Others still are not as fortunate. The point is that everyone’s situation is different, unique. No matter how similar one situation may seem from another there are countless other things that affect how a child might grow up. One’s own life may seem perfect to those on the outside looking in when in reality, there could be a constant struggle that is known to few or even none. For myself, growing up was something that had to
In the literature “I know Why the Caged Bird Sings” the Exposition is “When I was three and Bailey four, we has arrived in the musty little town, we are from Long Beach, California, en route to Stamps, Arkansas, c/o Mrs. Annie Henderson. This passage give the introduction of three important characters in the story. It creates the tone by understanding that Marguerite and Bailey are moving to different states, and they do not sound excited at all. The Foreshadowing is when Marguerite AKA as Ritie said this in the passage “Bad nights my mother would take me in to speed with her, in the large bed with Mr. Freeman.” “It became a habit, I thought it was nothing strange about sleeping there. The clues and hints that
Throughout her life, Marguerite experiences many different situations and people that all contribute to the way she grows up and the person she becomes. Despite some of her tragic circumstances, she learns a lot growing up, mainly because of the African-American women in her life who teach her all different life lessons. In I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Marguerite gets to absorb teachings from her mother (Vivian), Mrs. Bertha Flowers, and her grandmother (Momma). These women allow Marguerite to learn and grow as an African-American female, all while paving her own way.
“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” poem by Maya Angelou, is similar to the screenplay “The Long Walk Home” by Richard Pearce. They are both similar because in the poem there is a caged bird. I think the caged birds in the long walk home are Odessa and Miriam. Odessa is a caged bird because of her race,she doesn’t have many privileges as the white people do. One thing she couldn’t do was ride the bus because of the boycott, if they did ride the bus they had to sit in the back no matter if there was a seat available in the front of the bus.
Storytelling helps other people to emotionally connect themselves to the author so that they know they are not the only ones who are experiencing a painful or exciting experience, and are able to share the same emotions. It often helps other people to know what they should do in order to get over it when it comes to a painful experience. Maya Angelou’s I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings explores the life of Maya Angelou and the struggles she has been throughout her childhood to her adulthood. Richard Wagemese’s Indian Horse explores the life of Saul Indian Horse and the struggles he has been through after departing from his family. The power of storytelling can unfold questions which ask the audience of how and why are the events are unfold the
Welcome, today we will be taken on a journey by deconstructing and analysing the poem "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou. This poem explores the theme of Oppression which illustrates the nature of helicopter parenting upon today's youth. We will include a contemporary source which likewise explores this challenging youth issue. Essentially, this poem displays the damage that helicopter parenting can have on a child’s youth, oppressing them, taking their childhood away from them.