Maya Angelou as a Caged Bird Essay - 1153 Words

Maya Angelou as a Caged Bird The graduation scene from I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings illustrates how, living in the midst of racism and unequal access to opportunity, Maya Angelou was able to surmount the obstacles that stood in her way of intellectual develop and find higher ground. One of the largest factors responsible for Angelous academic success was her dedication to and capacity for hard work, My work alone has awarded me a top place...No absences, no tardinesses, and my academic work was among the best of the year (Angelou 13-14). Angelou worked hard and read a great deal in order to be able to perform on such a level, in spite of the fact that she had much less access (or none) to the quality of teachers, school†¦show more content†¦Angelou also overcame the isolation, muffling of her voice and low self-esteem that can develop in a segregated environment by looking to those who had achieved higher ground before her, in books, in music, and in art. She completely memorized The Rape of Lucr ece, was well versed in Shakespeare, knew the life and times of Booker T. Washington, and was aware of the enduring power of black music. Like Washington would advocate, through hard work, education, love of others and making herself indispensable by way of her accomplished development, Angelou was able to rise above the disadvantages of her environment repeatedly. This is not to say that feelings of low self-esteem, anger, hostility, bitterness and rage were not all feelings and emotions engendered in her by the abusive environment that she would have to let go of before she could truly find herself-on higher ground. She describes how awful it was to be black and be accused of things one could not even find opportunity to defend against. She wishes all blacks were dead, she says black is one of the colors she hates, and she wishes she could choke Donleavy to death for his exploitative, ignorant racist ideology. Yet, even when she is at her angriest, we see her wit and intellig ence shine through that anger light a bright ray of hope, the same ray of light she will eventually use to find herself and reach higher ground. HerShow MoreRelatedCaged Bird By Maya Angelou1341 Words   |  6 Pagesfitting example would be Maya Angelou, a poet, who wrote a lot about social and racial issues. In one of Angelou’s famous poems â€Å"Caged Bird† , she uses contrasting birds to express her emotions towards oppression and freedom. Angelou uses diction, imagery, and metaphor in the poem within the birds opposition to realize the perception of silence and lack of power in African American slavery. Angelou conveys her emotions of oppression and freedom through diction in â€Å"Caged Bird† in order to grasp theRead MoreThe Themes Of The Caged Bird By Maya Angelou1651 Words   |  7 PagesA poem about two birds: one caged and one free, Caged Bird by Maya Angelou is a poem loaded with personal anecdotes. Angelou contrasts the two birds throughout the poem and discusses the ideas of freedom and oppression using the birds as metaphors. The free bird is able to fly as he wishes, â€Å"daring to claim the sky†. On the other hand, the caged bird is limited to his cage, with clipped wings and tied feet, dreaming of the open sky. Because he is confined, he does what he can and begins to sing,Read MoreAnalysis Of Maya Angelou s Caged Bird 1835 Words   |  8 Pagesthe loving Dr. Maya Angelou. She was a tremendous figure in their lives and a phenomenal woman. One day my family was sitting outside, and my mom was reading a book with a lot of famous poems. The one she read a loud was Maya Angelou’s poem â€Å"Caged Bird.† She was so emotional reading this poem. During that time, I did not understand her emotions. At my high school, we would always celebrate black history month, so one day my favorite teacher brought the movie â€Å"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.† My classmatesRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Caged Bird By Maya Angelou882 Words   |  4 PagesThe poem â€Å"Caged Bird† by Maya Angelou tells the story of two birds: one bird has the luxury of freedom and the second bird lives its life caged and maltreated by an unknown tyrant. Maya Angelou wrote this poem during the Civil Rights Era, the period when black activists in the 1950’s and 1960’s fought for desegregation of African Americans. This poem parallels the oppression that African Americans were fighting during this time period. In â€Å"Caged Bird†, Angelou builds a strong contrast that showsRead MoreI Know Why The Caged Bird Sings B y Maya Angelou1391 Words   |  6 PagesMaya Angelou’s debut autobiography is an article of literature that depicts the life of a young black girl growing up in a world pitted against her, and the resilience she found in herself in order to survive. Angelou is a voice that is not often heard. In a world dominated by a white male narrative, the plights of the minority are often overshadowed. Thus, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is an imperative novel as it articulates the life of not only Angelou, but also of the unique experiences thatRead MoreMaya Angelou s I Know The Caged Bird Sings1836 Words   |  8 Pages 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 discri mination and displacement inside and outside her own community that act as metaphorical cages barring her from the freedom to be her true selfRead MoreI Know Why The Caged Bird Sings By Maya Angelou Essay2303 Words   |  10 PagesOne of the quotes that Maya Angelou spoke about goes â€Å"History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.† In two of the poems written by Maya Angelou ‘I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings,’ which inspired millions of readers helped tackle difficulties related to themes such as racism, sexual abuse, equality. â€Å"Still I Rise† explores the idea of racial discrimination along with Abel Meeropol â€Å"Strange Fruit† and ‘Caged Bird’ which was sang by AliciaRead MoreI Know Why the Caged Bird Sings - Maya Angelou6502 Words   |  27 PagesAnalysis: Chapters 1–5 The lines from the poem Maya cannot finish, â€Å"What are you looking at me for? I didn’t come to stay . . .† capture two of the most significant issues she struggles with in her childhood and young adulthood: feeling ugly and awkward and never feeling attached to one place. First, Maya imagines that though people judge her unfairly by her awkward looks, they will be surprised one day when her true self emerges. At the time, she hopes that she will emerge as if in a fairy-taleRead MoreI Know Why The Caged Bird Sings By Maya Angelou886 Words   |  4 PagesChampion of the World is a chapter in Maya Angelou s book I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings where the focal point describes a very significant event to the African American people during her adolescence. It shows a 1930’s black community fired up about a fight over racial resentment build up over the past years. The famous African American boxer, Joe Louis, it fighting for his title against a white contender. The story explains in detail the overwhelming amount of excitement and eagerness comingRead MoreEssay on I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou2409 Words   |  10 Pagesskin. Since they were evidently treated differently, many despised the fact that they were black. As a result of their helpless circumstances, it was understandable that many blacks during that time lacked confidence and self-acceptance. Maya Angelou was an African American girl who grew up during this challenging time. During her childhood, she witnessed and experienced racial prejudice first hand. She had difficultly understanding and accepting the consequences that accompanied belonging