I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Kelly Kolodziej
Mrs. Dobos
English 10 Honors, Period 7
14 February 2011
Insecurity of Gaining Pride in Oneself Have you ever considered how a young, insecure, black girl growing up in the South during the 1930s dealt with physical and verbal discrimination directed toward her African American race? This may not seem like a big deal at first, but consider that this was a time before the African American Civil Rights Movement; a time during which racism and segregation were a fact of life. It was a daily struggle for blacks to live in a society that clearly and openly did not accept them as equal people. They were frequently ridiculed and disrespected just because of the color of their skin. 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 to this race during this era. Although she had several bad experiences as a child, she did not allow them to take over the rest of her life. Overcoming prejudice demands one to go through a long, ruthless journey, particularly when the prejudice is directed towards oneself. This is unmistakably displayed in Maya Angelou’s autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.
At the beginning of the novel Maya, as a young child, dislikes her ethnicity. As the novel progresses and she matures into a teenager, she gains a better understanding of her race and finds some comfort in it as well. Towards the end of the novel, when Maya is a young adult, she shows complete acceptance and outright pride in her heritage. Therefore, as the novel progresses, Maya gradually develops her acceptance in her
Mrs. Dobos
English 10 Honors, Period 7
14 February 2011
Insecurity of Gaining Pride in Oneself Have you ever considered how a young, insecure, black girl growing up in the South during the 1930s dealt with physical and verbal discrimination directed toward her African American race? This may not seem like a big deal at first, but consider that this was a time before the African American Civil Rights Movement; a time during which racism and segregation were a fact of life. It was a daily struggle for blacks to live in a society that clearly and openly did not accept them as equal people. They were frequently ridiculed and disrespected just because of the color of their skin. 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 to this race during this era. Although she had several bad experiences as a child, she did not allow them to take over the rest of her life. Overcoming prejudice demands one to go through a long, ruthless journey, particularly when the prejudice is directed towards oneself. This is unmistakably displayed in Maya Angelou’s autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.
At the beginning of the novel Maya, as a young child, dislikes her ethnicity. As the novel progresses and she matures into a teenager, she gains a better understanding of her race and finds some comfort in it as well. Towards the end of the novel, when Maya is a young adult, she shows complete acceptance and outright pride in her heritage. Therefore, as the novel progresses, Maya gradually develops her acceptance in her
Cited: Angelou, Maya. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. New York: Bantam Books, 1969. Print. Eller, Edward E. in an essay for Novels for Students, Gale, 1997. Rpt. in "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings." Novels for Students. Ed. Diane Telgen. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 1997. 133-152. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 10 Jan. 2011. "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings." Novels for Students. Ed. Diane Telgen. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 1997. 133-152. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 10 Jan. 2011. Smith, Sidonie Ann. “The Song of a Caged Bird: Maya Angelou’s Quest after Self-Acceptance.” Auburn University Southern Humanities Review 7:4 Bloom’s Modern Critical Interpretations: Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House, 1998. Print. Walker, Pierre A. “Racial Protest, Identity, Words and Form in Maya Angelou’s ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.’” College Literature 22.n3 Oct. 1995: 91. Rpt. in Expanded Academic ASAP. Literature Resource Center. Gale. eiNetwork. Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA. Web.