Response Essays: Sister Flowers By Maya Angelou

Descriptive Essay: “Sister Flowers” by Maya Angelou * -------------------------------------------------
From beginning to end, the author paints a very descriptive picture; from how she sees herself, to how she sees Sister Flowers in comparison to other people around her. At first, the author describes herself as a dirty little girl, almost without purpose in life. In contrast to this, the author describes Mrs. Bertha Flowers as the epitome of beauty, grace, and all that is good in the world. Not only does the author describe Mrs. Flowers’ physical appearance, but she also tells the reader that Mrs. Flowers almost controls her own weather. The author states that Mrs. Flowers is respected by seemingly everyone around her. Through all of these descriptions, the reader has now formed an image of the perfect woman in his or her mind. * -------------------------------------------------
The author makes everyone seem ignorant or a lesser person when measured up against Mrs. Flowers. Even when the author describes a conversation between her grandmother and Mrs. Flowers, the image the reader
Flowers. A truly respectable descriptive essay has the ability to do this; provide imagery so strong that the reader will find him or herself connected with the main character, and feeling the same things as this character. In the final portion of this essay, the author is now alerting the reader’s sense of smell and taste. From the moment the little girl enters the apartment of Mrs. Flowers, the reader is just as overwhelmed by the smell of vanilla as she is. When they sit down to eat, the reader, too, can taste the round wafers and is just as refreshed by the cold, sweet lemonade. As Mrs. Flowers reads to Marguerite, the reader may find his or herself questioning his or her own abilities to recite, and how he or she may measure up to Mrs. Flowers’ sing-song