Many of the works of Maya Angelou present characters that display an indomitable spirit, enabling them to triumphantly go on even in the face of various obstacles. Most of the characters are people who are close to Angelou, or even Angelou herself. "Willie," is just one of the many poems written by Angelou that I enjoyed. This poem is a character sketch about a crippled man named Willie. The whole poem is very positive. Willie ... sum up her life. " I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," published in 1970, is the first book of the series that describes the first seventeen years of Angelou's life....

• Word Count: 995
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

Maya the poet, the author, the play-write, actress, mother, civil rights activist, historian, director, producer; Maya the Genius. Maya Angelou is the ultimate Renaissance woman and is one of the great voices of contemporary literature (mayaangelou.com). She is also one of the most influential African-Americans in American history. Through my research and readings about Maya I have come to the conclusion that she is an American genius. Maya has beaten the odds and become ... tribute to him by mentioning him in any of her writings. Aside from Maya being a wife and mother, she was a profound wr...

• Word Count: 1253
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

Literature Logs I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou pages 16-26 Well this book is starting out pretty boring. After reading the beginning of this book, I am coming to the conclusion that that this book is going to be very boring, and at the same time, very similar to the book, To Kill A Mockingbird. That is not a good thing. As for this literature log, it is already very obvious what the main ... that their grandmother played in their lives. She was a strong woman who displayed quiet bravery by hiding blacks that were in trouble, even though this put her own life in danger. Maya w...

• Word Count: 1105
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings By: Maya Angelou The story starts off with Maya and Bailey both being young. They were three and four, with Bailey being the older one. They live in California with their dad, but he ships them off to live with their grandmother. She's a store owner in Stamps, Arkansas. The store is one of those places that everyone congregates at. Kind of like a coffee shop in a small town, or ... kind of living at all. It was a pain for men who weren't cripples, to make money, making it twice as hard for him to do the same task. Maya finds that reading is fun for her. I don't...

• Word Count: 859
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... the novel "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", Maya Angelou has reconstructed her personal history into this autobiographical tale whose protagonist is the child narrator, Maya. Within the novel Maya has many obstacles to overcome, most importantly her sense of abandonment and feeling of not belonging. As the chapters proceed we see her feelings evolve, and sometimes retract, in regards to these insecurities. As the novel opens we see a three year-old Maya ... This move away from her parents and to a new place initially accounts largely for Maya's feelings of abandonment and not belonging....

• Word Count: 914
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

At the beginning of the book Maya is a confused little girl suffering from the associated with being a black child in America. She is also suffering with the pain of living without her parents. Maya is smart and ingenious, but she always feels like other people judge her for being black. She feels very misunderstood and she hates being black. She thinks that she is trapped in a "black ugly dream" and will soon wake up and reveal her true self as a white, blond-haired, blue-eyed girl. Living with her "Momma", grandmother without her parents she believes her life is an insult on top of the gener...

• Word Count: 518
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

In the book I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings , by Maya Angelou, Marguerite, Uncle Willie, and Vivian are faced with many defeats but are never defeated. There are many times in which Marguerite is faced with difficulties that she overcomes. Growing up in the poor South as a black and yet triumphing despite that fact is her biggest achievement.At about eight, she and her brother are moved to St.Louis to live ... everything you've got. I've told you many times," Can't do is like Don't Care." Neither of them have a home." She definitely lives by this. She lives the life that was given to her, and...

• Word Count: 787
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School