It has suddenly struck me that I have left no room for people to create their own topics, ideas, questions, and interpretations outside of the topics provided. Since that is usually where the magic happens, consider this post that place. Please use this post to comment on your thoughts as you read the novel. Ask questions, begin discussions, provoke thoughts...your choice!!
My take on co-creation is that what we are given is a body along with a mind. What one does with these things is almost entirely up to oneself. One finds their own purpose in life. When Maya feared death and put her faith in God that He wouldn’t take the life they created together I also thought about the human-creator relationship. However, when I got to thinking, it occurred to me that all one is given is a life. If God created everyone and gave them all their abilities in a 50-50 relationship then it would seem as though crime would be almost nonexistent. I believe that we are all given a mind and a body and live out our years making decisions for ourselves. There are people who devote their life to God and those who denounce His existence entirely. Both of those types of people have the ability to make their own decisions and become either good people, bad people, or fall somewhere in the grayness between the two. If God gave us all life then He also gave us the ability to point ourselves in the direction we choose to point ourself in.
ReplyDeleteI think Maya's relationship with Mr. Freeman is one of the main causes of confusion in her life. She was ignored for weeks and then molested, despite not knowing it and thinking they were just spending time together. If you look at this from Maya's point of view, he only likes her for a little, and then seems angry with her for the rest of the time. Then when he rapes her, it would've created more and more confusion. And then she gets more angry at herself when Mr. Freeman goes to jail, despite the fact she did nothing wrong and her rape was not her fault. I don't think the silence was to stop herself from incriminating others, but because she didn't feel like anyone would want to hear her talk after Mr. Freeman raped her (when she thought Mr. Freeman liked her sometimes).
ReplyDeleteAlthough I agree that Mr. Freeman stands as a milestone of confusion in Maya's life, I don't think her silence stemmed from the thought that no one wanted to hear her talk-- after all, there were occasions through the text where conversation was struck with the obvious hopes of her replying. Mrs. Flowers and Momma are two choice people who tried to address her conversationally with this in mind, but to no avail. The bigger picture, I believe, is her inability to completely understand the situation at her age. The event was tragic for her, and the publicity, then Mr. Freeman's death, only cemented the idea that it was she who killed him. Despite never inducing an act of violence herself, it was her speaking out that "killed" him, all because she told the truth. Given the circumstances and, again, her youth and lack of any similar experience in such a dire situation, this thought would have surely gone off like a broken record in her mind. She "killed" a man, and certainly her voice could kill again. While outsiders may see this opinion as unreasonable, it played as a real threat in her mind that I believe awoke the fear of hurting others.
DeleteI think that the main reason behind Maya taking comfort in Mr.Freeman is because of her parents shipping her and her brother to live with their grandmother. Also the fact that she never got have the "love" that a parent gives to their child as they grow up into a teenager and then into an adult. Mr. Freeman was someone, to Maya, who stepped in and make her feel loved and happy. And then like most young rape incidents he abused the relationship and the trust Maya had laid into him.
DeleteI think that in Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janies hair comes to symbolize her freedom during her relationship with Joe Starks. When Joe forces her to work in the store he also forces her to cover all of her hair, saying that he dosn't want other men touching her hair and it's his right only. Covering her hair make Janie feel imprisoned as for most of her life her hair was Janie's most loved feature and now she dosn't have that. When Joe dies Janie takes her hair out and she finially feels free, this does not last long however because she cover her hair when she anounces that Joe is dead. When Joe dies she feels free because she no longer has someone controling her, and she shows this with her hair.
ReplyDeleteI'm referring to what you said about how Janie wears her hair up when she announces that Joe is dead.
DeleteJanie does this because she feels the need to look sad even when she isn't, but does it to put on a show. But notice how she doesn't let this make her think she is sad. She even tells her friend Pheoby that she shouldn't have to feel sad if she isn't. This says a lot about how far Janie's come because she use to not be able to think like this. After about six months Janie stop swearing her hair pinned up because, like you said, she no longer has someone to control her. I also feel that Janie had taken a while to realize this though. She was so used to having someone tell what was right and what was wrong, so during that six month time period she had to realize that no one was going to do that anymore to her.
In Their Eyes Were Watching God the title of the book is only used once, and that was during the hurricane. I believe that Their Eyes Were Watching God is an appropriate title for the book. I would have chosen Her Eyes Were Watching God insead because throught the novel Janie keeps hoping and going after a better life and a chance at true love, in other words Janie was looking to God to help her in her time of need. Although Janie is not shown as a religious person she still puts faith in God and it is God that Janie looks tward when she needs it.
ReplyDeleteI agree n appropriate Their Eyes were Watching God is an appropriate title for the book. I would keep the title as it currently stand with their instead of her. The reasoning is that it was never just Janie following God for guidance but also her grandmother and her second husband Joe Starks. Her grandmother hopes for Janie to be happy after her passing and even though the book never said, I believe Janie's grandmother had faith not only in Janie but also in God. Janie's second husband, Joe Starks is a different story. Instead of looking for God for guidance in a tough time he believes he is God. This is because he built a town out of nothing and everyone there including Janie looks up to him when they are troubled and have questions
DeleteMost people believe their childhood years were the best years of their lives, but it is quite the opposite for Janie. She spent her childhood under the care of her grandmother, who has a different view of the world than Janie because she grew up during slavery. She just wanted the best for Janie, so she pushed her into a marriage for money, not love. She is very unhappy throughout her first marriage, but as time progresses, she is the happiest while married to Tea Cake. While struggling to find love, she was also trying to find happiness. Because Tea Cake was much younger than her, it was like teenage love in the beginning. Towards the end of the novel, she began to realize that she actually hated Nanny. She taught her to strive to be wealthy and high-class, when all she really wanted was true love. I agree with Janie, the best values in life aren't wealth and status, they are happiness and love.
ReplyDeleteOne of the thoughts during certain situations in "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" wasn't necessarily about the book itself but the idea that despite the fact that all of Maya's life events took place in the 1930's/40's, it makes me think that the same things are still happening in todays society. Rape, sexism, racism, neglect, poverty, and the overall idea of inequality. Unfortunately every one of those things is still a big deal. Sexism and racism may not be stressed as much as rape and poverty compared to Maya's time but the fact that the same situations are still going on so many years later is beyond disappointing. Social status is also something that hasn't changed much since the time of the novel. African Americans were known as the lower class and the society wanted nothing to do with the so called lower class and it to this day, most people of the 'higher class' aren't understanding of those without the same social status of them because people back in the 1930's/40's are judgmental and we still are today.
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DeleteI agree. The scariest part of "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" is considering just how relevant the story remains today. Class distinction is still dehumanizing, racism and sexism play an avid role in society (compare a woman, an African American, and a white man competing for the same job under the same qualifications-- guess who often wins, and guess the determining factor), and issues such as rape continue to threaten the innocent every day. There are children and adults alike who mirror a young, confused Maya, many of whom never gain the courage to speak out against their abuser, then go unaccounted for. There are even more who blame themselves. People still look to the victims with a sense of the fault being theirs, as well. That isn't to say that Maya was blamed for the issue itself, but she was eventually blamed for her silence after her family decided the time for her resultant suffering had run dry and she was only enacting this to herself. It twists my stomach every time to read the aftermath of Mr. Freeman's wrongdoings, especially when he was given such measly punishment for what he had done (again, another common factor in the modern world). He was found dead, of course, though that failed have anything to do with who should have properly ruled him in need of punishment in the first place. To live in a world that so closely resembles Maya's own upbringing is disgusting. Thanks to this book, however, it is difficult to look past the suffering shared by many, as well as it is impossible to walk away from the text without the need to do something about it.
DeleteI would have to agree with both of you. The most interesting part is that most of the issues are still occurring today. Although the events in this autobiography were based in the 30's and 40's, they're still relevant to life today. The issues of rape, abuse, racism, taking advantage of the innocent, etc, were issues for everyone, but especially the minorities. Looking at current events like the "border battle" if most of the undocumented children get to stay in the United States, the majority of today could be the minority of tomorrow. Although anything can happen to anyone, the fact that Mr. Freeman died without a quote on quote reason of death, most people believed it was her uncles that murdered him. It makes the theory of karma hold true, which for those who don't know, the theory of karma is practically the Newtonian principle that every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
DeleteThis post refers to ''Their Eyes Were Watching God''.
