Maya Angelou Essay Example for Free

Maya Angelou EssayIn Maya Angelou autobiography I know why the caged darn sings many themes and issues are looked at. This autobiography shows the difficulty of a black woman growing up ring by discrimination and poverty, but in like manner shows her determination, joy and hope. Maya Angelou describes her relationship with many character, this in it self is a theme of her writing, the counsel she sees people in her own light. Some characters that may be seen to be effectual people are changed by Mayas opinion. A good example of this is the oppose between Mayas mother and Mayas fathers girlfriend.If twain these characters were described, the fathers girlfriend maybe considers the better person. This is not the case after reading this book, as Maya has a way of making the reader see these characters as she sees them. After the separation of Maya Angelous parents she and her brother Bailey were sent away to vital with her granny knot when Maya was only three. This must co me been a terrible experience for a young kidskin to go through, which some may think would have left Maya with resentment towards her mother. In fact this was shortlyer the opposite.When Maya meet her mother once more after she left her, Maya discarded the fact that she sent her away. She describes how as soon as she saw her mother, the nights she spent crying for her was forgotten. I knew immediately why she had sent me away. She was too scenic to have children. (Maya Angelou, 1984, P58) This was Mayas way of justifying her mother actions. blush if it maybe considered a bountiful thing what her mother did, Maya fluent thought she was wonderful. Later on in this book Mayas mother did another bad thing.She shot person twice, which again maybe considered a bad thing to do. Since she had intended to shoot him (notice shoot, not kill) she had no reason out to run away, so she shot him a second time. He had been shot, authoritative, but in her fairness she had warned him. (Ma ya Angelou, 1984, pages 202 and 203) The nomenclature used when Maya describes this event show she thinks that this is not a major or bad thing that has happened. Maya again shows her mother as not a bad person even though what she has done is wrong.Mayas mother was also believed to be a prostitute Maya believes this too but again discards the idea because she knew that if that were true then she wouldnt be able to live with her, which she wanted to. Even though Mayas mother could be considered a bad mother, Maya thinks extremely highly of her. This can be seen from the choice of lexis, Maya uses to describe her mother. Maya always used nice words such as beautiful, warm, glorious. Maya is also enthusiastic when talking approximately her mother. At one point Maya goes to agitate by with her father and his girlfriend.Maya believed that being her mother was so beautiful, any woman her father was with after her mother would have been just as beautiful if not more. This was the st art of Mayas disappointment when meeting her stepmother. Maya disliked Dolores (her stepmother) you could tell this from the contrast in smells, from the happy tone when see talks about her mother to the dull and spiteful tone used when describing Dolores. If Dolores had been a little less aloof, a little more earthy She was mean and bantam and full of pretense.(Maya Angelou, 1984, pages 222 and 223) Dolores theoretically was a good, honest person. She was a good, hardworking wife she took Maya into her home and treated her well. Even though this, she is relieve seen as the bad one by the end of this part, from the way Maya talks about her. Maya uses mean words to describe Dolores, and is also sarcastic towards her when talking about her and their home. She was on close hurt with her washing machine and ironing board. (Maya Angelou, 1984, P221) This shows one of the sarcastic phases used by Maya Angelou.It also shows that Maya was not the sincere party in her conflict with her stepmother. Maya went out of her way to irritate Dolores and to make her jealous of Maya relationship with her father. Dolores still comes of as the bad one at the end, after an argument with Maya. Maya tries to be nice to Dolores, but Dolores ends up calling Mayas mother a whore. Even though this is possibly true and Maya questions this, she still defends her mother. It is Maya that makes the first approach on Dolores Maya justifies her behaviour, which leaves her looking the better person.What did she expect if she called my mother a whore? (Maya Angelou, 1984, P239) Another character who has an unanticipated outcome is the dentist, Dr capital of Nebraska. At one stage Maya, as a child was in a potful of pain with toothache. At the Maya was living with her grandmother in Stamps. The nearest Negro dentist to them was twenty-five miles away, which was too far for Maya to travel in such pain. As a result Mayas grandmother took her to a dentist near by that owed her a favour. Ma ny would believe a dentist to be a respectable, good, authorized person. This was not the case of Dr capital of Nebraska.He refused to help a child in pain, even though Mayas grandmother stopped him losing his business by lending him money. When speaking to Mayas grandmother, Dr Lincoln was very abrupt and rude to her. He did not even acknowledge Maya, or the fact her face was swollen and she was in pain. Id rather stick my hand in a dogs mouth than in a niggers(Maya Angelou, 1984, P184) This was the harsh phase that Dr Lincoln used. This also shows discrimination and racism, another major theme in Maya Angelous autobiography. After Dr Lincoln refuses to help, Mayas grandmother follows him in his office.When she ulterior describes what happened she says that Dr Lincoln and the nurse were as thick as thieves. This is a simile used to accentuate Dr Lincoln characteristics. From the way Maya Angelou has written her autobiography I know why the caged bird sings she has managed to succ essfully express peoples true characters. People that may be considered to have a good character such as Dr Lincoln have been shown for who they really are. This has been done by the choice of lexis and the tones that she has used to create different atmospheres when describing certain characters.