Maya Angelou Speak Up Essay example - 1127 Words

Maya Angelou experienced a life-changing event at the vulnerable age of eight: her mother’s boyfriend raped her. As a result, she chose to be mute for five years due to the emotional trauma this caused. Soon, a family friend named Mrs. Flowers, a wealthy and intellectual woman from Stamps, Arkansas where her grandmother resided, read with Angelou and helped Maya to express herself through writing. Mrs. Flowers taught Maya â€Å"words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with meaningâ€Å" (qtd. in Nelson). Eventually these poems helped Angelou to find the courage to speak again. Maya Angelou’s poetry contains bold messages and gives a voice to individuals who, at times, do not have the courage or†¦show more content†¦These two events could have had a permanent negative impact on Angelou, yet she took them and grew from them instead. Maya Angelou overcame her hardships to thrive, and as a result, she was able to share thoughts and emotions through her poetry that others may also experience, but do not express. One of the first poems that demonstrates Angelou’s ability to speak for the disenfranchised in a bold way is the poem â€Å"Still I Rise.† The poem could be an anthem against slavery, or it could simply be an anthem for any person who feels as though he or she is being oppressed. In lines 1-4, the speaker seems to comment on behalf of black slaves when she says, â€Å"You may write me down in history/ with your bitter, twisted lies,/ You may trod me in the very dirt/ But still, like dust, I’ll rise.† These lines show that no matter what oppressors may have said or written about slaves, the black race would overcome with their indomitable spirit. Critic Sandra Cookson agrees with this statement by explaining that the poem is â€Å"about the survival of the black women despite every kind of humiliation†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and the poem â€Å"celebrates black women while simultaneously challenging the stereotypes to which America has subjected them since the da ys of slavery† Angelou’s sassy attitude that appeals to a more general audience is shown through the use of questions she asks of her oppressor in stanza two:Show MoreRelatedMaya Angelous Influences Essay1236 Words   |  5 PagesMaya Angelou’s Influence Maya Angelou is terrific performer, singer, filmmaker, and civil-rights activist. She is a phenomenal woman, one thing that she does best is writing. She is still living today, I believe her legend will never die. If one would talk to her, he or she would think she has lead a normal, happy life. Her life is blissful now, it was not always perfect. Maya beard enough emotional stress in a time frame that most people do not experience in a lifetime. Her experiences and theRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings 934 Words   |  4 Pagesmay have the grace to look up and out and into your sister’s eyes, into your brother’s face, your country and say simply very simply with hope good morning†. Maya Angelou was born on April 4, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri. She was a writer and civil rights activist, Maya Angelou was well known for her memoir in 1969, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Maya Angelou made literary history being the very first nonficti on best-seller by an African-American woman. In 1971, Angelou published Just Give Me a CoolRead More Maya Angelou: A Source of Humanity Essay1329 Words   |  6 PagesMaya Angelou: A Source of Humanity I am human, Angelou said, and nothing human can be alien to me (Shafer). Maya Angelou just may be the most human person in the world. Indeed, with all of the struggles she went through in her early life, her humanness increasingly deepened. Her life was characterized by the instability of her childhood and her family, along with the challenge of being a black woman growing up in 19th century America. The deepness of her humanness is evident in allRead MoreMaya Angelou1001 Words   |  5 PagesMaya Angelou You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness. But still, like air, Ill rise. Have you ever been so influenced by such a small amount of powerful words? This brilliant quote extracted from Maya Angelous own poem, Still I Rise, basically brings out the spirit and nature of each of her publications. Maya Angelous works of poetry are seen as inspiration for those who have been discriminated for their public appearances. AsRead MoreStill I Rise By Maya Angelou1078 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Still I Rise† by Maya Angelou is a poem of objection and satisfaction in which Maya states that she will raise regardless of any situation. In her poem, â€Å"Angelou also incorporates anaphora, similes and metaphors throughout the poem to illustrate the resilience of the speaker regardless of what befalls her† (Bouchard: â€Å"Literary Contexts in Poetry†). Using these methods, the reader is able to visualize the hardships the poet went through. â€Å"Still I Rise† by Maya Angelou offers ambition and inspirationRead MoreEssay on Maya Angelou612 Words   |  3 Pages Maya Angelou was born April 4, 1928. Her real name is Marguerite Johnson, but she later changed it to Maya. She was born in St. Louis, shortly after her birth her family up and move to Arkansaw. Maya grew up there in the rural parts of Arkansaw, and later married to a South African Freedom Fighter. She lived in Cairo with him, there she began her career as editor of the Arab Observer. At the request of Dr. Martin Lutheran King Jr., she became the northern coordinator for the Southern Christian LeadershipRead MoreMaya Angelou Research Notes1165 Words   |  5 PagesMaya Angelou Research Notes First source: Maya Angelou. Poetry Foundation, 2013. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. †¢ Childhood: o Maya Angelou was born in St. Louis, Missouri. o During her childhood, she lived in Stamps, Arkansas with her grandmother and her brother. o Angelou was sexually assaulted by her mothers boyfriend when she was seven years old. o Angelou’s uncles killed him when they found out about the assault. Although she was the victim of a heinous crime, Maya Angelou felt responsible for hisRead MoreAnalysis Of Maya Angelou s I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings1575 Words   |  7 Pagesto feel different, and wish they were someone or something â€Å"better†. In Maya Angelou’s autobiography she demonstrates what its like growing up in a racist community and how it feels to be the outcast. Angelou continuously speaks about being someone different her ideal self, something she is completely different from. She feels this way due to the racist society she lives in. In I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou demonstrates in her autobiography in 1969 that even with love and affectionRead MoreCharacteristics Of Maya Angelou799 Words   |  4 PagesMaya Angelou What characteristics make up a good leader? A few that might come to mind are bravery, being inspirational and helpful, and being able to present and write well enough to captivate an audience. These are the characteristics that made Maya Angelou a good leader. Maya Angelou was very brave. One of the things that makes her brave is being able to talk about being sexually abused. At the young age of seven, Angelou was sexually abused by her mother’s boyfriend. This happened while sheRead MoreMaya Angelou Poetry942 Words   |  4 PagesMaya Angelou is considered by many to be the foremost poet of her age. While the themes of her literature are largely connected, her delivery is varied. In her poetry, she has used wit, sarcasm, imagery, and diverse rhythm. Angelou has used these techniques and the recognition it has provided for her, to fight for the civil rights of African Americans and women. After examining the life of Maya Angelou, it is easy to see that much of her work focuses on the significance of African Americans and women