Literature Analysis #1

Topic(s) and or Events
1. In I know why the Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou describes herself as an insecure black girl in the South during the 1930's. When Maya was only three years old her parents divorced and her and her older brother Bailey were shipped off to Stamps Arkansas to live with there grandma. Even though Maya describes her life as a struggle going back and forth between parents she illustrates how strength of a character and love of literature can help overcome racism and trauma.

2. I think she wanted to describe her life struggle and bring attention to the reader to the suffering of her race.

3. I choose to read this book because I love the poetry Maya Angelou writes and I saw she had a non-fiction book about her life story and I was really intrigued to read it; when I began reading this book I felt an instant connection and the more I read the more I just couldn't put it down.

4. Yes, I did find the book realistic I mean just the way she described everything makes you feel that you were in that exact moment with her. In the book she described how her parents weren't together all of her life and how they dated other people which I can absolutely connect with because I've been through the same situation.

People
1. Maya describes most of the time how people in her life are so good looking like her mother, grandmother, dad and brother. She describes how her brother is really smart but we might portray things differently like we all have your interpretations of beauty.

2.In  the book Maya describes her brother Bailey as a total stud, he has curly back hair, smooth dark skin, he is just all around good looking. But he isnt just good looking he is also really smart and witty too. Bailey has always seeked affection since he didn't really get it from his parents because they werent really around much. Bailey cared for Maya he took care of her, bought her books, and defended her from insults( he meant a lot to Maya). If i had to write Bailey as a fictional character I would want to reveal his personality through his thoughts and words because Bailey had such a strong personality wish was quite great to read.

 "Momma" thats what Maya and Bailey called their grandma. Momma was a very religious women, she knew all of the bible versus by heart and said a prayer everyday. Maya describes her Momma as a very good looking (but with a deep voice) women. Momma was a very strong and strict women, she taught Maya and Bailey how to work and she emphasized the importance of education, cleanliness, and manners. I would write Momma just like Maya did I loved how she made statements about Mommas personality, it gave me a real good feel how Momma was on a daily basis, and thats what the reader likes to feel that they can relive the moment that the writer describes.

3.Bailey and Momma were a big part of Maya's life, they both taught her values that she learned to apply. What made them interesting to write about is how Maya admired them dearly and how they affected her life, they were really important people to her and it was touching to see how much it they they meant to her.

Style
1. The author used foreshadowing and symbolism in her story. For example Momma is a strong and bold person she refuses to challenge they way white people in the town treat her but Maya and Bailey have a different opinion on the matter. This difference of opinion foreshadows a possible confrontation over the issue later in the book. When Maya and Bailey receive Christmas presents from their parents one year, they both burst into tears. Why would they cry over presents? Its because these presents reveal to Maya and Bailey that their parents are still alive and living in California without them. So presents which usually symbolize giving ends up symbolizing rejection.

2. Maya Angelou used lengthy descriptions of places and people in the book because she is a story teller and thats what story tellers do, describe.

3. Maya confronts the effects of racism and segregation in America at a very young age. She doesnt let people walk all over her just because she is a different color. The mood she creates is a girl who is confused about a lot of things, since she never really had parents to guide her.

4. Maya doesnt agree that blacks have to struggle, where the whites take so many things for granted. She notes that black people dont nearly have as much as the whites do, and still the whites wouldnt know how to survive of what they have nearly as well as the black community.

5. Well in the book Maya mainly talks about segregation and how it was really difficult during that time, it was hard that the blacks were treated like such dirt and had no respect what so ever. And when she was explaining during that time in the 1930's, it made me realize that we have it so easy compared to them at that time and we take a lot of things for granted and we should start giving more than taking more.

One thing i will expect to remember from this book is when she described when she got raped. It was so difficult to read but it was sad that she didnt know it was wrong she thought it was out of love and she actually liked it because she was getting some type of love she had never felt. It was hard to hear that at first she thought it was okay, its one thing I will always remember because she never new what love really felt because she never felt it from her parents.