I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Critique

I Know wherefore the Caged Bird Sings is the autobiography of Maya Angelou. I find it to be a rather interesting novel, since it is based on a true story. It also helps the reader watch how black people lived and felt during that period. In the novel, there is a wide range of themes, from family ties, to rape, and even literacy. In Maya Angelous I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the three main themes be racism, prejudice and the gyre of black women. The first and most visible theme in the novel is racism. During 1969, it is common to see a black person as inferior to a blanched person.In the novel, Angelou shows the crudeness of white southerly attitudes toward African Americans. For example, in chapter 24, marguerite goes to the dentist and Dr. Lincoln, a white man, refuses to treat her because she is black. He says Id rather stick my hand in a dogs mouth than in a niggers. (Angelou 189). Not even because of necessary medical attention does a white person render aside the ra ce and treat a black patient. Putting aside her strong feelings against racism, Angelou demonstrates how she develops the understanding of the rules for last in a racist society.For example, in chapter 5, when the powhitetrash mock mummy, she stood humming while Marguerite is filed with rage, indignation and helplessness. ma instead shows her how to maintain haughtiness and pride while dealing with racism. With her indifference towards the disrespectful white girls, florists chrysanthemum serves as a role model to all black people in her community by being the bigger person in a situation like this. The second theme in the novel is prejudice. Maya, her friends and her relatives will al routes be subject to prejudice only if because they are black.For example, in chapter 23, during Marguerites graduation, Mr.Edward Donleavy conk outs a speech in which he mentions how blacks only achieve greatness through sports, non through academics One of the first-line football tacklers at Arkansas Agricultural and Mechanical College had graduated from good of age(predicate) Lafayette Country Training School One of the best basketball players at Fisk sank his first ball sound here at Lafayette Country Training School. (Angelou 179) The fact that Mr. Donleavy collide withs that students from this school are only good for sports, simply because of their race, shows how he speaks based on prejudice beliefs.Prejudice in the novel is seen from both sides in white people and black people. Since most white folks in Stamps mistreat blacks, black people assume all whites are the same, which means they are also prejudice against white people. For example, in chapter 2, Marguerite mentions her heating plant for literature, especially for Shakespeare, a white writer. She says how Bailey and she cant mention Shakespeare to mum shed question us about the author and wed have to tell her that Shakespeare was white, and it wouldnt matter to her whether he was dead or not. (Angel ou 14).Shakespeare is a great writer, but Momma doesnt know this since she is prejudice against white writers and doesnt give herself the chance to find out about this writers greatness. The third theme presented in the novel is black womens roll. Angelou presents womens condition during this period and describes their lives in a male-dominated society. She also shows how its even harder being a black woman, having to overcome this storm of sexism and racism. Some women are able to do so and become great.For example, Momma is a successful black woman, who owns a store and is considered to be wealthy. She is able to overcome the condition she is submitted to by society and become the most successful black woman in Stamps. Marguerite also serves as an example for black womens roll during 1969. She lives in a hostile world defined by beauty in terms of whiteness Wouldnt they be surprised when one day I woke out of my black ugly dream, and my real hair, which was long and blond, would t ake the place of this kinky mass that Momma wouldnt let me straighten?My light-blue eyes were going to hypnotize them (Angelou 2) Marguerite believes the only way to be a beautiful and successful woman is by being white. With the help of strong pistillate role models in her family and community Momma, Vivian, Grandmother Baxter, and Bertha Flowers, she is able to overcome her racist and sexist beliefs, succeed in her life and become the great woman she is known to be today.Maya Angelous I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is a true story about the authors hard life during the 1960s, a time in which black people are seen as inferior in many varied aspects by society. The novel shows how they fight against racism, sexism and prejudice, and how white people also experience prejudice from black people. These themes are presented in the most realistic and crude way possible. In the end, Maya transforms from a victim of prejudice and racism with an inferiority complex to a self-confident yo ung woman who is able to react to racism with dignity and pride.