NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote
Maya Angelou is one of the most moving, talented writers of our time. She has so many sides to her as a person that play into her writing and teachings. I have for a long time revered the lady for her passion and ability to portray feeling in words to her reader. I was turned on to her as a writer after I read some of her poems, and then I grasped an understanding of her personal story when I read her best selling autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Maya Angelou was born on April 4, 1928 in Saint Louis, Missouri. She was named Marguerite Johnson and changed her name in her early twenties after her first performance as a dancer.
She was born into a two parent home until her parents divorced when she was three. Her brother, Bailey, and she were sent to live with her grandmother in Arkansas. Stamps, Arkansas and her grandmother taught her a lot of lifes lessons. There she learned what a black girls world was held by. Maya experienced many hardships while growing up.
One of her biggest dreams during her childhood was to have long blonde hair. This was only because she felt white girls lives were more enjoyable than that of hers. Even though her conditions could not be changed, pride was given to her by her grandmother, who raised the great writer to place God in the center of her life and realize that she could change the world around her. The children were sent back to their mothers after five years of being with their grandmother. At first this moved seemed to be great but soon turned to into hell. Here Maya at the age of eight was raped by her mothers live in boyfriend.
After the rape, Maya went mute for five years. During this time she was sent back to be with her grandmother because she was considered to be unable to be handled. At this time another strong woman walked into her life that changed and shaped her into the person she is today. Mrs.
Flowers slowly helped Maya find herself again. In 1940, her brother and herself were sent back to live with their Mom in San Francisco. Life in her mothers home was simply unbearable so she resulted into running away to live with her father. Life there was not what she had hoped so she resulted to living in a junk yard and became homeless. She finally ended up back with her mother. Her life as a child was very dysfunctional and inspired her to prove herself as a woman.
She rushed toward maturity and found herself pregnant with her a son. At the age of sixteen she gave birth to Guy. Her first work of literature is her autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, was inspired by the childhood. This work is a true image of her life struggles which has shaped this writer.
Her second book, Gather Together in My Name, talked about her brother moving away from their grandmother. This book continues to tell her story off her early adulthood and steadily tells of her past. Her third novel, Sing and Sings and Getting Merry like Christmas, is about her life fro age 22 to 27. During this time she is married to a while former sailor who was a temporary source of stability but only lasted for five years. They divorced, and she returned to her dancing.
Half of the book is about her tour with a European group. Her forth novel, The Heart of a Woman, is about her thirties. In the book talks about her son, the civil rights movements, marriage, and writing, her fifth book, All gods Children Need Traveling Shoes, is about her connection to her African past. She visited Ghana and became very passionate about her homeland. The book was dedicated to Julian Mayfield and Malcolm X. She became aware of the connection with her American roots yet enlighten about her past.
Her worked are so intertwined with her life and are the greatest insight into her as a person. She has traveled all over the world and enjoys telling her story. She has grasped the importance of sharing her love for her craft and now teaches. She now teaches at Wake Forrest.
She is an educator, historian, author actress, playwright, civil rights activist, producer and director. She shares stories and passion for living to everyone. She was the only second poet ever to read a poem at the Presidential Inauguration and was then received by a wider group of people. Her life has inspired a lot of people to become what the have always dreamed, but to me she has inspired my writing. I simply love her play on words and the passion which she make you feel. To me she is one of the world's greatest writers who all people of my generation should experience!
Free research essays on topics related to: five years, civil rights, maya, caged bird sings, maya angelou
Research essay sample on Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou
