Maya Angelou - 887 Words

Maya Angelou’s tumultuous childhood in the South and the struggles that come with being black are the basis for her autobiographies such as I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Through her rich, insightful literature she is able to record the black experience and ultimately the black struggle. She â€Å"[is] always talking about the human condition – about what we can endure, dream fail at and still survive.†(Matzu 23) Angelou’s early life was full of hardships; making her strong and ready to fight for her rights. As a young child she, along with her brother Bailey and their parents, moved from her birth place St. Louis to Long Beach. After her parents struggles there, she and Bailey were shipped off to Stamps, Arkansas; the starting point for†¦show more content†¦She realizes that Stamps is merely in the shadows of white society and she feels trapped and displaced (Angelou). When she moves to San Francisco she feels right at home in the chaos (Ange lou). Here she is able to find herself Smith 10). â€Å"The aura of personal displacement within the larger black community is counterpointed by the ambiance of displacement within the larger black community. The black community of Stamps is itself caged in the social reality of racial subordination and impotence.†- Maya Angelou Works Cited Angelou, Maya. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. New York: Random House, 1970. â€Å"Biography Information.† Maya Angelou. 2006. Lordly and Dame Inc. 21 March. 2008 http:// mayaangelou.com Bloom, Lynn Z. â€Å"Maya Angelou.† Dictionary of Literary Biography. 38. Ann Arbor: Edwards Brothers, 1985. 3-12. Kelly, Ernice B. Harvard Educational Review. 1970: Excerpted and reprinted in Contemporary Matzu, Roger, ed. â€Å"Maya Angelou.† Contemporary Literary Criticism. 64. Detroit: Gale Research, 23-24. â€Å"Maya Angelou.†Poets.org. 2008. The Academy of American Poets. 21 March. 2008 http://poets.org Neubauer, Carol E. â€Å"Maya Angelou and Carol E. Neubauer, in an interview.† The Massachusetts Ed. Roger Matzu. Detroit: Gale Research, 1991. 38-40. Phelps, Shirelle, ed. â€Å"Maya Angelou.† Contemporary Literary Criticism. 15. Detroit: Gale Research, 1997. 4-8. Shuker, Nancy. Maya Angelou. Englewood Cliffs: SilverShow MoreRelatedMaya Angelou655 Words   |  3 PagesMa 2(1565443) Maya Angelou is known as the â€Å"most visible black female autobiographer/poet.† She was born, Marguerite Ann Johnson, on April fourth, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri. Her parents divorced when she was three, and she and her brother were sent to live with their grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas. Seeing all the racial discrimination in the American south strengthened her passion for poetry, music, dance and performance. Maya writes about the struggles people face, racism and freedom. At ageRead More`` Speak, By The Maya Angelou1137 Words   |  5 Pageswriter, the late Maya Angelou. This statement also aligns to a 1999 contemporary classic novel, Speak, where a young freshman, Melinda Sordino, faces isolation and depression to an event that occurred over the summer, one that only she knows about. In the novel, Melinda hangs up a poster of Maya Angelou in her make-shift janitor’s closet hangout. Laurie Halse Anderson uses Maya Angelou as a figure for Melinda to learn and ch ange by in the novel Speak. Melinda could learn from Angelou that she can standRead More Maya Angelou Essay1200 Words   |  5 Pages Maya Angelou is a phenomenal woman. She was born into a devastating decade, that suffered numerous tragedies. Not only had society shaped her as a woman, she has also shaped our society and influenced many lives. She is still living today, yet I believe her legend will never die. Furthermore I will share with you what motivated her and some of her gratifying experiences. How she was effected by society, and what she did about it. Also how the time period she was born into made her the extraordinaryRead More Maya Angelou Essay1926 Words   |  8 Pagesthe time she was born, Maya Angelou was subjected to racism, rape, grief and dehumanization. She beared enough emotional stress in a time frame that most people dont experience in a lifetime. Yet she prevailed. She forced herself to become stronger. And in doing so, she produced writings, which in turn, helped others to become strong. Her experiences and the lessons learned gave her confidence to be a teacher, a preacher, and an inspiration to millions. Maya Angelou was courageous. BasedRead MoreEssay on Maya Angelou612 Words   |  3 Pages Maya Angelou was born April 4, 1928. Her real name is Marguerite Johnson, but she later changed it to Maya. She was born in St. Louis, shortly after her birth her family up and move to Arkansaw. Maya grew up there in the rural parts of Arkansaw, and later married to a South African Freedom Fighter. She lived in Cairo with him, there she began her career as editor of the Arab Observer. At the request of Dr. Martin Lutheran King Jr., she became the northern coordinator for the Southern Christian LeadershipRead MoreEssay on Maya Angelou1185 Words   |  5 PagesDistress in Maya Angelous Life Marguerite Ann Johnson, commonly known as Maya Angelou, was born on April 4, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri. She is a famous African-American poet, novelist, and playwright and also worked during the civil rights: Angelou is a very remarkable Renaissance woman who hailed as one of the great voices of contemporary literature (www.mayaangelou.com). She is also an activist in civil-rights. Angelou went through many controversies during her childhood and adulthood; herRead MoreAnalysis Of Maya Angelou s Angelou 2396 Words   |  10 Pagesparents had decided to put an end to their calamitous marriage and Father shipped us home to mother† (Angelou 7). 1. This excerpt comes from the beginning of chapter one. The narrator, who is also the main character Maya Angelou, informs her reader of her family status. 2. The author informs us that she is currently living with her Father’s mother due to the separation of their parents. 3. Maya Angelou includes this passage to show that there is no perfect marriage and provide knowledge as to how hardRead More Maya Angelou Essay1043 Words   |  5 PagesMaya Angelou      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   By consistently weaving the theme of motherhood into her literature, Maya Angelou creates both personal narratives and poems that the reader can relate to. Her exploration of this universal theme lends itself to a very large and diverse audience.   Throughout Angelous works, she allows her followers to witness her metamorphosis through different aspects of motherhood.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Well-worked themes are always present in Angelous works-   self-Read MoreMaya Angelou: the Lyrical Genius979 Words   |  4 Pages Maya Angelou: the Lyrical Genius When it comes to the struggles of a black woman, Maya Angelou is one of the best writers to interpret these struggles and to have the ability to put them into books and poems. The way Maya Angelou writes just makes you feel as if you were with here through all of the pain and sorrow. Not a lot of authors have the ability to do such a thing. Maya Angelou has the ability to write all of these amazing books andRead MorePhenomenal Woman By Maya Angelou1591 Words   |  7 PagesHow can one identify a phenomenal woman? Can one say it is measured by the good deeds she has done or maybe even her personality? Maya Angelou gave a deep reasoning of why and how she is a phenomenal woman. This poem, Phenomenal Women, has uplifted many woman all across the globe and inspired the youth to know there worth. Maya Angelou’s book â€Å"Phenomenal Woman† was published in 1995. The book contains four poems â€Å"Still I Rise†, â€Å"Weekend Glory†, â€Å"Our Grandmothersâ⠂¬ , and â€Å"Phenomenal Woman†. These poems