Displaying of Maya Angelou in Her Works

Categories: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou Momma (Annie Henderson)

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“Boys? No, rather men who were covered with graves’ dust and age without beauty or learning” (Maya Angelou 18). This passage is from page 18 of the book.

The character, Mr. Stewart, is referring to the Ku Klux Klan calling them “boys”. This passage’s meaning is to show how sarcastic Mr. Stewart was, while the KKK is looking for someone to lynch. This passage is significant because it shows the amounts of racism going on during this time period and how white people treated these situations.

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This passage makes me want to join an anti-bully club to stop bad situations from happening and not act like nothing is going on.

“I wanted to throw a handful of black pepper in their faces, to throw lye on them, to scream that they were dirty, scummy peckerwoods, but I knew I was as clearly imprisoned behind the scene as the actors outside were confined to their roles” (Maya Angelou 31). This passage is from page 31 of the book. The main character, Maya, is referring to the white girls in the store. This passage’s meaning is to show how Maya’s emotions were towards the white girls. Also, the passage reveals Maya’s awareness of her situation in Stamps. This passage is significant because it represents the mentalities of some of the black people during that time, how they could think of doing something to white people but couldn’t because of the consequences. This passage makes me want to think more about an action before I do it.

I believe by doing this I become a better person.

“I knew that if a person truly wanted to avoid hell and brimstone, and being roasted forever in the devil's fire, all she had to do was memorize Deuteronomy and follow its teaching, word for word” (Maya Angelou 38). This passage is from page 38 of the book. The main character, Maya, is referring to listening to the book of Deuteronomy in church from Reverend Thomas. This passage’s meaning is to show how spiritual and religious Maya is. Also, this shows that Maya follows the traditional ways of Christianity by saying to follow its teaching, word by word. This passage is significant because shows how people used to practice religion. This passage makes me want to focus more when the readings and homilies are happening in mass.

“He was a stranger, and if he chose to leave us with a stranger, it was all of one piece” (Maya Angelou 59). This passage is from page 59 of the book. The main character, Maya, is referring to her dad, Bailey Sr., when he leaves her and her brother with her mother who they have not seen in a long time. This passage’s meaning is to show Maya’s feelings towards her parents being that her and her brother do not see their parents that often, hardly together. Maya is starting not to care about her parents’ appearance. This passage is significant because this shows Maya becoming more and more distant from her parents. This passage makes me appreciate my parents more. I could be like other kids who are distant from their parents or kids who do not have parents at all. I am a lucky one and I am going to learn to be more grateful.

'Don't worry 'cause you ain't pretty...I rather you have a good mind than a cute behind' (Maya Angelou 66). This passage is from page 66 of the book. The character, Uncle Tommy, is referring to Maya on what type of person he wants Maya to be. This passage’s meaning is to show Uncle Tommy’s feelings towards Maya. Uncle Tommy does not care if she is cute, he wants her to be smart. This passage significant because this shows the type of person Uncle Tommy is. He is someone that does not sugar coat anything and is just real with a person. This passage makes me appreciate my dad because he acts the same way as Uncle Tommy. Someone that tells you how it is and no sugar coating.

“There was an army of adults, whose motives and movements I just couldn't understand and who made no effort to understand mine” (Maya Angelou 73). This passage is from page 73 of the book. The main character, Maya, is referring to all the adults that have been involved in her life. This passage’s meaning is to show Maya’s feeling towards the adults in her life. No one really cares about her and most adults just take advantage of her. This passage is significant because it shows the hardships that Maya had to go through during her young years. This passage relates to me in some way. Sometimes, I believe that I am not being listened to and just being told what to do all the time.

“Language is man's way of communicating with his fellow man and it is language alone that separates him from the lower animals” (Maya Angelou 95). This passage is from page 95 of the book. The character, Mrs. Flowers, is referring to Maya on why speaking properly is important. This passage’s meaning is to show why Mrs. Flowers speaks well. She is not speaking well just to do it, but to separate herself from other people. By doing this she stands out more and is more appealing, which is why Maya easily like her. This passage is significant because even today, people who speak better than others stand out more. This passage makes me want to get even better at public speaking to become more noticeable and create better opportunities for myself.

“If you ask a Negro where he's been, he'll tell you where he's going” (Maya Angelou 189). This passage is from page 189 of the book. The character, Vivian, is referring to Maya and Bailey whenever they ask where they are going. This passage’s meaning is to show the type of character Vivian is. She does not really like to answer her kids’ questions and she gives the impression that sometimes she does not want her kids. This passage is significant because it gives the reader a picture of how times were during this time. This passage relates to my parents and I because I am always asking where we are going and usually I get the response wherever I take you because of this I never ask now.

“They don't really hate us. They don't know us. How can they hate us? They mostly scared” (Maya Angelou 192). This passage is from page 192 of the book. The character, Willie, is referring to the white people when Bailey asks him why the white people hate black people so much. This passage’s meaning is to show how much hatred and racism there was during this time. During this time, it is safe to say that the number of black people outnumbered the number white people in the U.S. When Willie says they mostly scared, he means the white people are scared that the black people will overcome them, and the white people believed they were better than the black people. This passage is significant because it shows the reader the attitudes on both sides of the races. This passage makes me want to review my personal thoughts. I know there has been times in my life when I thought I was better than someone and did not believe they were equal to me. I need to learn that everybody is equal to me.

“All knowledge is spendable currency, depending on the market” (Maya Angelou 210). This passage is from page 210 of the book. The character, Bailey, is referring to the knowledge that Maya has and learns at school. This passage’s meaning is for Maya to realize that she can give out her knowledge to anybody, but depending on the person, her knowledge could be wasted or be used, just like when you buy things from a market. This passage is significant because the use of this analogy is relatable to situation with Maya at school. This passage helps me because I am a math tutor and there are certain times when I feel like I am wasting my time, but most of the time the students are using my knowledge I give to them.

“We are the victims of the world's most comprehensive robbery. Life demands a balance. It's all right if we do a little robbing now” (Maya Angelou 219). This passage is from page 219 of the book. The main character, Maya, is thinking about the actions of her dad’s con friends. This passage’s meaning is to show that Maya is thinking that it is okay for black people to trick white people because of how they treat them. She believes that life demands a balance. This passage is significant because it shows the reader how Maya thinks and what she thinks about. This passage makes me rethink the times I have done an eye for an eye or the times when I have treated someone wrongfully.

“This is my daughter' and 'She speak Spanish” (Maya Angelou 229). This passage is from page 229 of the book. The character, Clidell, is referring to Maya when he is in a conversation with a woman in Mexico. This passage’s meaning is to show Clidell’s attitude towards Maya. He does not really care about Maya currently, he just has his mind on the woman he is trying to see. He is abandoning his daughter in a place where she knows no one and does not know what is going on at all. This is significant because it gives the reader a sense of the situation Clidell is putting his daughter in. This passage makes e rethink the times I have put someone in a bad situation before, I could have been more decisive in more situations.

“At fifteen life had taught me undeniably that surrender, in its place, was as honorable as resistance, especially if one had no choice” (Maya Angelou 243). This passage is from page 243 of the book. The main character, Maya, is referring to a life lesson she found out at fifteen years old after a fight with Dolores. This passage’s meaning is that it was better for Maya to not do anything, instead of fighting with Dolores. She thought of this because after the fight Maya was bleeding and did not go to a hospital. Her dad took her to his neighbor’s house. This passage is significant because it shows the reader Maya’s advanced thinking of how she dealt with this situation. This passage relates to me because there have been several occasions when I have done something to make a situation worse, instead of doing nothing and letting the situation heal itself.

“I was never again to sense myself to solidly outside the pale of the human race” (Maya Angelou 247). This passage is from page 247 of the book. The main character, Maya, is referring to how life was for her living on the streets. This passage’s meaning is to show Maya’s attitude towards living in the junkyard. While living in the junkyard, Maya is impressed by their ways of think. For example, they forbid stealing because it might end up putting them in foster homes. This passage’s is significant because it shows a change in Maya’s personality to the reader. This passage makes me want to rethink the times that I believed that I was the most unfortunate person, but, I am the most fortunate. There are always people in the world who have it harder than you.

“See, you don't have to think about doing the right thing. If you're for the right thing, then you do it without thinking” (Maya Angelou 281). This passage is from page 281 of the book. The character, Vivian, is referring to Maya being a mother. She believes Maya is the right person for the task. This passage’s meaning is to show Vivian’s attitude towards Maya having a baby. Vivian is mad at first, but she realizes that situations like these happen. Vivian becomes encouraging and helps her daughter out with her son. This passage is significant because it shows the reader the good mother Vivian is to Maya. Vivian has full trust in Maya. This passage makes me want to be more encouraging to all the people I know. I know that when someone is encouraging me I become more confident, so I must do the same.