ReplyDeleteI found this novel really easy to relate to, not taking into account of some things that had occured but with the fact that it is about a woman telling the story of her life from growing from a girl to a woman, and how things change as you grow and and see things so differently and within her life how she comes to terms on different things and who she as a person, wants to be and who she is becoming. The novel relates to the life of an ordinary woman who goes through different things in life and those things being what makes her the person she is. As I was reading I felt what she felt and I felt as if I was there with her listening to her telling her story and gathering advice from the experiences she had and learned although the novel took place in a different time period many many years ago, it was still very relatable to life today and made everything seem to have a life lesson within itself.
I believe Maya saw African Americans as the strongest race in the world even before Louis wont the boxing match. Maya had seen African Americans labor harder than whites, and take more hatred than whites, so enduring this, Maya probably would've said the same thing if the boxing match had never taken place. That, being said, if Louis had lost the fight, I feel that Maya's faith in her race to stand against racism would've been almost completely eradicated. This point in the story didn't seem that important when I first read it, but it may become more important later in the book, as Maya chose the events of the book carefully.
ReplyDeleteI think Maya tore up the Valentine because she was scared of loving someone. She had loved her parents, but was sent away. She had loved Mr. Freeman, but was raped. I think Maya was scared of hurting someone else (since she blamed herself for Mr. Freeman going to jail) and/or being hurt by someone else. This is why she ripped up the note and pushed Tommy away. She probably feels even more alone when she does try to be friendly with Tommy, and his feelings for her are going away.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said completely. I also think another factor could be taken in of why Maya ripped up the Valentine. On top of all the rejected love coming from important roles in Maya's life, and of Momma's distant way of loving Maya, Maya also struggled with self-esteem issues. Her views of herself (ex. not having the body of other young girls, having "ugly hair, etc.) blinded her to the idea of love from a peer. She doesn't view herself as a first choice.
DeleteAlso, her ideas of feminism encouraged her to believe that a Valentine might be a foolish thing to deal with. I think that because Maya thought differently than other girls her age (while they were concerned with gossip, she was concerned with literature) she didn't really know how to respond to such a "girly" thing. We see Maya start to come more like girls her age by her friendship with Louise, and Maya finds comfort in her.
In I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, I greatly admire the love and dedication Maya shows to her brother Bailey. As the book progresses with the two siblings moving between living with their parents to grandparents houses they continued to be there for each other even as they grew older, reading, playing, and even crying with each other during troubling times. Even at the point after Maya’s sickness and troubles with Mr. Freemen took her desire to speak away, she continued to speak to Bailey and no one else. I think Maya Angelou wanted to prove that the love of your siblings and family should be strong because they will always be there for you.
ReplyDeleteI agree fully with your observation of Maya and Bailey. Adding to it, your sibling is all that you will have when you get older. Siblings are always there for you and I know this from personal experience. Maya and Bailey are the best examples of what siblings should do, they should always be there for each other no matter what, and should be able to share anything with each other with no judging, just love. Maya Being sick actually strengthened the bond between her and Bailey. I feel that Maya was trying to say that siblings understand what you are going through more than others and will always be there for you no matter what.
DeleteTo add on what you've said Nikolas, the idea of siblings being there for each other no matter what, holds true through most events. Simply look at a family where the parent or parents died and all the children have left is each other. Since the children have each other, it strengthens the bond between them and influences them to support each other. Although Maya and Bailey had their grandmother and their parents, the support from each of the adult figures was different than the support between Maya and Bailey. Although this is somewhat unrelated, all of the events that happen throughout the book shows that there's events that happen today that never get on the news although it happens to innocent people.
DeleteIn addition, their relationship never changed as the book went on. Bailey was always there for her when they were younger, even when the need for help was unspoken between them. For example when the old ladies in the store were teasing her because she wasn't as good looking as her brother, Bailey would turn around and say something like "Oh Mizeriz Coleman, how is your son? I saw him the other day, and he looked sick enough to die." and when they asked from what, he would reply "Form the uglies" (pg 22.) As Maya says on page 21, "Bailey was the greatest person in my childhood," and she felt that she was lucky to not have to share him with any other siblings, and she was in awe that a boy as beautiful as her brother could ever love her, a girl often considered ugly by society.
DeleteWhen Maya is raped by Mr. Freeman and Bailey finds out, he cries by her bedside after forcing her to tell him who did it, and tells their Grandmother Baxter and gets Mr. Freeman arrested (pg 83.) Even though Mr. Freeman threatened to kill Bailey if she told, he was unconcerned when hearing about the threats on his life, yet so deeply distraught by what happened to Maya, which suggests that he cares more about her well-being than his own. This also hows that Maya does too because she kept the rape a secret for as long as she could so Bailey wouldn't be killed. All she worries about during the whole process of her "sickness" is if she tells Mother or Bailey about what happened if he would love her anymore, and if "he was out of danger" (pg 81.) He still loves her after what happened because as she said on page 88, when she stopped talking, Bailey was the only person she would ever talk to. Their bond was so strong that even when one of them went though something they looked to each other for comfort eventually, even if they didn't exactly seek out the comfort, but the other had to comfort them without invitation. For example, after Joyce left Bailey and he had stopped talking for a few weeks, she was the only person he opened up to slightly on the subject after many answers of "Joyce who?"(pg 150)he answers her on page 152 to her inquires with "Joyce? She's got someone to do it to her all the time now" and he never mentioned her again. Still he talked to her, and only her about his sorrows, even thought it was vague, which is what she did to him when the Mr. Freeman situation was concerned. They are always there for each other throughout the book, even if one of them has to force a reply out of the other.
This comment is about the book “Their Eyes Were Watching God.” Throughout the book I had the impression that the author had a prior distrust of men. After researching her life I was unable to prove that this was accurate, however I still feel this is a valid point. I understand that Hurston is trying to promote gender equality as well as spreading awareness of racism in the South, but it is my impression that the book had an underlying message indicating that all men are bad. In the beginning of the book Janie’s Grandma tells how Janie is the result of a rape and that the man responsible simply ran away. Later, Janie is being forced into an arranged marriage with an abusive man that threatens to kill. Before he can hurt her further, Janie runs off with a smooth talking man, Joe Starks and marries him too. Joe doesn’t share the same love as Janie and uses her to run his store, not allowing her to voice her own opinion. After Joe dies, Janie finds a third husband, Tea Cake. Just when you think Tea Cake is the only man that seems all right in the book, he hits Janie until she bruises to demonstrate to her, and the town, who is in charge in their relationship. All this gives me the impression that Hurston believes that men are bad, abusive people that view women as property. These are my views on this topic and would like to hear your thoughts and opinions regarding this. Please post a reply, start a discussion.
ReplyDeleteI think the root of Maya's problems with Dolores is the letters they wrote before Maya arrived at Big Bailey's house. They got expectations of who they would be, and when these expectations were not met they began to grow apart. When Maya grew closer to Big Bailey, this made Dolores angry at Maya for "stealing" Big Bailey, even though Maya was just trying to get closer to him. When Dolores stabbed Maya, it wasn't the biggest problem. The biggest problem was Maya thought she couldn't go back to Vivian because of her wound. But in the end, Maya benefited from learning about acceptance at the junkyard.
ReplyDeleteTo extend on what you've hinted on Zach, when Maya learned acceptance at the junkyard, she truly learned that regardless what happens there will always be good people that will accept you for who you are. It is really kind of stupid that people act just like Dolores did towards Maya when Dolores "thought" that Maya was trying to "steal" Bailey Sr.. Honestly, I don't understand why someone would be that selfish and domineering over another person. I thought that Maya wouldn't have been as worried about Vivian knowing about what happened to her considering that Maya has gone through worse.
DeleteTo expand upon the junkyard and Maya learning tolerance. Before the junkyard Maya was starting to hate whites as much as whites hated blacks and had no problem in helping the whites be scammed. She hated that just because of her color that so many doors were closed to her when much less deserving whites had access to them. In the junkyard where white and black children worked together without segregation she learned that it is pointless to be hateful and to instead be tolerant.
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ReplyDeleteI Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
ReplyDeleteI believe that "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" is the perfect title for Maya Angelou's book. It is an autobiography, but it is so much more than that. The way she writes the piece is exceptional, writing it from a different point of view than any other autobiography I've ever read. She gives you an in depth look at her early life, but to really experience the book you must know how she turned out afterwords. In the wake of her death earlier in the year I read multiple articles about her and to see the things she accomplished after living an early life like she did, it's incredible. She was a caged bird in her early life but inside there was the potential to be the woman she became, and that potential was the singing. With the list of her published writings, non-fiction, and fiction now including more than 30 bestselling titles it's crazy to read about the early life she had and know that she never let it affect her and led her to such an accomplished life. She later said "A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song."
