_I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings _
By: Beth
In the beginning of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Marguerite, later known
as Maya begins to tell the story of her childhood. When her parents divorced,
they sent her &her brother, Bailey to live in Stamps, Arkansas with their
Grandmother (Momma) and their Uncle Willie. The kids go to school in Stamps
and work in the store that Momma and Uncle Willie ownOne year, while they
were in Stamps, their father came to visit. When he was getting ready to
return to California, he asked the kids if they wanted to come back with him
to live. They agreed. Momma was also glad to have them off her hands even
though she enjoyed having them around While they were in the car, their
father revealed that they were going to St. Louis to see their mother. Maya
and Bailey hadnt seen her for a very long time to they were happy about the
side trip After three days in St. Louis, their father left again. They were
there to live with their mother. Maya felt that he was a stranger anyway so it
didnt bother her at all Maya and Baileys mother had three brothers who had
good jobs with the city. Their family was respected in the area they lived in
and everyone knew who they were. The children were also introduced to Mr.
Freeman, their mothers boyfriend. He didnt interact with them much. He often
came home late at night and they didnt talk to him very much One morning,
after Mayas mother had left, Mr. Freeman came into the bedroom and molested
Maya. Later in the novel, he rapes her. When her mother finds out, she has
Maya taken to the hospital and checked out. Maya finally tells Bailey what
happened to her and who did it, he tells the information to the authorities.
Mr. Freeman is arrested and a trial is scheduled. While Maya is on the witness
stand, she lies and tells the court that Mr. Freeman never touched her until
he raped her. He is sentenced to one year and one day in prison, but he was
released that afternoon Maya and Bailey move back to Stamps and Maya begins
working for a white woman named, Mrs. Cullinan. Mrs. Cullinan had other black
employees as well as Maya but she always called Maya Mary instead of her given
name, Marguerite. This upset Maya and she throws Mrs. Culli¬ nans valuable
family plates on the floor. She is fired immediately and is happy to be rid of
her job Later in the novel, Maya moves to San Francisco to live with her
mother. She sees her father more now because he lives in southern California.
Bailey is away now, but still visits Maya and her father drive to Mexico one
day to buy food. While they are there, her father becomes intoxicated. Maya
has to drive home while he sleeps in the back seat. At the border, the hits
another car. There were minor damages and her father woke up to take care of
the problem When they get home, Maya and her fathers girlfriend, Dolores,
get into an argument. Dolores called Mayas mother names and Maya hit her.
Dolores jumped up, grabbed her, and cut her. Then, she chased her out of the
house with a hammer When she is fifteen, Maya decides to get a job. She
wants to be a trolley driver in San Francisco. She isnt hired at first
because of her color, but she keeps applying until she finally gets the job.
Maya becomes the first black female trolley conductor in San Francisco Next
we find out that Maya is pregnant. She doesnt tell anyone but Bailey.
Finally, she tells her mother and stepfather in a note. Although they arent
proud, they are supporting of Maya The novel comes to an end three weeks
after Maya gives labor to her son. Even though shes been awkward all her
life, she suddenly becomes graceful and attentive to the needs of her child
Readers Response: I enjoyed reading this book, but, I didnt agree with many
of Mayas choices. In chapter thirty-five, she asked a boy she didnt even
know, Would you like to have sexual intercourse with me? They were not
married, nor did they plan to be married. She just wanted to try something
new. In my opinion, this was a stupid decision. They used no protection
whatsoever, and she ended up pregnant. I know Maya Angelou is a very
successful poet and that she has done many things in her life that she should
be recognized for, although, I do not think her teenage years were to be
commended.
Word Count: 784
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