5136962
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings final
Analysis Amy, Natalie, Sanjana, Emily
- WRITING STYLE
- Narrator
- 1st person
- Maya Angelou
- Writes from her
point of view as a
child and as an adult
- past and present tense
- 1st person
- Figurative
Language
- Oxymoron/
Paradox
- "I hadn't so much forgot as
I couldn't bring myself to
remember" (Angelou 1)
- "I hadn't so much forgot as
I couldn't bring myself to
remember" (Angelou 1)
- Similes
- shows
emotions
- "...roared out of the yard with a
sound like a giant's fart" (Angelou
120)
- "...roared out of the yard with a
sound like a giant's fart" (Angelou
120)
- shows
emotions
- Metaphors
- Symbolism
- Bailey running carelessly across the train tracks
and leaving Maya on the other side symbolizes
the developing rift between him and Maya
- Bailey running carelessly across the train tracks
and leaving Maya on the other side symbolizes
the developing rift between him and Maya
- Foreshadowing
- "Almost fifteen years
passed before I saw
my brother cry
again"(83).
- "Almost fifteen years
passed before I saw
my brother cry
again"(83).
- personification
- "The light would come in softly,
easing itself over the shelves..."
- "The light would come in softly,
easing itself over the shelves..."
- 5 senses to enrich writing (sensory details)
- Oxymoron/
Paradox
- Character
Development
- Maya
- wants to be different
than who she is
(beginning/ YOUNG age)
- wishes she was a boy
because all of the
heroes she reads in
her books are male
- wishes she was a boy
because all of the
heroes she reads in
her books are male
- feels immediate guilt for
lying in court
- assigned blame to
herself for Mr.
Freeman's abusive
actions
- also blames
herself for his
death
- also blames
herself for his
death
- becomes proud of her
race
- After Joe Louis
wins the fight,
she believes
that blacks are
the most
powerful
people in the
world
- Listens to the words of
"Lift Ev’ry Voice and
Sing,” also known as
the black community's
national anthem
- After Joe Louis
wins the fight,
she believes
that blacks are
the most
powerful
people in the
world
- has been hurt by others so much
she does not want to love anyone
- When Louise explains that Tommy
Valdon's valentine meant love, she said,
"not ever again"
- When Louise explains that Tommy
Valdon's valentine meant love, she said,
"not ever again"
- life quickly rushes into adulthood
- curious and
perceptive
- wants to be different
than who she is
(beginning/ YOUNG age)
- Maya
- Word Choice
- Use words for emotions and to set
mood
- Shows character development and personality of
characters
- "Momma" shows
innocence
- "Momma" shows
innocence
- Use words for emotions and to set
mood
- Narrator
- CHARACTERS
- BAILEY
- Personality as a
child
- Protective of
Maya, stood up for
her
- Kind
- Thoughtful
- Protective of
Maya, stood up for
her
- Maya's older
brother
- Most
important
person in
Maya's life,
she looks up
to him, and
he
understands
her
- Most
important
person in
Maya's life,
she looks up
to him, and
he
understands
her
- loves Maya
unconditionally
- Falls in love with Joyce, who
eventually runs away with
another man she meets at
the Store. Bailey is
heartbroken
- wants his
mothers
approval
- Personality as a
child
- "MOMMA"
(Grandmother)
- kind
- religious
- strict/firm
- frugal due to absence of money
- never tells
her grandkids
she loves
them but they
know she
does
- kind
- MAYA
- Personality as a child
- Mischievous (stole things
from store with Bailey) and
Playful
- Upset with racism
- Innocent
- Warm-hearted
- Bold
- struggles with
her identity as
an African
American
- not always
proud of
who she is
- not extremely
aware of her
heritage (when
she is young)
- not always
proud of
who she is
- has some
negative
influences
at a very
young age
- values
intelligence
over
appearance
- idealistic
- wants to look nice
- wants to please people and be like
the "sweet little white girls"
- wants to please people and be like
the "sweet little white girls"
- wants to look nice
- low
self-steem
- anxious
- Mischievous (stole things
from store with Bailey) and
Playful
- wants to please others
- strong morals
- parents divorced
- father sent children to
their grandmother
- father sent children to
their grandmother
- caring
- pays attention to what happens
in the world
- believes people can be kind no matter
what other people think of them
- curious
- "ran to find out who had come
rinding on a Thursday evening"
- "ran to find out who had come
rinding on a Thursday evening"
- Personality as a child
- MOTHER (VIVIAN)
- Maya does not find true happiness in her initial relationship with her mother
- Maya admires her strength and honesty
despite Vivian's many mistakes as a parent
- At the end of the memoir we
have a positive image of her
mother
- At the end of the memoir we
have a positive image of her
mother
- supportive of Maya in later years
- little early involvement
- Maya does not find true happiness in her initial relationship with her mother
- MRS. FLOWERS
- allowed Maya to speak freely without fear
- Maya discovers poetry and the
impact it has on her
- Maya discovers poetry and the
impact it has on her
- Maya views her as a hero, which
caused her to believe that not all
superheroes are male
- leads Maya to try to become heroic in her own
ways
- ex: consoles Dolores, drives her father's
car home, etc.
- ex: consoles Dolores, drives her father's
car home, etc.
- leads Maya to try to become heroic in her own
ways
- introduces Maya to literature
- allowed Maya to speak freely without fear
- MRS. CULLINAN
- white woman who Maya works for
- racist and unfair
- does not treat Maya with respect
- does not bother to learn Maya's real
name
- does not bother to learn Maya's real
name
- white woman who Maya works for
- DADDY
CLIDELL
- first real father figure in Maya's
life
- positive influence
- first real father figure in Maya's
life
- BIG BAILEY (Her Father)
- vain, selfish, and shallow
- doesn't show interest in his kids
- con man
- handsome
- uses proper english
- "errer"
- "errer"
- vain, selfish, and shallow
- BAILEY
- THEME
- Overcoming difficult struggles in life
- Learning to love and have respect for yourself
- Feeling empowered by your actions
- Appreciate tolerance and diversity
- Resistance to violence and racism
- Overcoming difficult struggles in life
- AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL
ELEMENTS
- tells her stories and
struggles
- Maya Angelou faced many
problems in her life, not only
with her race, but with her
family
- Maya Angelou faced many
problems in her life, not only
with her race, but with her
family
- autobiography about her
life
- memoir
- memoir
- mentions important
people and events in her
life
- tells her stories and
struggles
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