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
ReplyDeleteThroughout my life I have realized that people find innocence a defining characteristic of children. After reading the novel "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" however, it has struck me that we are not entitled to that innocence. Children can not choose when innocence is taken, rather the people and situations within their environment determine that loss. Maya experiences this first hand, in her young years of her life. At only three years old, Maya feels the abandonment of being sent away by her parents. This leads to self esteem issues in later years, as she feels unwanted and burden causing. This simple fact that racism was existent resulted in Maya very early learning that due to her race the same opportunities were not extended to her as those of the Caucasian race. This presence of inequality, led to her wanting to be someone other than herself. It also left her pondering the idea that she was constricted to the accomplishments of other African Americans, and could not surpass their positions in society. Finally, I believe any innocence Maya still possessed was diminished by the sexual assault of Mr. Freeman. Mr. Freeman was a fatherly figure in Maya's life, as well as the lover of her mother. After being assaulted, Maya's trust for those in her life greatly decreased. Not only was her voice shattered, as she was ashamed of something she could not control; but her lifelong religious idea of chastity was stripped from her. With these events in mind, I think it stands that children are not entitled to their innocence. Influences in society, and the people around us are the one's that decide when that characteristic is gone inside us.
In "Their Eyes Were Watching God" I think of the things the book focuses on is the idea of True Love versus Materialism. Janie struggles with both of these throughout the entire novel. When she starts the beginning of her story, Nanny marries Janie off to Logan Killicks, a wealthy and stable farmer; due to the life Nanny had to live she wanted Janie to have a stable and safe life, focusing on the materialistic ideas of life, but Janie wanted true love which she didn't find in Logan, whom she left for her second husband, Joe Stark. He was a wealthy man, but the only important factor for Janie was that she loved him. When Joe died he left Janie with a large sum of money, making her wealthy, but also a target for being conned by young men. Janie knew this, so when men tried to pursue her Janie always worried that she would get conned and end up broken hearted and penniless. The materialistic ideas of the world left her scared and paranoid, especially when she met her third husband Tea Cake, many believed he was too poor for Janie, and Pheoby warned her that he could con and leave her. Janie had to fight for true love due to the materialistic ideas that faced her in the world. In the beginning of the novel when Janie returned without Tea Cake the women on the porch believed he had conned and left her, believing money was all he was ever after, but in reality Tea Cake had died saving Janie's life, and a person would only do that for their true love.
ReplyDeleteIn Maya’s time of silence, I believe that the words of wisdom Mrs. Flowers showed to Maya when she was invited to her house opened up her rather uncaring point of view, allowing her to see things in a whole different fashion. In turn, letting her for the first time not just read the words written on a page, but be able to feel them, grasping the inner meaning of what the authors had tried to display in their stories. This gave Maya the desire to want to speak once more, so she would be able to apply different tones and feeling to the literature she enjoyed reading so much.
ReplyDeleteTo expand, Mrs. Flowers is one of the most important people of Maya's childhood, one who very well continued to affect her long after they last saw each other. I feel as if Mrs. Flowers helped her in two mediums, specifically-- the first regaining her voice, and the second in better appreciating the language itself. After all, if one grows to love the language they speak, it becomes difficult to ever decide to not speak it again. Maya's admiration for the women, who appeared as if she shouldn't belong in Stamps at all, definitely made her out to be someone to be listened to. She showed Maya the importance of language, both in text and aloud, and even lent her a copy of her favourite book to further stress her reasoning. I believe it was the gentle teaching that Maya benefited most from-- after all, many who tried to coax her into talking were bound to get frustrated, but Mrs. Flowers remained calm in her attempts. The kindness of such an exotic woman, one who decided to give Maya her time, was the push that helped her overcome her inner turmoil. That, and through English, very much inspired her to write for herself.
DeleteIn "Their Eyes Were Watching God" there is a theme of conquest as means to fulfillment. Whereas Janie struggles to assert a place for herself by undertaking a spiritual journey toward love and self-awareness, Jody attempts to achieve fulfillment through the exertion of power. He tries to purchase and control everyone and everything around him; he exercises his authority hoping to subordinate his environment to his will. He labors under the illusion that he can control the world around him and that, by doing so, he will achieve some sense of profound fulfillment.
ReplyDeleteIn "Their Eyes Were Watching God", although relationships are implied to be necessary to a fulfilling life, Janie’s quest for spiritual fulfillment is fundamentally a self-centered one. She is alone at the end yet seems content. She liberates herself from her unpleasant and unfulfilling relationships with Logan and Jody, who hinder her personal journey. Through her relationship with Tea Cake, Janie experiences true fulfillment and enlightenment and becomes secure in her independence. She feels a deep connection to the world around her and even feels that the spirit of Tea Cake is with her. Thus, even though she is alone, she doesn’t feel alone. This creates a theme of Love vs. Independence.
ReplyDeleteIn "Their Eyes Were Watching God" The pear tree and the horizon represent Janie’s idealized views of nature. In the bees’ interaction with the pear tree flowers, Janie witnesses a perfect moment in nature, full of erotic energy, passionate interaction, and blissful harmony. She chases after this ideal throughout the rest of the book. Similarly, the horizon represents the far-off mystery of the natural world, with which she longs to connect. Janie’s hauling in of her horizon “like a great fish-net” at the end of the novel indicates that she has achieved the harmony with nature that she has sought since the moment under the pear tree.
ReplyDeleteIn "I know why the caged bird sings" Maya has a hard time fitting in. She believes that she's not as beautiful as the other girls such as Bailey. Maya often hears that she is too overweight and had unflattering hair. This isn't only a problem in the book but also relates to our current world. The result of these harsh comments are usually a low self esteem, which may even have led to the incident with Mr.Freeman. She actually felt comforted with Mr.Freeman when he held Maya. This was because no one has showed a interest in her, and no one gave her attention like he did. Maya maybe even thought that Mr.Freeman thought she was pretty. She liked the attention Mr.Freeman gave her and grew upset after she didn't speak to her in days after the rape.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything you wrote except where you mentioned "a low self esteem, which may even have led to the incident with Mr. Freeman". Truly the way young kids respect adults has changed from the '30's to today, which Mr. Freeman abused and used Maya's childhood ignorance into raping her. Mr. Freeman was the typical case of incest, where the person made the child feel comforted then abuse the child's ignorance of the world to manipulate the situation in a negative way. Unfortunately, Maya believed that Mr. Freeman would kill Bailey if she told anyone, but things happen for a reason and it ended up shaping Maya into the person that she was. Since what Mr. Freeman did was wrong, Mr. Freeman got what was coming to him after he raped Maya especially since there was speculation as to how Mr. Freeman died.
DeleteI agree with both of you. Maya probably had a low self esteem. When people hear negative things about how they look it makes them sad. That's why she took comfort in the attention that was given to her by Mr. Freeman because no one had ever really shown an interest in her. This relates a lot to our world today. People get picked on and they take comfort in whatever attention they get from someone.
DeleteIn "I know why the caged bird sings" the title was symbolic throughout the book. Maya is the "caged bird" who was pushed through a tough life and had no sense of opinion. Subjects such as racism,rape,marriage and self image have seemed to trap her in a "cage". Maya sings in a metaphor of a bird because she wanted to be freed of all the hardships in life.Also in the book Momma would sing when the rude white girls would walk into the store to avoid conflict. I believe that Mrs.Flowers gave Maya the key to get out of the cage. Mrs.Flowers shows her how to use her literature as confidence.
ReplyDeleteLate in the book I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings the Store is packed from corner to corner with people listening to the radio broadcast of the famous fight for the heavy weight championships in boxing. Featuring Primo Carnera (a male with white skin) and Joe Louis (an African American male), this fight was extremely important to many if not all African Americans at that time, and as Maya had explained it was viewed as the determining factor for weather or not African Americans were equal or weaker than the white race, proving this match to be a chance to show that African Americans possess as much strength as white people. When Joe Louis was able to fight his way out of a few tight spots in the fourth round of the match he then defeated Carnera. Everyone cheered happily when Louis won, telling all of America that an African America had what it takes to be the heavy weight champion of the world.
ReplyDeleteIn "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" young Maya Angelou is forced to learn the hardships of life and the challenges that she must face later on in her life. Given that she grew up in a time period surrounded by racism and poverty, the experiences she had as a child gave her a new and more thought provoking outlook on life. She is forced to the difference between right and wrong in the society she lives in, even if that means she must go against her caretaker's beliefs. Young Maya must learn the difference between right and wrong on her own as the experiences the adults in her life had are very different from her own, and their views on the world and society are much different than what the current time period calls for. Maya must learn these things through her own experiences, even if that means going against the beliefs of those close to her, something that is very difficult for a child to achieve.
