I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou Analysis

Maya Angelou is an individual with conflicting senses of personal right and wrong. In her autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, she leaves evidence of her personal guilt. Maya’s shameful childhood and ethnically unjust encounters contribute to her unclear sense of morals. In her early childhood, Maya identifies with several different parts of her family and adapts to new surroundings. At her age, assuming people are kind and warm-hearted is only natural. During an act of rape, Maya describes as such, “He held me so softly that I wished he wouldn’t ever let me go” (73). It is evident that Maya is ignorant and deceived of the true situation. She later is too ashamed to admit that he touched her, due to her previous thoughts about it;