Maya Angelou Racism
Racism was a huge issue in the 1900’s. The blacks and the whites were greatly segregated from each other. In the book “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”, Maya Angelou explains how she experienced racism through her lifetime. As Maya was growing up, she was never around white people, but as she got older she experienced more racism; by the end of the book Maya has friendships with all different types of people, including white people, and as a result she starts believing in herself and that not all white people are racist. While Maya was growing up she was surrounded by many racist people. While the narrator was recounting Bailey and Maya entering the white area of town, she perceived that, “most Black children didn’t really, absolutely
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As a teenager, Maya had lived in a junkyard with a few friends. Maya was on her way, about to distance herself away from her friends and while they were all in the junkyard, Maya spoke and said, "I was never sense again to sense to myself outside the pale of human race" (254). At this moment, what Maya meant was that she herself, and many others are not able to see or sense themselves as a normal human due to all of the racism that was going around. Maya had learned many skills and ways of living in the junkyard. She interacted with many different races of people. During this month she realized that not everyone is racist and disrespectful. Maya had gone through multiple important blood tests and other kinds of tests, and finally, after all she's gone through, she was finally accepted at the job she very much wanted to work at. "I was hired as the first negro on the San Francisco streetcars" (269). Maya could not believe that she was able to get the job of her dreams. As an African American female, it was difficult to get noticed and get a job that not many people had. Maya’s confidence grew greatly because she knew she could accomplish anything as long as she put her mind to it and did not let anything stop her. Maya’s view on racism throughout the story has changed greatly. At the beginning of the book, when Maya was younger, she believed everyone
As a teenager, Maya had lived in a junkyard with a few friends. Maya was on her way, about to distance herself away from her friends and while they were all in the junkyard, Maya spoke and said, "I was never sense again to sense to myself outside the pale of human race" (254). At this moment, what Maya meant was that she herself, and many others are not able to see or sense themselves as a normal human due to all of the racism that was going around. Maya had learned many skills and ways of living in the junkyard. She interacted with many different races of people. During this month she realized that not everyone is racist and disrespectful. Maya had gone through multiple important blood tests and other kinds of tests, and finally, after all she's gone through, she was finally accepted at the job she very much wanted to work at. "I was hired as the first negro on the San Francisco streetcars" (269). Maya could not believe that she was able to get the job of her dreams. As an African American female, it was difficult to get noticed and get a job that not many people had. Maya’s confidence grew greatly because she knew she could accomplish anything as long as she put her mind to it and did not let anything stop her. Maya’s view on racism throughout the story has changed greatly. At the beginning of the book, when Maya was younger, she believed everyone