ReplyDeleteAs I read "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", it was hard for me to picture Maya Angelou as a meek submissive young girl. Ever since I watched her recite “On the Pulse of Morning” at President Clinton’s inauguration, I have deemed her powerful and assertive. After reading this novel, I realized her past shaped her and allowed her to become the woman she was later on in life. In “On the Pulse of Morning”, she proclaims of the hope there is in every new hour and this showed throughout her life. She learned she had to move forward and leave the past behind her. Although there may be several horrific incidents before her, she was treated to countless blessings later.
ReplyDeleteBefore the first page of the book, Maya Angelou dedicated the autobiography to her son, Guy Johnson, and to “all the strong black birds of promise who defy the odds and gods and sing their songs.” Even this dedication relates to the title and to the theme of her book. She wants the world to understand that you cannot be afraid to sing your song even though the odds, or the majority, may be against you. Your song is who you are and that cannot be taken away.
ReplyDeleteIn “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”, I feel Momma [Maya’s grandmother] resembled strength and courage throughout the book. In the beginning of the book, a group of white girls went to Momma’s general store. They stood outside and mocked Momma by imitating how she stood. Momma stood her ground and just continued to sing to herself. The girls got bored because they didn’t get the reaction they were hoping for. While I read this passage, I thought to myself, how could she just let them do that? Maya even questioned why she didn’t do anything. Momma won in the end because she had the strength to not give in. Also, Momma had the courage to stand up to Dentist Lincoln, the white dentist, who denied to work on Maya’s teeth. It was rare to see a black person question a white person, let alone a black woman. Momma acted fierce and fearless against him and she truly showed her powerful, courageous self.
ReplyDeleteIn "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" Maya and Bailey have a very close relationship. The reason for this is because Maya and Bailey could relate to what the other was going through and understand. Their parents sent them away at a very young age and they moved around a lot. Maya sometimes had a hard time and was not good at making friends. Bailey was always there looking out for Maya and comforting her. They had each other and had a strong bond growing up. Bailey was one of the few people Maya could truly trust and count on growing up.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting point to be made about Maya's grandmother in "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" is her strength. Maya continually portrays her as a woman of of such boldness an the likes, be that by her treatment of the children she is looking after, or simply others in their community. However, despite her character, she gives nothing but courtesy when addressed sourly by white children or adults. When the girls were making fun of her, for example, she greeted them by the title of "Miss" and did nothing to support herself in their presence (holding her ground, however, could be argued as something). She holds herself to the standards of behavior that white people set for her ages ago, and hardly bats an eye when the treatment turns far against her. A break in character comes only when dealing with Dentist Lincoln for the sake of Maya. For me, that point in the book will remain one of my favourites. Whereas earlier Maya felt crushed at her grandmother's apparent weakness in dealing with those white children, a specific point is made here that Momma won't take the conduct when directed towards her granddaughter. It's a sweet moment that assures the reader that this woman is indeed capable of the strength Maya held her to earlier in the book, and it stirs a sense of pride to see her stand up to a white man in the first place. For her to procure the money from him, as well, makes obvious the power she holds.
ReplyDeleteAdding on to this, when Momma was "dealing with" Dentist Lincoln, Maya imagines her grandmother as a superhero. This was a great example of Maya's admiration of her grandmother and showing how Momma was Maya's role model. In the mind of a young 8th grader, role model is also known as superhero. Maya see's that her grandmother is well known and well respected in their community, and aspires to be like her superhero grandmother.
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ReplyDeleteI'd like to start off and say that I really liked this book! (Most books that teachers pick for their students to read aren't the greatest, but this was sorta an eye opener and I really enjoyed it!) I hate that the book ends like it does though. It makes you want to know more about her son and how the rest of her life ended up to be like. At times it was hard to put it down, but it did have some parts where it was slow and hard to understand.
I also want to agree with Rebecca and Shannon on how the book had taken place many years ago and some of the main "side" problems in the book (sexism, racism, rape, etc.) still occur and happen today. Society honestly hasn't changed throughout the years and it's getting worse and as Rebecca had mentioned, it is very disappointing! You think that with society and how everything is just getting worse that more people would strive to do better? Try to change the way that people are today? To be "normal" or "perfect" in today's society you have to be skinny, but not too skinny or have the perfect skin tone, not too pale or too dark. It sucks that a lot of people judge on how a person is on the outside and not by what truly matters (their personality)! Yes, this does sound very cliché, but it's something that society needs to work on.
To add to this is also the problem of discrimination like in the time period of "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings". All thought no so much as discrimination towards the African American population and other minority population groups, the hate and discrimination has been transferred onto the homosexual and other non one male one female relationships. Our society has a "perfect image" that needs to be filed and if anyone isn't with the right person, is too skinny, too heavy, too poor, or too rich those people feel like they can't fit in any where because of our awful way of life and how we treat others. History repeats its self always.
DeleteIn "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" many of Maya's childhood problems are caused from racism from her white neighbors. Even though her grandmother (Momma) is relatively wealthy because she owns the General Store in Stamps, it is the white children that hassle Maya's family. A few "powhitetrash" girls stood outside the store making fun of Momma, Uncle Willie was hid in a vegetable bin during a Klu Klux Klan raid, Maya has to deal with a racist employer that changes her name and the dentist wouldn't work on Maya's rotting tooth. Momma handles all the racism the best by just ignoring it. By ignoring it the white people became bored because they didn't get the reaction from Momma that they were expecting. It is very important to stand up for yourself and to not give in to others harassment.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that Maya's Momma should've stood up for herself, because by remaining polite and not reacting to the "powhitetrash" she proved that she is better than them. If she would've reacted like Maya felt, it would prove in the mind of those "powhitetrash" girls that they are better than Momma. It also could've caused many problems with the KKK and the police because while Momma had influence she did not have that much.
DeleteIn "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" Maya and her brother Bailey have a very special bond to one another. Maya and Bailey were more than just siblings though, they were best friends. They could tell each other anything and trusted each other more than anybody else. Bailey is an example of what a real big brother should be like. He helped Maya with all of her problems. I think Maya should've told Bailey right away when she was raped. He would've known what to do and how to protect her from Mr. Freeman. With all the moving around between states and between family members, Maya and Bailey could not be broken apart. Everybody needs a relationship like that in their life.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything in this post except " I think Maya should've told Bailey right away when she was raped." Because of the special bond between Maya and Bailey, I think telling her brother of the shameful (although she should not feel shame or guilt) would have bonded them closer together, yes. But, Maya believed that Bailey's life was on the line. Mr. Freeman threatened Maya with Bailey's death if she were to tell anyone. If Maya told Bailey too soon, Bailey (with his sense of protecting) would have confronted Mr. Freeman. I think that, knowing the relationship with her mother, Maya would not have told her mother directly. Bailey would have tried to take matters into his own hands and the outcome would be devastating for Maya. I don't think it was right of her to hide it, but I think that it was a good thing that Maya's mother discovered the rape that the same time Bailey did, because she was an adult with her fearless brothers to protect anyone Mr. Freeman might have put in danger.
DeleteI agree that Maya was right in not telling her brother. Children have a view of the world that they can do anything and I think this belief would've caused Bailey to confront Mr. Freeman, which would led to him being seriously hurt. If that were to of happened, Maya would blame herself and been even more traumatized.
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ReplyDeleteIn "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" Maya and Bailey were taken to their mother in St. Louis by their father. Maya was abused and raped by her mothers boyfriend (Mr. Freeman). Mr. Freeman was found guilty in trial but escapes jail time and is supposably murdered by Maya's uncle. Do you think it was wrong to have killed Mr. Freeman? Maya feels as if this is all her fault and withdraws from everybody except for Bailey. When Maya returns to Stamps she meets Mrs. Flowers. Mrs. Flowers acts as Maya's mentor. Do you think Maya should feel guilty?
ReplyDeleteIn our society now, yes we as a society would mark that wrong and would punish Maya's uncle. I also think that is wrong, that all killing is wrong no matter what the crime but that is just me. I also think that if we were to been alive at that time and witnessed an event such as that I believe that we would be more relaxed and OK with the killing of the man who harmed Maya in such an awful event. No no no it was not Maya's fault she was raped, it is never the fault of the person who was raped whether they are male or female. Maya thinks that here words kill, in a way they did but when she spoke she had no way of knowing that Mr. Freeman was going to be killed once she said something.
