Negro where he’s been‚ he’ll tell you where he’s going’" (Angelou 164). In this paragraph Maya Angelou lets us know why Negroes at that time were so shielding of their privacy and how this related to Mamma telling them a part truth’ to cover up the real truth’ for them being sent away. Maya effectively develops Mamma through the situation that occurred when Bailey came home in horror " When I passed the calaboose‚ some men had just fished him out of the pond. He was wrapped in a sheet‚ all rolled
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Although published over thirty years apart‚ the poems “I‚ Too‚ Sing America” by Langston Hughes and “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou both address racial issues. Hughes published his poem in 1945 when racial segregation was still common place‚ and Jim Crow laws were still in effect. Meanwhile Angelou’s poem was published a generation later in 1978 when Jim Crow laws had been overturned but racial tensions were still high. Although both poems are about the plight of black people in America‚ their messages
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Maya Angelou was a black child living with her grandmother in the American south in the 1930’s. In her autobiography “I know why the caged bird sings” she takes the reader on a journey throughout her childhood‚ growing up where racism towards the black people was rife. The opening lines introduce a crucial theme heavily laced with rhythm‚ dialect‚ alliteration and imagery. It shows Maya’s natural gift on her use of language and her use of upbeat‚ gentle self-deprecation that she uses when she writes
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Two works of African American women’s literature are Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God and‚ Maya Angelou’s‚ "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.” Both stories give example to an oppressed character and the difficulties of their lives. Through description of character‚ language and their surroundings they tell that adventure. As well as these two works‚ “What to a Slave is the fourth of July‚” also shares a special connection to the literary works. These connections include the story
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Francine Prose explicitly shows her passion in her writing of “ I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read”. She states her point that students today fail to get the most out of literature that they are required to read in school clearly. This statement is not false‚ most students are uninterested in the texts that teachers assign and make the decision to not engage entirely when reading. Despite these students not engaging‚ they still are capable of understanding certain aspects of the text. The fact
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I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings follows Marguerite’s (called "My" or "Maya" by her brother) life from the age of three to seventeen and the struggles she faces – particularly with racism – in the Southern United States. Abandoned by their parents‚ Maya and her older brother Bailey are sent to live with their paternal grandmother (Momma) and crippled uncle (Uncle Willie) in Stamps‚ Arkansas. Maya and Bailey are haunted by their parents’ abandonment throughout the book – they travel alone and are labeled
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Character Analysis of Annie Henderson (Momma) In Maya Angelou’s autobiography‚ I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings‚ the reader is introduced to a vast ensemble of complex characters. Each character has a tremendous impact on Maya Angelou’s life. One character who not only has great weight in Maya’s life‚ but is also one of the most beloved and admired characters is Annie Henderson‚ Maya’s paternal grandmother. She is defined by an unshakable faith in God‚ her loyalty to her community‚ and a deep
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Francine Prose‚ the author of “I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read”‚ develops her stance that present day literature is stunting student’s abilities when it comes to reading. Prose develops credibility on the subject as she is a mother of two sons in school and an active reader. Research has been done to support her claims as she supplies irrefutable evidence as tp why reading in school has declined. Overall‚ I agree with Prose’s point of view that literary standards are falling due to the fact
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In Francine Prose’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read: How American High School Students Learn to Loathe Literature”‚ the author is trying to explain why high school students are not asked to read more quality pieces of literature now a days. In my opinion I agree with Prose because I think the texts we read in high school are not challenging and not a lot of students enjoy the readings because they cannot relate. Prose uses the rhetorical strategy of degrading the books high school students
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I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings Survivors of great trauma often display psychological‚ emotional‚ and physical effects. In children‚ these effects are often heightened due to their fragile psyche. Angelou demonstrates the effects her trauma has on her by not speaking and viewing herself as worthless. In the first of Maya Angelou’s autobiographical pieces‚ I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings‚ she recounts recovering from extreme trauma at a young age. Suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
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