"I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" - Midwest Writers Write-Off
Written: Oct 11 '03 (Updated Oct 11 '03)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Inspirational story about a little girl who gains strength despite those around her.
Cons: Adult situations.
The Bottom Line: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is sad and harsh, but at the same time strong and motivating. Maya Angelou is truly an inspiration to women everywhere.
|
|
|
| aunt_bee's Full Review: Maya Angelou - I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Boo... |
You might think that Aunt Bee sits around reading cookbooks all day. Not so! Aunt Bee is quite the literary aficionado, and she spends many hours a week with her nose in a Russian classic, modern novel, or even a technical manual. For LoisLane05's Midwestern Author Write-Off, Aunt Bee recalls one of her favorite novels of passion, heartbreak, and strength: Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.
The Author
Maya Angelou was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Her parents divorced when she was young and she, along with her brother Bailey, Jr., was sent to live with her grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas. Maya was a strong student from the beginning, and read books every chance she could. She graduated from high school with honors, and became a mother shortly after graduation. She left her son with her mother, and went off to pursue a career in writing. She wrote various plays in the United States and abroad, and worked as a newspaper editor in Cairo. In 1970, she published her first book, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
The Plot
This autobiographical novel takes place in Stamps, Arkansas, as young Maya turns eight years old. She lives with her loving grandmother, whom she calls "Momma", and her paralyzed Uncle Willie. Maya helps Momma in the local store when she can, and she has a very happy life there. Maya adores and worships her older brother, Bailey, who is generally mischevous, but good-hearted. In her short life so far, she learns about racism, socioeconomic class, adultery, disabilities, and pride for who she is.
Maya and Bailey assume that their parents are dead, and Momma never corrects them. They are very surprised to learn that their parents are indeed alive when they receive Christmas gifts from them. Maya thinks that they left because of something she did, and she sinks into a depression. A year later, Maya and Bailey's father comes to town. He is sharp dressed and sharp witted. Everyone in town knows him, and Maya is very proud of her father. After several weeks, Father decides to take the children to St. Louis to meet their mother. Both Maya and Bailey fall in love with her immediately, and they are left to stay in St. Louis with her as Father goes off to California.
While she gets along well with her mother, her mother's boyfriend is another story. Maya is raped by him at the age of eight years old. Her rapist is caught and put on trial, but is eventually killed under suspicious circumstances and the rape is never mentioned again, and Maya is sent back to Stamps.
After moping around for nearly a year, she meets Mrs. Flowers, who grows to be her mentor who encourages her to write. Maya becomes a domestic maid in the home of the racist Mrs. Cullinan, who insists on calling her "Mary". After several blowouts at the Cullinan home, Maya walks out...but not before breaking several expensive dishes. After enduring many more racist encounters in Stamps, Maya and Bailey, Jr. travel with their mother to California, and end up living with their father.
Because of her father's hateful wife, Maya runs away and makes her home in a junkyard. After exercising her true independence, she returns to her mother in San Francisco and becomes a streetcar driver. She decides to prove her femininity by "getting a boyfriend". She does, and three weeks later, she finds out that she's pregnant. Upon the birth of her son, she realized how truly strong and independent she's become.
The Analysis
The main thread of this story is Maya's growth from feeling helpless to assuming complete control over her life. She never feels as if she belongs, or that she has anything in common with anyone in her environment. She becomes a victim of abandonment, racial hatred and sexual abuse. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is the story of Maya's journey to adulthood through some very rough neighborhoods. She spends her entire life looking for who she is, and running from having to grow up. In the end, it is growing up and giving birth that gives her the most peace and satisfaction.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is sad and harsh, but at the same time strong and motivating. Maya Angelou is truly an inspiration to women everywhere.
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
aunt_bee
|
|
Location: Missouri
Reviews written: 8
Trusted by: 7 members
About Me:
That's it baby, when you got it, flaunt it.
-- Mel Brooks, The Producers
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.