DeleteMaya's uncle should of been put in jail by killing Mr. Freeman. He did this because he thought that it help Maya. I don't really think that it was wrong of him because he did it for a right reason. If my daughter was raped I would try everything in my power to get this man put in prison. I wouldn't want my daughter to feel what Maya went through. Maya should not feel guilty because she wasn't the criminal she was the victim. Mr. Freeman should of known that this was coming in the end.
DeleteI believe it was completely just to kill Mr.Freeman. He did one of the most horrible things a human can do. Any man who does that to a young child is no man, he is a sick coward and deserves nothing better than death or rotting inside a cell the rest of his life. Some things just can't be forgiven.
DeleteIn "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" Maya forced a boy to get her pregnant at the age of 16. Maya left a note for her parents telling them that she was pregnant. she was so ashamed of herself for what she had done. Her parents were supportive of her because they said women have been getting pregnant at a young age for a while now. In the end of the book, Maya was delighted to be a mother because she thought her parents would be mad at her and kick her out. Her parents showed unconditional love for her and loved the baby too.
ReplyDeleteMaya didn't force the boy to impregnate her, but instead she made the boy have sexual relations with her because she was very confused. After reading "The Well of Loneliness" Maya believed she may be a lesbian. She first tried to approach her mother and receive answers from her, but she was no help. Maya wanted an explanation for her large feet, lack of curves, and changing body so she decided to find a boyfriend to ensure she was not a lesbian. She never found a boyfriend, but she had a brief encounter with the neighbor boy and then she became pregnant.
DeleteIn "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" I believe that Maya's silence was not just because of the act Mr. Freeman did. Although that event was the "spark" for the fire. It started when Maya and Bailey were left by their parents and told to go live with their grandmother . Maya struggled with feeling like she belonged, she even stated that she dreamed of being like one of the pretty little white girls. But luckily for Maya she has Bailey with her so she is not always alone, he is there for her and she is their for him. I honesty think that Maya stays happy only because of her brother.
ReplyDeleteIn "I know Why The Caged Bird Sings" Maya and her grandmother are very close. Since her parents left her at a very young age. As I said in another post, she is like a motherly figure to Maya. Maya looks up to her. She does everything in her will to raise her right. She raises the children to strict rules. Though she never reacts with emotion, Maya feels her love anyway.She stands up for herself but believes that white people cannot be spoken to without risking one’s life. Momma shows the depth of her love for Maya and Bailey throughout the book. Anyone should have Maya's grandmother as a mom or even a grandma.
ReplyDeleteThis comment is more of a question than an thought provoking comment. In "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", we see a complete change coming from Maya. After being raped by Mr. Freeman, Maya is ashamed and feels dirty, she wishes to think that the act actually never happened to HER but another "dirty", young girl. In my opinion, she feels shameful because of the act itself, although at the time she didn't really understand what exactly had happened.
ReplyDeleteHowever, by the end of the novel, she turns sex into an object worth gaining. She comes on strongly to a young man, and afterward she felt indifferent. She lost interest and/or didn't understand what the big deal was. Until she became pregnant, and she felt that same shame she felt after the rape. Then she discovered her family's support and love, and she knew that she was okay.
Obviously, I am not saying that Maya acted wrongly after the rape, just wondering what changed her views about sex? Does anyone have an opinion on this?
Throughout the novel “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” I found Maya’s grandmothers strength to be intriguing, yet also inspirational. She showed herself to be more than just someone who is scared of the other race destructing African American’s self esteem, and many other qualities. She proved that it does not matter what color your skin is, you can still do anything the whites can. Owning a store in Stamps showed that women are able to do things that only men are portrayed to do. She goes against society’s ideas of a “perfect place” with women only doing what jobs men do not do. I find this to be inspiring because no matter what everyone thought about Maya’s grandmother she just kept going and did not care what others thought. By doing this she lived a successful live running a store and taking care of others.
ReplyDeleteIn Their Eyes Were Watching God, I just want to bring to the table the perseverance and patience of Janie. She pushes through the torture of her grandmother, then through three marriages, she losses her husband, and yet she continues on. Never did she give up, she just chugged on even when she was alone, or if everyone was against her. She never quiet. This is just such a key quality for leadership. Never giving up even when everything has gone wrong. Because it is easy to keep going when times are good, but Janie never stop. That is a quality I want in my life.
ReplyDeleteIn Their Eyes Were Watching God near the end of the book a character named Mrs.Turner is introduced. In the book she is racist against African Americans when she herself is African American. This itself doesn't make much sense because how can you really be racist against your type of people? Also Mrs.Turner worships white people like they are gods to her. This doesn't make much sense either because the only difference between African Americans and whites is their skin color which isn't a big difference at all so it doesn't really make much sense why she would worship them even if she wanted to be white.
ReplyDeleteThe thought of being racist towards her own race is brought on by the society that Mrs. Turner lives in. This is a society all about image and that "perfect image" that she is striving for involves being Caucasian and/or having Caucasian features. It's human nature for a person to try to fit in. It's something that happens to this very day and as illustrated in this novel, back then too. Human nature and the want to fit in is why Mrs. Turner is so obsessed with not only other peoples "white characteristics", but her own physical characteristics that resemble that of a white woman. It's yet another mystery of the human race that will always go unsolved.
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ReplyDeleteThe thing that impresses me the most about Janie is her determination. She has a dream and that dream is to find someone who she loves. She was forced to marry Logan Killicks because her Nanny said to. However, she does not like him because he doesn't treat her well. She later meets Joe Starks who treats her well at first and she thinks that he is the one who she loves. Later, when he becomes mayor he forces her to do whatever orders he gives her making it impossible to do what she wants to do with her own life. After Starks dies, she is left with no husband. Most women would probably give up at his stage in trying to find a loved one since her second marriage lasted for about two decades. She is determined though to find a husband who later cares for her and she finds Tea Cake. Even though Janie is forced to kill Tea Cake, the reader can infer that she will still find a loved one to care for because of her determination.
In "I Know Why The Cage Bird Sings" I found it very saddening to see how Maya Angelou lost her innocence as a young girl and was practically forced to grow up. I believe the loss of her innocence would mainly have to do with the lack of portrayed love from her guardians. She and her brother were sent off to live with their grandmother in the south. Without any understanding Maya and her brother considered themselves to be the problem. Once they lived with their grandmother they weren't really shown any affection either. Without the understanding of what real love is like I believe that is the main reason Maya had allowed to be abused because in the beginning she didn't understand what was actually happening, Maya just assumed it was Mr. Freeman being a caring and loving father figure. At such a young age she lost her innocence and it was mainly due the lack of misunderstanding love.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this. Maya was never shown what true love should feel like. Whether it was love from a mother, father, or grandmother. Instead I feel that she felt insecure and blamed herself when even anything went wrong. It was that way since her parents divorced and since the rape happened. It set this sort of precedent as to how she should feel when tragedies happen, even if she doesn't understand them. I feel that she discovered love as protection and had a stable relationship with her brother because of it.
DeleteI disagree that Maya lost her innocence because of the lack of love she received from her family. That definitely had something to do with how she dealt with the problem with Mr. Freeman though. After Maya was raped, she protected Bailey by not telling anyone about the incident, because she loved him and she knew he loved her too. Another reason Maya did not tell anyone was because of how her grandmother treated her and Bailey. Maya's grandmother did not believe in complaining, or having anyone feel sorry for one another at all. Therefore, the lack of love in their family lead to Maya keeping these secrets to herself, not to her being raped.
DeleteI think that Maya's book, "I know why the cage bird sings," has showed many women, who suffered similar horrors growing up, that they are not alone in their pain. Her words have made this world a better place. I was impressed with the talent she has with language, scenery, and building the moment up with emotion.
ReplyDeleteReading the novel, "I know why the cage bird sings," I was truly inspired by Maya's grandma. She took Maya and Bailey in and raised them for several years. Not only that but she ran her own store. She was a strong woman and she never cared about what others thought. Even when the whites treated her bad she still showed them respect. I was intrigued by her personality and strength.
ReplyDelete"I know why the caged bird sings" is the perfect tittle for Maya's autobiography. I think it means that a cage or any kind of restriction will not remove freedom of the human spirit. No matter what the circumstances, nobody can silence the voice inside oneself and the bird is a metaphor for all of the oppressed people.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the best thing that happened to Maya throughout her childhood in "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" was when she spent the month in the junkyard with the other children. She was a part of something bigger than herself and was able to make friends and work together with people her own age to achieve a common goal which in their case was survival. She could have very easily went back to living with her father and sadly Dolores in the comfort and warmth of a home for the remainder of her summer, but instead she decided to do what she believed was best for herself. In the junkyard, she didn't worry about how unattractive or awkward she was, she was able to just live her life and be a kid. Also not present in the junkyard was the threat of racism which was an ongoing problem throughout her life. In Stamps, Ku Klux Klan riots and every day discrimination such as not being able to receive dental care plagued Maya's childhood. In her new home she had black, Mexican, and even white friends. She finally felt accepted and was not judged by her past. The only issue was she couldn't live there forever and she eventually had to return to school and her Mother, but the junkyard was a brief escape from her confusing and harsh childhood.
