Maya Angelous Work - I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings - Essay Example

An Argumentative essay using Maya Angelou's work, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” I know Why the Caged Bird Sings is a book by the famous poet Maya Angelou. The book is in an autobiographical format and it explains the pain of growing up as an African American girl in a racist community. This is in consideration that she comes from a broken family, and her parents are divorced. As a young girl, she believes that she is ugly and she constantly faces ridicule from other children with only her brother to defend and support her. She eventually comes to realize that she is black, and that she will always be black. She eventually comes to the realization of her self-worth despite the many problems and instability that she has faced along her life. The book makes an effective presentation of the racism and segregation that blacks faced and the effect that the racism had on them. In the discussion, the imagery of the caged bird becomes evident. The choice of the title comes from the poem ‘Sympathy’. The title of the book serves to attract the reader to get to know the reason behind the singing by a bird that has already been caged. It also serves to remind the reader that in a racist community, there is always the risk that one may be deprived off their freedom or lose control over their situation. The caged bird in the book therefore comes to represent the different black people who have to confront racism on a daily basis yet succeed in keeping hope intact (Hagen 55). From a young age, Maya is confronted by the racist thoughts that are prevalent in her community. She is made to internalize the idea that being white with blond hair means that one is beautiful. She feels that she does not fit this description of beauty (she is fat and black) and she therefore goes through life considering herself an ugly child. While living at Arkansas, the community is segregated to the point where Maya wonders if white people truly exist as she does not come into contact with them. This means that at this age, the kind of racism that she is exposed to is not obvious, as she is not in contact with the whites. Just like a caged bird, Maya is trapped in a cage of negative self-image and a poor sense of self-worth, which are as a result of the exposure that she has received from the community (Nelson 18). At the beginning of the book, Maya makes the assertion that being aware of the displacement as a child was like having a razor placed at her throat. This comes from the awareness that she lacked a sense of belonging as a child. The awareness of the displacement that she faced made things worse for her as she could not associate with other children who she felt looked different from her. As Maya grows up, she is confronted with the harsh reality of racism. This is the racism that is obvious and directed to her as a young black woman. Examples of this racism can be seen when she is employed in a place where her white boss calls her Mary instead of Maya. This was a tendency by the with racists to call African names that sounded ‘white’. The whites also do this as a way of minimizing or negating the black person. She also visits a white dentist who refuses to treat her because she is black. During her graduation from the eight grade, one of the white speakers gives a racially condescending speech that shows the extent of racism in the society (Page 5). As a child, Maya sought escape from the harsh reality of racism by escaping into a world of fantasy. When Momma asks her to stand outside the white dentist’s office after he refuses to treat her, Maya imagines her mother having some sort of magical power and punishing the dentist. She even imagines that the dentist’s nurse is turned into a sack of food for the chicken. Maya has therefore created a fantasy world in which she can escape to when confronted with situations of racism (Bloom & Angelou 42). In the book, many characters attempt to show their resistance for racism. This resistance is shown in the different ways that the characters behave. Momma for example recognizes the racist society that she is condemned to live in and she fights to ensure that she is able to maintain her dignity. She therefore keeps to herself in an attempt to achieve this. Maya starts to show her defiance of the racism when she breaks her white employer’s china. She also goes ahead to become the streetcar conductor making her the first black woman to do so. Her realization of her self-worth begins when on a trip to Mexico accompanied by her father. It is during this trip that she gets an opportunity to drive a car for the first time. The experience gives her a feeling of being in control of her life and her situation, which is an important part of her self-discovery. When Maya goes to live in San Francisco at the time of the World War 2, she gets exposed to a different kind of an environment. She gets an opportunity to attend an integrated school for the first time which helps in the process of building her self-awareness. She no longer feels the need or desire to wake up from what she had termed as the ‘black ugly dream.’ When she runs away after stabbing her father’s girlfriend, she finds herself living with a group of runaway teens who are from different races. She finds acceptance within the group and she says that ‘the lack of criticism evidenced by our ad hoc community influenced me and set a tone of tolerance in my life’ (Angelou 254). Confronted by the racism and segregation, Big Bailey attempts to assert his worth in the society by driving around in a flashy car and wearing flashy clothes to attract attention, which is his way of finding a place in the society. He also surrounds himself with women in an attempt to prove his worth as a man. This is because racism was an emasculating condition that left many seeking a way to compensate and prove their worth. The black man therefore has to constantly seek ways of asserting himself and his authority within the society. It is this need to assert themselves and be seen as dominant that causes some of the men to become abusive towards the women. When he sees a black man’s body being pulled from a pond, he questions the white man’s hatred for the black person. The racism and prejudice that is directed towards black people causes Daddy Clidell to seek to punish the white society for their treatment of the black people. He therefore plots schemes meant to con them off their money and he often succeeds at it. The black community also uses the church as a means of expressing their resistance to racism and the preacher is often seen to give sermons that are critical of the whites in the society. The criticism is however not direct as such an action would have negative consequences for him. Religion is one of the ways in which the black community is able to find solace and an escape from their suffering and oppression. It provides them with the hope that they will one day manage to be free. At the end of the book, Maya has become a mother when she is 17 years old. She has also been able to transform herself from a child with a negative self-image and low self-esteem to a woman who is confident and sure of herself. She has also been able to move from seeing herself as a victim of segregation and racist attitudes to a person who has the ability to deal with any form of prejudice that is directed towards her. Maya has also come to the realization that regardless of how much she may love Africa and seek to associate with it as her mother continent, America will remain her home and she therefore has to embrace it (Nelson 18). Despite the initial feeling that she was a bird who was caged, she has managed to find a voice for herself. She has also found a place for herself in the society despite the alienation that marked her early childhood. Just like the caged bird, she has come to the realization that she must continue to sing despite her imprisonment. The book is filled with images of strong black women who provide a powerful model and inspiration to Maya. The women are faced with the challenge of living in a sexist community on top of the racism that they have to overcome. Even when faced with the challenges of racism, the women retain their feeling of self-worth, and they never seem to be defeated by the weight of racism. These women in Maya’s life provide her with the inspiration that she needs to develop her sense of self-worth. While there are many black women who do not manage to overcome the challenges of racism and sexism, many more survive and are actually victorious. These women help Maya to overcome her low self-esteem and fear of expressing herself (Page 5). In the book, Maya learns that the exposure to racism is far worse for a black woman than it is for a black man. This is because on top of dealing with racism, the black woman also has to deal with being ‘assaulted in tender years’ (Angelou 272). This assault is by the male dominance that they are subjected to and the white racism that they face. The fact that the black woman is able to survive the obstacles makes her deserving of respect (Fisher & Silber 148). The book therefore celebrates womanhood and blackness by showing the women as having fought a bigger battle and won. Maya feels like a caged bird. This is because she feels trapped by the racist system. Just like Maya, the entire black community is trapped by the weight of the racism that is directed towards them. They are also trapped by the poverty that is a result of the system. Just like her, the entire black community wishes to escape their situation (Page 6). The caged bird is known to continue beating his wings against the bars of the cage that imprisons him. He also continues to sing in the hope that he can one day break free from his cage. This is the exact sentiment that the black community feels. By continued optimism and resistance to the cage that is racism and oppression, the black people hope that they can one day break free (Nelson 18). The black man is constantly seeking ways to improve his situation and overcome the racism that he faces on a daily basis. The people in the book are not willing to give up hope of a better future despite the odds that face them. The book therefore tells the story of how a young black woman comes of age and learns to deal with racism that faces her and her people. In the course of growing up, she has to learn to find her voice in the society. She also has to learn how to use that voice for her benefit and for the benefit of her society. This follows the realization that her community is indeed a fragile one that needs a strong voice. The book appropriately addresses the issue of racism as it was during the time where segregation was acceptable and widely practiced. Works cited Angelou, Maya. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. London: Brown Book Group, 2010. Print. Bloom, Harold and Angelou Maya. I know why the caged bird sings. Broomall, PA: Chelsea House Publishers, 2004. Print. Fisher, Jerilyn and Silber Ellen. Women in literature: reading through the lens of gender. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2003. Print. Hagen, Lyman. Heart of a woman, mind of a writer, and soul of a poet: a critical analysis of the writings of Maya Angelou. Maryland: University Press of America, 1997. Print. Nelson, Emmanuel. African American autobiographies: A sourcebook. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002. Print. Page, Yolanda. Icons of African American Literature: The Black Literary World. California: ABC- CLIO, 2011. Print Read More