Maya Angelou Embodiment of
Expository Essay
Dr. Maya Angelou
“Still I Rise”
Cheryl Parker-Fields
April 11, 2010
Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “Favor comes because for a brief moment in the great space of human change and progress some general human purpose finds in him a satisfactory embodiment.”(www.brainyquote.com) Throughout many centuries in American history, at some point or another there has been a great struggle for African- American people. A struggle filled with many disappointments embodied by raw emotion that has built strength and courage in a people where hope seemed unreachable. Some argue the strength and courage attributed to the work and tireless efforts came from many within the race and those who saw a greater vision for them. One noted and extraordinary person responsible for this is Dr. Maya Angelou. This expository essay will focus on Maya Angelou and the Embodiment of Courage, which has a powerful place in the vision of change and progress sought by a nation of people, will illustrate to illustrate how she embodies the concept of courage though her early life experiences, poetry, and speeches. In selecting this topic, I wanted to capture the essence of the Embodiment of Courage behind Dr. Angelou’s speeches. Her speeches make use of words, which appeal to my raw human emotions, while illustrating the progress oppressed people in America have made. The importance of this topic to the audience is due to people having come to fear what they do not understand and she is effective at providing an alternative perspective than those of ignorance and hate. In pulling together research for this topic, there are several avenues available with a wealth of information, where and what to pull was taxing. I found it taxing because each speech, poem or other writings by Dr. Maya Angelou captures the embodiment of courage on some level, from the public, to the academic realm, to the big screen and the 1993 inauguration of President Bill Clinton. However, there is
Dr. Maya Angelou
“Still I Rise”
Cheryl Parker-Fields
April 11, 2010
Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “Favor comes because for a brief moment in the great space of human change and progress some general human purpose finds in him a satisfactory embodiment.”(www.brainyquote.com) Throughout many centuries in American history, at some point or another there has been a great struggle for African- American people. A struggle filled with many disappointments embodied by raw emotion that has built strength and courage in a people where hope seemed unreachable. Some argue the strength and courage attributed to the work and tireless efforts came from many within the race and those who saw a greater vision for them. One noted and extraordinary person responsible for this is Dr. Maya Angelou. This expository essay will focus on Maya Angelou and the Embodiment of Courage, which has a powerful place in the vision of change and progress sought by a nation of people, will illustrate to illustrate how she embodies the concept of courage though her early life experiences, poetry, and speeches. In selecting this topic, I wanted to capture the essence of the Embodiment of Courage behind Dr. Angelou’s speeches. Her speeches make use of words, which appeal to my raw human emotions, while illustrating the progress oppressed people in America have made. The importance of this topic to the audience is due to people having come to fear what they do not understand and she is effective at providing an alternative perspective than those of ignorance and hate. In pulling together research for this topic, there are several avenues available with a wealth of information, where and what to pull was taxing. I found it taxing because each speech, poem or other writings by Dr. Maya Angelou captures the embodiment of courage on some level, from the public, to the academic realm, to the big screen and the 1993 inauguration of President Bill Clinton. However, there is