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ReplyDeleteThere were some things in the novel that I was uncomfortable about. The first thing I did not enjoy was all the negative topics it explored. Throughout Maya’s young years, she had to go through so many bad experiences and upsetting things. While most people would probably consider their childhood years some of their best memories, Maya’s included racial discrimination, rape, a strong displacement she felt in society, and so on. At times it was hard to read on and just not enjoyable because it made me feel angry that so many unfair things could happen to such an innocent person. The conflict that grinded my gears the most was the situation with Dr. Lincoln at the dentist’s office. Even though Maya’s grandmother had loaned Dr. Lincoln enough money which enabled him to keep his job, he still would not give Maya dental treatment just because she was black. I honestly closed the book and took a break when Dr. Lincoln mentioned that he would rather put his hands in a dog’s mouth. The whole entire conflict was just so upsetting and anger provoking for me. Even though there were victories for Maya, I do not think that all of the good things in the novel equated to all of the bad; I felt there was much more negative in the novel than there was positive. The second thing I did not enjoy about the novel was the ending. I felt as though the novel was not complete when it ended. I would have loved to enjoy seeing what happened to Maya and her child. It just seemed like so much significant happened in a matter of a few paragraphs and then the reader was left hanging. I guess I am just so used to seeing “happy endings” and that is what I was hoping would come out of all the sadness. Despite these things, I did thoroughly enjoy the novel. The novel was inspiring and honestly made me see life in a different perspective.
While I completely agree with how she was treated harshly even though she was on of the kinder spirits, it was mostly expected. Looking at the time period her childhood took place their were hardly any civil rights activists. It was expected for a white doctor to turn down a black woman even if she risked her life to save him and his family. It was a horrible time period filled with racism and discrimination. Of course her childhood wouldn't have been as well as what we picture now. But in the end Maya grew from her experience and it only made her wiser and stronger.
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ReplyDeleteIn the novel the main character Janie is very determined to do what she thinks will make her happy. I admire this about her for a couple different reasons. One is because she isn't afraid to run away from one man into another man arms. An example in the novel is Janie leaving her first husband Logan Killicks for her second husband Joe Starks. Another reason why I admire Janie is that even though it took her a long time to speak against her second husband. She does and soon afterwards realizes that Joe Starks doesn't make her happy.
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ReplyDeleteI found it quite interesting when Uncle Willie pretended to be normal and act like his disability did not consume his life. Maya recalls this event to have been confusing yet understandable for her. It was confusing because she did not understand his motive in wanting to be "just like everyone else", yet it was understandable because she knew he had never felt what it was like to be normal, or fit in. She explains her thoughts as simply as this, "He must have been tired of being crippled, as prisoners tire of penitentiary bars and the guilty tire of blame." (pg. 13) as if being disabled was a huge burden and weight on Uncle Willies' life that it made sense to Maya why for just one day he wanted to feel free.
Hurston has used one of the best stories I have read. Not only has she kept the story interesting with different twists and turns in Janie's life, but also in how she tells the story. Janie's life has started with being raised by her grandma on a white family land. That really sets the standards for Janie's life especially her love life. Her first marriage was arranged for her safety by her grandma because of the way of life they have grown up with. Janie and her Grandma have grown up on a rich family farm, so her Grandma wanted her to stay in a rich family so she has her marry Logan Killicks because he is rich and successful. Janie's second marriage with Joe Starks starts out as him full of promises and a better life. Janie had lived on a white family land for her life and sent to school. Joe represents this as moving to a small town with so much opportunity like Janie had when she was younger. Janie's last marriage represents her true self. When she was sitting under the pear tree when she was 16 and kissing Johnny Taylor was when she found her first true love. Janie saw Johnny in a golden dust, which usually represents love. These examples help the reader stay in touch with the book and be interested. Another great thing Hurston did was use the actual southern dialect. Without the different dialect, the book would be boring and not interesting to read. That is why this book is one of the best books I have read.
ReplyDeleteIn "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" I am still quite confused why Maya's father took her on the trip to Mexico. It seemed pointless to take a young girl to a foreign country especially for no reason. Maya's father just goes down there to get spices and party. The atmosphere down there was no place for a young girl who barely spoke Spanish. I would've understood the action if Maya and her father spent quality time together, but her father just drank, cheated on his girlfriend and past out in the back seat of his car. It seemed very odd to me and really showed what kind of person Maya's father truly was.
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ReplyDeleteAfter reading the book there is one thing that bugs me. Throughout Maya's life she was always wondering why her parents didnt want her. Why did her parents send her and Bailey away at such a young age? Then when her birth family reappears in her life, her mom and dad live far away from one another? Maya goes on the trip to Mexico with her father and then sees his true colors. Then upon moving back with her mom she realizes how similar they are.
In I know Why The Caged Bird Sings the characters have to deal with racism through out the whole book. I think that if Maya was in a time without racism then she would a completely different person. She would have achieved more goals and she would'nt be told that she cant do something. She had to live in a time where people discouraged her in doing what she wanted and that affected her individual desires because of all the people telling her she can't accomplish it.
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ReplyDeleteWhen I started reading the book I'm not going to lie I had to trudge my way out of the first half. I was getting annoyed with the insanely descriptive beginning but towards the end I realized why. The beginning showed Maya's inner struggle with herself. Especially the poem that she spoke in the beginning, "What are you looking at me for?" At a young age, unlike most black children at the time, she was already obsessed with the idea that white equals beauty. Maya Angelou's experiences at a young age shows how racism can really effect a young girls ideas and thoughts.
The beginning was definitely hard to get through. The constant repeating of the poem was annoying at first, but I soon realized it may be some sort of foreshadowing. These suspicions were confirmed after reading the rest of the book. The first part of the poem, "What are you looking at me for?" shows Maya's insecurity as a child about her being overweight and socially awkward. The other part, "I didn't come to stay..." foreshadows her constant moving around place to place with different parts of her family.
Delete"I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" brings sorrow to my mind because i know that there are still girls having to put up with everything Maya went through. There are so many of them being sexually abused by people they should be able to trust and have a sense of comfort around. Instead, their innocence is being ripped apart and these girls are only left with a hollow shell of what they once were. All any of us can ask these young women to do is to speak up, once they overcome that fear, they will get the justice they deserve.
ReplyDeleteHope is the word i think of when i think of Maya Angelou. She brings hope to not just women, but to anyone who has gone through mental and physical obstacles like her. After going through a childhood that can only be described as hell, she has gone on to achieve more than one could imagine. From her critically acclaimed books and poetry, to writing plays and movies, and even performing in plays, and winning countless awards including the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She proves that hope can get us through troubled times, so we can see a better tomorrow
ReplyDeleteIn "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" Maya is denied getting dental help simply because of the color of her skin. That was a very common thing for doctors, stores, and other parts of society to deny colored people of what they deserved back then. I wonder how these things in society would be today if they were still given the choice of who they could give service to. I'm sure there would still be many people who would deny blacks service. Racism has gone down since Maya Angelou's time, but it still exists in too high of numbers today.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with Alex. I believe that there has been much more acceptance towards African Americans over time, but as we see newer races in current society, the prior racism towards African Americans has transferred over to these new, different races in which we are not accustomed to living with. When society, any society, past and present, sees something new, they don't like it. They don't like the change, something different from what they have always known. In the time of Maya's childhood, African Americans were the new, different thing in which society did not like. Even though laws have now been passed against segregation, there will always be that idea of dislike from society towards the new, unknown group of people.
DeleteAfter reading "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", I'd have to say my overall feelings of the novel were dissatisfied. The writing was very alluring and I really enjoyed reading about the conflicts mentioned in the novel like racism and self-esteem. However the lack of conflict and overall events left me wanting more. I understand that it is a autobiography and that Angelou could not lie just to spice things up for the reader, but I wish she would have included some more captivating memories in the novel. There were some very interesting parts of her life such as her graduation from eighth grade and when she lived with her mother, but the uninteresting parts outweighed the interesting considerably. I enjoyed the style, the conflicts, and the main character, I just wish I could have enjoyed the novel.
