Maya Angelou Diction - 1188 Words

The memoir written by Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, is a personal and ultimately reflective narrative that presents readers a slew of scenarios fueled by racism and racist people. It brings to light the life and upbringing of an African American girl who is plagued with the knowledge that her people are constant victims of prejudice; all while she struggles within herself over her image and very identity. Many reminders of both ailments are placed throughout the book using a literary device that Angelou excels at, her diction. Utilizing her diction, Maya Angelou is able to portray this society along with herself candidly in Chapter 16 to expose the normalcy of racism and discrimination, the effects it had on her self image†¦show more content†¦On the other hand, one could argue that Maya was only 10 years old when this took place and could not have known what her thoughts implied. However, the reader must realize that whether or not Maya knew how to label he r thoughts, years of living within a racist society, she was taught to think lowly of her white neighbors. If racism and discrimination are the most prevalent themes, then Maya’s less than standard self image is the closest second in this narrative. With the fact that only two years prior Maya had been molested and raped in mind, which is an inarguable factor in determining her self worth, the negativity must stem from somewhere. The negativity arose from what her society makes her believe about the way she looks. The general belief hold by the African American people, children at least, is that the lighter their skin, the straighter their hair and the brighter their eyes, the more beautifully they are viewed. Maya strove to resemble â€Å"sweet little white girls† because that is what the discrimination against her race told her, that little white girls are â€Å"everybody’s dream† (Angelou 2). She becomes envious of those that do fulfill, or come close to fulfilling her idealistic dream. For example, Maya compares herself to the daughters of Mr. Cullinan and his mistress. Angelou describes the Cullinan girls as if their physical beauty is her life’s unattainable goal. This truth is proven to theShow MoreRelatedPoem Analysis : Alone By Maya Angelou907 Words   |  4 Pagesworld. The civil rights activist, director, singer and poet Maya Angelou created a poem called â€Å"Alone.† In this poem, the title speaks for itself by warning you to not live life alone because it leads to unhappiness. The poem, â€Å"Alone† by Maya Angelou uses poetic devices diction, imagery, and figurative language to express the theme â€Å"No one can make it in this world alone and have happiness.† In summary, the poem â€Å"Alone â€Å" by Maya Angelou is about the speaker warning all human race to beware of thisRead MoreDisplacement, a Theme in Maya Angelou ´s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings1603 Words   |  6 Pagesdisplacement takes a toll on their character and personality. Maya Angelou creates a theme of displacement in her novel I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Angelous novel has been critiqued by many notable scholars for being a classic autobiography. The critics note the importance of the setting to show universal displacement and the use of characterization to display the influences in Angelous life. The critics also note that Angelous diction and tone allow her pain and suffering to be evident throughoutRead More`` Woman Work `` By Maya Angelou987 Words   |  4 Pagesthese two works by two totally different authors for example, â€Å"Woman Work† by Maya Angelou; which tells of a women’s many tasks that she must complete, but unfortunately she has nothing to call her own, and the song â€Å"She Works Hard for the Money† by Donna Summer, which is about a women who works extremely hard every day just to make ends meet, but she will never give up; both of these works use literal sense, and diction to portray the message of two different women’s mind set on the definition ofRead 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 On The Pulse Of Morning Essay1990 Words   |  8 PagesIn â€Å"On the Pulse of Morning†, Angelou uses visual imagery and symbolism to argue that people must learn from the past to eliminate racial injustice in society today. The vivid descriptions found in the poem evoke feelings of injustice through the emotionally painful pictures that they paint. Americans as a whole are described in the poem to have â€Å"crouched too long in / The bruising darkness, [...] / Face down in ignorance† (à ¢â‚¬Å"On the Pulse of Morning† 15-18). The speaker of the poem insinuates thatRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Phenomenal Woman By Maya Angelou2030 Words   |  9 PagesSummary of Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou Stanza 1: â€Å"Phenomenal Woman† begins with a attack on stereotypes. She proudly declares that she neither has a hourglass figure, nor a cute face. Her success without essential feminine traits surprises pretty women and they often want to know the secret of her success. She describes her secret saying that it comes from her confidence, the way she stretches her arms, the way she walks, the rhythm of her hips and also the way she smiles. Her entire body isRead MoreThe Life Of Marguerite Johnson963 Words   |  4 Pages Marguerite Johnson later known as Maya Angelou was born on April 4th, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri. Marguerite Johnson was raised in St. Louis, Missouri as well as Stamps, Arkansas. According to her website, Stamps at the time that she was raised, was the frontier of the South During the 1930s and 1940s when Johnson was growing up, Stamps ran rampant with racial discrimination and physical brutality. Marguerite was raised by her grandmother from 4 years old to 8 years old. Johnson came to live withRead MoreI Know Why The Caged Bird Sings By Maya Angelou And The Stone Carvers By Jane Urquhart1663 Words   |  7 Pageseach individual’s mind since people had no idea how the troopers were doing. Perhaps the outcome of the war scarred many and impacted the lives of virtuous communities. Indeed, these feelings are relived in â€Å"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings† by Maya Angelou and The Stone Carvers by Jane Urquhart. Although both texts explore the importance of a pastoral setting and the creation of an artistic element, The Stone Carvers effectively portrays the aftermath of a war in a more moving manner than Angelou’sRead MoreWe All Know Why The Caged Bird Sings954 Words   |  4 PagesKnow Why the Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou was a civil rights activist, author, and poet. She wrote many books and poems that conveyed the vivid experiences in her life. Maya Angelou’s works are well known and she is an eminent writer. One poem in particular that is well known is â€Å"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,† written in 1969. In this work she described racial inequality, and the lack of freedom African Americans experienced in the 1930’s and 40’s. Maya Angelou uses many Rhetorical strategiesRead MoreAnalysis Of Alone By Maya Angelou1351 Words   |  6 Pagesbe alone could mean internal loneliness or it could also be physical loneliness.Alone, by Maya Angelou, dives in to the author ´s point of view of being alone. When onedeciphers the poem, the deepness and the quality of Maya Angelou’s word is presented throughher overall meaning. The poem might be easy for one to decipher due to its simple diction,however, when one analyzes the poem the true quality of Maya An gelou’s words are presented.Angelou uses biblical allusions, figurative language, her past