The poet’s lyricism is evident on each page of the memoir, ironically as if Angelou herself is singing to the reader. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings was nominated for the National book Award in 1970 and went on to be a bestseller for many years. Maya Angelou is also known for her poetry and activism. One of her beloved escapes is Jane Eyre, a reminder that a black girl in the south struggled to see someone who looked and lived like her recognized in print. Anytime she feels lost in the world, she can find grounding in someone else’s story. Divided between their time in pre-Civil Rights southern town and California, Marguerite learns the immediacy of place and the ability of books to transport oneself somewhere else. The love story between Marguerite and her brother Bailey resonates throughout the narrative, providing the girl a safe space, a constant place to return. Six more volumes of the autobiography continue the story.Įlegantly composed and beautifully narrated, Angelou blends blistering social commentary with coming-of-age woes, cloaked in the heartbreak of being forced into womanhood against one’s will. Exploring themes of identity, sexual violence, racism, and education, Angelou’s memoir chronicles her upbringing until the age of 16. Louis, 8-year-old Marguerite is brutally raped by her mother’s boyfriend, an experience that overshadows the rest of her life.

Momma’s devout faith and emphasis on a Christian upbringing for the children is shrouded in her immense love and no-nonsense approach to parenting. Though surrounded by an impoverished black community, Momma is the sole black owner of a general store, providing the family some comforts that elevate them in their neighbor’s eyes.

Left by her mother and father, Marguerite (Maya) and her beloved brother Bailey live with their grandmother (Momma) and Uncle Willie. Published in 1969, Angelou recounts her childhood in Stamps, Arkansas. “I find it interesting that the meanest life, the poorest existence, is attributed to God’s will, but as human beings become more affluent, as their living standard and style begin to ascend the material scale, God descends the scale of responsibility at a commensurate speed.”Īngelou’s groundbreaking memoir challenges the autobiographical genre.

From i know why the caged bird sings