Example research essay topic: Maya Angelou Caged Bird - 726 words

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Caged Bird Essay In all oppressions there is a victim. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou gives the perspective of growing up from a southern Negro girl in three completely different towns: Stamps, St. Louis, and San Francisco. Mayas protective and tough life in Stamps helped her hold sacred and moral family values that were then mostly shown when she was taken away to Missouri and California. In both these places, Maya and her family experienced much racial hatred, which made me realize the cruelty man can possess. Though I have learned from past learning experiences on segregation, and am already familiar with the harsh treatments of African-Americans in early America history, this book has opened new directions of thought for me.

There is reason to believe that the question of the novel is in its showing of race relations. This explains why the novel has been so controversial in the South, where racial tension is historically worst, and where the novel is mostly set place. Therefore, understanding the obvious and terrible effects of racism on the young Marguerite help explain the controversy and the person she became. One of the earliest examples of race relations in the book symbolizes the strict kinds of opportunity for black and white children. On the second page, Marguerite explains how she wished that she would wake up in a white world, with blond hair, blue eyes, and she would shudder from the nightmare of being black. Even from the beginning of the book, race relations were one of the major themes.

Maya Angelou also shows the effect of oppression on the black people, and that impact on her as a child. One early example occurred when the po white trash children confronted Mama in front of the store. They were represented as clownish, dirty, and rather silly. On the other hand, Mama simply stood like a rock and sang the Gospel. Her beauty of soul counteracts against their disgusting actions, and creates a powerful scene about the nature of the cruelty blacks had to go through at that time. Marguerite meanwhile lies behind the screen in pain at the thought of not being able to do anything, and the clear separation between the treatment of black people to white people.

Then as the scene continues, she understands that because of the power between the po white trash and Mama, Mama has won It is examples such as these that impact Marguerite and shape the woman she has become throughout the novel. One can see the seeds of this woman in many of the examples of race relations in the novel. For example, when Marguerite works as a maid in a white house, her employers change her name for their convenience. After being called Mary, she determines that she must leave the job. She could not understand the hatred that went on, and decided to take matters into her own hands. She shows the power of her character which was more fully developed later in her life.

Another example of the seeds of who she became occurred when the revival came to Stamps. Here, Marguerite makes the observation that it had occurred to her that her race is sick and sad. She thought that not only were they had to live the worst lives, but they liked it like that. In this example, Marguerite shows the frustration she had with her race and white people s ignorance towards them. When considering the amount of persuasive power Maya Angelou has it is not surprising that the book has had a great many critics. The depiction of hatred between the races can not be comfortable for Southern whites, whom the novel criticizes.

From subtle racism like the inability for Maya to become a streetcar conductor, to more examples like the doctors statement, My policy is that Id rather stick my hand in a dogs mouth than in a niggers, the novel shows the evilness in segregation and prejudice. Though I did not gain new insights on the issue of segregation between African Americans and white people, I still felt as though we owe somewhat of a debt to the black community. They have gone through so much, and have been treated like animals in the past, you can t help but acknowledge their strength throughout history. 36 c

Research essay sample on Maya Angelou Caged Bird