ReplyDeletePertaining to "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", as a couple people have already mentioned, Maya's terrible experiences throughout her childhood helped shape the strong woman she became. Not only did it shape who she became though, but I believe it also helped her, as well as us from reading the book, to appreciate and be thankful for everything we have in life, big and small. She was deprived of really any sort of affection as a child, and had no idea what it felt like to have people who cared for her. This left her innocent, confused, and vulnerable to the sick, twisted mind of Mr. Freeman, who took advantage of this. Once she got through the deprivation of many things we take for granted today, I believe her ability to appreciate everything in life helped her become the prolific writer which she turned out to be.
ReplyDeleteIn " I Know Why theCage Birds Sing," there are many questions about Maya Angelou and why she even wrote this book. Througout her entire life she has been both a freedom fighter and civil-rights activist and she worked with both MLK Jr. and Malcom X, so why does her 1969 novel affect her main theme of racism and segregation? Maya Angelou strove to be the force that helped to end segregation through are once divided country. She hoped that one day our country would be together because of equality and it happened. Why would she try to create her own version of black history through Maya and Momma and other characters throughout the book? Is Maya truly an account of what happened to Maya Angelou during her life as a child and as a teen? The real question is how has her book affected the thoughts of racism and segregation thoughout an entire nation? She has clearly taught us all that racism will never solve anything, but rather create catastrophy throughout our country. Her book is taught throughout classes though, but why? It helps to teach our generation that euqality is great, but to have your own personal beliefs is even better. This is what helped bring an end to segregation and for Maya Angelou, she became one of the most psychologically poignant writers in the entire world.
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ReplyDeleteI wonder how Momma's view on her religion affected Maya's. Maya and Bailey were beaten at one point for innocently saying "by the way", because, obviously, God is the only way. Maya asked Momma if she loved her, to which Momma responded, "God is love. Just worry about whether you're being a good girl, then He will love you." When Mr. Freeman was killed, Maya felt guilty. She felt like he wouldn't have been killed if she hadn't lied at the trial, and she thought she was going to Hell. Maya talked about religion all throughout the book, but she seemed to be more confused about it as she got older. She clearly had a lot of reasons to feel like she wasn't being treated fairly, but maybe Maya slowly turned away from her religion after looking back on how Momma enforced her beliefs.
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ReplyDeleteAs many people have said already, there was racism back in the time of this book. There is racism today, but it was much more open and accepted then. Momma loved Maya, whether she said it or not, and she always wanted what was best for her. Momma was able to sit outside while white girls taunted her (not to mention how polite she was as they left), but as soon as a dentist refuses to treat Maya, she has a problem. She got her money back that was owed to her for a long time, and she takes Maya as far as she needed to get to the black dentist.
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ReplyDeleteMaya read a lot. She fell in love with Shakespeare when she was very young. I feel like she used literature as a way to escape her reality, or at least make it a little more bearable. She talked about many different books throughout the story, and a lot of them changed her way of thinking about something. The books she read made her think about how other people lived and the problems they faced. She read The Well of Loneliness, which was about lesbians and how badly they were treated, and she identified with them. Maya read books and was reminded of who she wanted to be in the real world.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
ReplyDeleteThrough out the book I felt that Momma (The Grandmother), was a very interesting person. Her strong beliefs on religion and shy ways of showing love and compassion towards Maya and Bailey really made me question why she was like that. The stereotypical grandma would give you kisses on the cheeks and make you cookies. While that's not always the case, Momma was extremely far off. Even though Maya and Bailey knew deep down she loved them I would question the love every few times while reading. It really makes me wonder why Momma had such a bond to church and religion and loved her God more than her own blood relatives.
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ReplyDeleteIn "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", I was very intrigued by the way Maya was treated. As that may sound bad, it really is quite interesting to see how she took the abuse, the racism, the rejection, and the abandonment and used it to make herself a strong and independent person. This kind of treatment to people usually breaks them and discourages them. But Maya has defied the odds. Her strength is inspirational to all African Americans, to all women, to all who have endured the same ordeals, to those who are discouraged, and even to those who just have big dreams.
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ReplyDeleteIn the end of the novel I felt it was kind of a twist. From reading and my understanding I thought Maya would have been terrified to have a child. She always seemed so unsure of herself and too focused on other things that occurred in her life. To me it really shows how much we grow up and how different we can become just based on moving from one place to the next. Maya grew up in a strict rule biding house in the south and she mainly just questioned why she and her race were treated harshly just because they were colored. While in California she also started to question her self completely. I'm curious to see if she would of still had the same questions about her sexuality and other things she did in California. Or maybe there could have been a completely different out come if she stayed. Although it possibly could have stayed the same just in a different location.
In "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" I think Maya's main problem is that, with the exception of Bailey, she didn't feel like anyone really cared for her. Although she didn't show it I think that deep down that is what she wanted more than anything. When the incident with Mr. Freeman occurred she didn't really understand what was happening. All she knew was that it felt like someone actually thought she was important and cared about her. When her mother and Bailey found out what happened she started to understand that he didn't truly care. She was back to being lonely this really effected her. That is when she started being quiet and more careful. I think this changed her. You can see how it effects her throughout the rest of the book. It shows when she makes decisions and when she feels uncomfortable in certain situations. This event helped make her into the more cautious and analytically person she is at the end of the book.
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ReplyDeleteOne thing that I found confusing or at least unexpected while reading this story is that the incident with Mr. Freeman was very rarely brought up during much of the latter/middle section of the book. Although there was still undertones of oppression and a lack of comfort, outside of the incident with Bailey and Jane, there is almost no direct mention of the incident. This was a bit surprising to me, simply because from what I had heard about the book the main theme had appeared to be her sexual abuse. However, due to this hasty generalization many people never get to realize what the book is truly about, which includes several other topics such as gender roles, racism, and the oppression of free will and pursuit of happiness. All in all, I think history has made it seem too much that this work is all about sexual abuse when there is so much more to it.
I Know Why the Caged Bird sings
ReplyDeleteRasism was used alot in this book, granted rasism was huge back then and its still big today but we've taken action to try an stop it. Laws have been made to fix them but that hasnt stopped all of it butall people are treated equal today compared to back then.
After the abuse from Mr. Freeman took place in "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings", I expected that the incident would set the precedent for how Maya understood and reacted to things. And for awhile, it did, when Maya wouldn't speak and relied on her brother for many things. But as the novel went on, that changed, and I think that this is one excellent way we get to see Maya grow through the book.
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ReplyDeleteI have found that many of my classmates and even myself have focused on the unfortunate events conveyed in this novel. Whether it be Maya experiencing the sexual assault, racism, abandonment, or surviving by herself; she had experienced numerous tragedies. Due to this, I feel like many find Maya's life different than their own in a negative way. However, if one focuses on the comical side of the novel, it becomes evident that Maya is not so different after all. For example, Maya questions if she is becoming a lesbian when undergoing puberty, and is forced to ask her mother to explain the changes of her body. Not that all children question their sexuality when puberty occurs, but due to their age many do not understand the changes and have many questions as well. Another example would be Maya rejecting the love letter asking her to be someone's Valentine. At that age, it is not uncommon for children to find affection between opposite sexes strange. (Personally I was afraid to even speak to a boy) Even something as simple as Maya semi-failing while driving after she hit another car is normal, as she lacks the experience to know better as many new drivers do. To me, Maya lived a normal life. We all undergo hardships and tragedies, but we also share common situations as well.
This post pertains to "The Things They Carried".
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this book! At first reading it I thought that it was going to be a boring book, but then when it started talking about Mary Anne and I was able to connect with it on different levels, I enjoyed it a lot more. Tim O'Brien is amazing at using imagery and allowing his readers to jump into his shoes and feel what he felt and seen what he seen; he was so descriptive with the choices of words he used. This was the only book of his I've read and I fell in love with his writing!
In the The Things They Carried, the “things” of the title that O’Brien’s characters carry are both literal and figurative. While they all carry heavy physical loads, they also all carry heavy emotional loads. Each man’s physical burden resembles his emotional burden. For example, Henry Dobbins carries his girlfriend’s pantyhose and, with them, the longing for love and comfort. Similarly, Jimmy Cross carries compasses and maps and, with them, the responsibility for the men in his charge.
ReplyDeleteIn The Things They Carried, O’Brien’s stories show that the jungle blurs boundaries between right and wrong. The brutal killing of innocents on both sides cannot be explained, and in some moments of disbelief, the men deal with the pain of their feelings by pointing out the irony. “There’s a moral here,” Mitchell Sanders ironically points out again and again, each time stressing the actual immorality of the specific situation.
