Blog 2: Maya Angelou I Know Why the Caged Birds Sing

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Jordan Miles 

January 11, 2023

 Blog 2: Maya Angelou I Know Why the Caged Birds Sing 

In, I Know Why the Caged Birds Sing, Maya Angelou explores her autobiography. Maya Angelou has endured several traumatic events including experiencing assault and racism at a young age. She is brave and courageous to be able to speak the truth about her life story and the pain and hardships she has been able to overcome. It was empowering to learn about her past through this coming-of-age autobiography and to see what she has been able to get through during her lifetime. One interesting point to think about is the title itself and the "caged bird." I think that this seems like a metaphor for Maya herself, as a child, being the bird in the cage. As a trapped and scared girl from being assaulted and having to be an oppressed African American woman at the time. Due to this oppression and mistreatment, we see throughout the book that she appears envious of white people who don't have to face all of this struggle that she does. I see this when she says, "I was going to look like one of the sweet little white girls who were everybody’s dream of what was right with the world..." We see Maya compare herself and this shows her lack of acceptance of her identity and self. It is unfortunate to read about the pain she's endured just due to the color of her skin. She continues and says, "Wouldn’t they be surprised when one day I woke out of my black ugly dream, and my real hair, which was long and blond, would take the place of the kinky mass that Momma wouldn’t let me straighten? My light-blue eyes were going to hypnotize them..."  At this time when she is writing this it shows she is hurt by the treatment she's received from being black and she images how different and more positive her life could be if she weren't. 


word count: 318

Comments

  1. Clarice ArnoldJanuary 12, 2023 at 8:10 PM

    I agree that the metaphor of the "Caged Bird" is supposed to represent Maya herself, but this excerpt from the book in particular has made me think on the meaning of the title in a new light. When Momma is singing during the chaos of the hateful "powhitetrash" (42), I began to see Momma as the "Caged Bird" that sings (44). Her composure is shocking to Maya and to the readers. She has experienced so much hate and tribulation (which is the cage), and yet her faith is still so strong and she sings on.

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    Replies
    1. Jordan MilesJanuary 13, 2023 at 6:45 AM

      That quote is very interesting and helps me understand the title is a deep metaphor and can be used to resemble multiple people and aspects of her autobiography.

      Delete
  2. Delaney AshworthJanuary 13, 2023 at 6:39 AM

    I agree that Maya was brave and courageous and I bet the hardest part of all of this was to speak up and share her story to all who would listen. I didn't even think of the name of the article in regards to being a metaphor but I think you're completely correct and that is a great thought and speaks volumes of how she feels about her childhood.

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    Replies
    1. Jordan MilesJanuary 13, 2023 at 6:46 AM

      Thanks, Delaney. It is inspiring to see her overcome these hardships and view the title in a different light!

      Delete

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