ReplyDeleteIn The Things They Carried, O’Brien shows that the fear of being shamed before one’s peers is a powerful motivating factor in war. His story “On the Rainy River” explains his moral quandary after receiving his draft notice—he does not want to fight in a war he believes is unjust, but he does not want to be thought a coward. What keeps O’Brien from fleeing into Canada is not patriotism or dedication to his country’s cause, but concern over what his family and community will think of him if he doesn’t fight.
ReplyDelete"The Things They Carried" is a powerful book to me because I am not usually a fan of any books about war. This one was different though. It showed the ins and outs of the processes of being a soldier and how badly being a part of battle takes a toll on some people. I loved how O'Brien used the things the men carried as a symbol of their character, which foreshadowed how their character ended up in all of his different stories. This novel showed both the strengths and weaknesses of a soldier and how they overcame their struggles together as men. An example of this is when the men were all searching through the field of straight muck and sewage to find Kiowa's body. None of them could tolerate walking through the mud that sucked their friend under, or even tolerate the ungodly smell, but they got through it together for Kiowa because it was their duty to do so. I never knew things like that happened in war, so I learned a lot of new parts of history throughout this book, which was pretty great.
ReplyDeleteI thought that "The Things They Carried," was a great read. This book will definitely be one of my favorites. I have read many different war books and this one is different then others. One thing that makes this war book different is that this one is fiction. Most war books are based on true stories or they are non fiction. Another reason why this book is different is that it has multiple stories all put together while other war books are usually one big story. Tim did an outstanding job on displaying what it was like to be a solider and how it was in Vietnam. This book shows how these men stood up for anything and they kept moving forward.
ReplyDeleteLooking back on the earlier chapters of the book, it seems that Cross was carrying the heaviest burden. To put it in our generation's terms, he was friendzoned. The stress of not having his affection returned and being faced with the constant danger seemed to take the bigger toll on him. Cross wasn't even able to take his mind off of Martha when Lavender was killed. Although they all had some burden, I believe it was Cross's that was the hardest to carry and had the biggest effect.
ReplyDeleteI think I see your point, but I have to disagree. In reality, it is impossible to decide whose burden is the heaviest, as everyone is affected by war in different ways. Every man and woman have a different "breaking" point, which makes choosing one as the worst sufferer unfair to the others. Suffering is not a contest. The great thing about The Things They Carried is that O'Brien never tells us who carries the worst of the problems, or who he assumes does. After all, every man in the book faces awful situations and finds himself strained to so much as keep his humanity.
DeleteFor Cross personally, he obsesses over Martha. Being turned down hurts him to a greater extent than it probably should, because Martha does not personally owe him anything. That haunts him, because in his opinion, she stands as his light at the end of the tunnel. It is one of the many ways he survives Vietnam in the first place. Still, the crush of being told "no" does not, I feel, entitle him as the most burdened of characters (at least not for that reason-- he faces plenty of burden by leading these men to what serves as many of their deaths, mentally and physically, which should be more heavily considered). Bowker, O'Brien, Lavender, and all the other men have very valid fears and struggles, much of which are far more chilling than a girl's refusal of a romantic relationship.
In my opinion, there is no worse burden someone could carry than death itself. Although throughout the war Jimmy Cross did carry a lot of stress due to Martha's rejection, he still made it out alive. I believe that the soldiers that died like Ted Lavender and Curt Lemon carried the biggest burden, and they did not even know it. No matter what side you were on, every soldier’s biggest fear while fighting in war is death. These two poor men had to endure it. The strange part about death however, is that after the burden leaves you after dying, it transfers to everyone else surrounding you. This can include the other soldiers that could feel partially responsible for it, or even friends or family of the fallen soldier back at home. However, what I find very ironic, is that after enduring so much and having to deal with such terrible things, some people (Like Norman Bowker) choose what they are most afraid of (death) as an “easy-way-out” so they would not have to deal with their problems anymore.
DeleteI feel O'Brien's burden he carried was actually relieved by the war. O'Brien seemed to have more of a problem with the struggle of fighting in the war or not fighting in the war and once he joined the war, he had settled his debate of fighting or not. Although fighting wasn't really what O'Brien wanted to do, he knew he had to do it not only for his country, but for what his friends and family saw was right. Once O'Brien decided to fight he had settled his biggest moral debate and now the majority of what he had to deal with was the war itself. The rest of his squad had more burdens. Cross was love, Lavender's need for tranquilizers and marijuana, Kiowa's religion, etc.
ReplyDeleteIn Tim O`Briens, "The Things They Carried", courage has been expressed throughout the book. Tim fought through his fears of death after the Rainy River. Not only had O`Brien showed this affection but also his teammates. Something that I found very courageous was when Dave Jensen and Lee Strunk weren't much of friends but they still defended each other and stayed in a pact. The rule was no one left behind, when you go into the war you can't be selfish. Your mindset has to not even think about death, and do everything you can to help out a partner. Its also mentioned in the book about how it`s kinda hard to kill someone and O`Briens daughter even asked if he killed anyone. Its hard to think that you took someone life and that could be the most courageous thing of all.
ReplyDelete"The things they carried," is truly an amazing and powerful book. It's not the type of book I would usually read and I thought it would be really boring but I ended up liking it a lot. Tim O' Brien is an amazing Author. I love his use of imagery and how he makes you feel like you are really there.
ReplyDeleteIn the novel "The things they carried," courage was greatly demonstrated as a major theme. The men were courageous by accepting their mission, even though it meant they could lose their lives and that they would have to kill the enemy. I think Tim was courageous when he went to war despite his feelings. Tim was also courageous because it said in the book how it's hard to kill someone and he did, that had to be hard for him.
ReplyDeleteIn "The things they carried" I thought it was amazing how they worked together as men. Especially when they walked through the sewage field to find Kiowa's body. Although they couldn't stand the smell or the fact that their friends body was in it, they kept searching anyways. That's amazing because even though he was dead they didn't leave him behind. This book is amazing and it has taught me quite a bit.
ReplyDeleteI love how in the novel "The things they carried" Tim O' Brien uses quite a few symbols. It makes you think about the deeper meaning. I think that one of the symbols is weight. In the very first chapter the narrator mentioned the specific weight of every item the men carried. The men decide if an object is worth its weight by the feeling of safety it provides. That's why some of them carried bibles, magazines, pantyhose and etc. Maybe the men feel the weight of guilt and responsibility but also the fear of people thinking of them as a coward.
ReplyDeleteI believe the reason that Lemon demanded to get his tooth pulled was to face his fears. There was nothing wrong with his tooth, and he knew it. All Lemon wanted was to overcome his fears. Lemon was probably more ready for fighting now that he knew he could face his fears after he faced his fears with dentists. This really shows Lemon's willpower after he fainted going to see the Army Dentist earlier that day to being happy that his tooth was pulled out. This seemed like the first step to being ready to deal with war.
ReplyDeleteI think The Things They Carried is an excellent book. Tim O'Brien did a great job re-telling the stories of war in Vietnam in a gritty, realistic, and often depressing way. All of the stories have the same theme that each person carries something with them. A burden, a fear, a memory, or a physical item of significance. No character in The Things They Carried leaves Vietnam the same, all of them having a profound change from the harsh realities of war. War is often romanticized when the stories of it are retold, but books like The Things They Carried or Red Badge of Courage (I read last year for 10th grade Honors English), and even in movies like Saving Private Ryan are sobering wake up calls to the evil war brings.
ReplyDeleteMorals were an important part in The Things They Carried. At least, they were mentioned a lot. Sometimes, when something bad would happen, a man would say something along the lines of, "there's a moral to this story." Most of the time, they would be joking, and there really wasn't a moral. When Ted Lavender died, one of the men said like, "The moral of the story is... don't do drugs." The purpose of the men saying things like that was to underline the fact that war often washed morals away from the men. They found themselves doing things that they never would have done before, like unnecessarily killing people and animals, and laughing about the deaths of their peers. War forced the men to face problems that their old view of "right" and "wrong" didn't help them solve.
ReplyDelete"I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings", is a novel that really stuck out to me. It wasn't afraid to show negatives and positives. It was a well written book that was really able to portray a picture in my head of what she went through but how she was able to have a positive outcome. Maya believed that nobody had ever wanted or loved her. She believed this for so long that she missed out on a lot of childhood that nobody should miss out on. This situation really opened my eyes to how this is still such a huge problem today. There are kids and parents and people everywhere that still feel like this. The twist in this novel that i appreciated most was that Maya began as an insecure, violated, lovely girl that became a strong independent woman that was able to make herself smarter and happy. I like how the story was able to create a good future from a bad past.
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