WELCOME to your online discussion of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings!
Together with members of your book group, you’ll be reading I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings over the next several weeks. Although you're not required to take notes while you read, it would be wise to keep track of important events and characters for your own clarification. You are, however, expected to participate regularly and thoughtfully in an online discussion of FOUR essential questions.
PROCEDURE
Divide your book into three roughly equal sections. You need to have read and blogged about these sections by the due dates below.
There are two kinds of posts in this discussion: responses and comments.
Responses = direct responses to the essential questions below
- Post at least TWO responses for each section of your book (SIX overall).
- You must comment on all of the essential questions over the course of your reading.
- One of your six responses can be a “free-response" post.
Comments = comment on someone else’s posted response or comment
- Post at least THREE comments for each section of your book (NINE overall).
DUE DATES
- Post your first set of responses and comments by Monday, March 23 (Blue), and Tuesday, March 24 (Red).
- Post your second set of responses and comments by Thursday, April 2 (Blue), and Friday, April 3 (Red).
- Post your third set of responses and comments by Thursday, April 9 (Red), and Friday, April 10 (Blue).
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
- How does the story (setting, characters, plot, etc.) illuminate aspects of African-American culture? Be specific! (Page references are helpful.)
- How does the story (setting, characters, plot, etc.) illuminate aspects of African-American history?
- In what ways does this book refute the notion of the “single story”?
- How does the story (setting, characters, plot, etc.) reflect or illuminate the current state of race relations in our country? Have we made any progress as a society?
** Free-response option: Address another issue/episode/or passage in the book that you find
significant for any reason.
Assessment: To earn maximum credit, post thoughtful responses that are at least a short paragraph in length—and carefully proofread! Do not misspell characters' or authors’ names! Also, be sure to include specific references to the text (either details or short quotations). Page numbers, too, are always helpful.
I think in the book illuminates African American culture from the very beginning. For instance on the second page a young Maya Angelou is so upset with her own race she even says "-when one day I woke from my ugly black dream, and my real hair, which was long and blonde -." I think she was feeling this way because of the way white skin and the race of whites was so celebrated an blacks so oppressed in history. Again on page 24 Angelou remembers a time when she watched some white girls in her families store, she was scared. She says to herself "I suppose my lifelong paranoia was born in those cold, molasses-slow minutes." Again I think her fear of those white girls was rooted from the fact that whites had more power of blacks at the time, and that her state was so segregated she had barely seen whites. This time in black history was dark considering a young girl hated herself so much she hoped her life was a dream and that she was scared of another human being.
ReplyDelete-Caroline G.
I think those things illuminate the oppression of the blacks in that time but they don't really illuminate the culture. When she talks about the church in the prologue or when she mentions curing meats on page 24 she is talking about Southern, African American culture. It's those black, segregated churches that gave birth to the black gospel music and the mention of the cured meats is an important part of the cuisine of that area and time period which is a huge part of that culture.
DeleteI think those points are really good to mention Caroline. And to Cyrus, I agree with you. I think in a lot of ways it's hard to see the difference between the illumination of the oppression and the illumination of the culture. It was part of black life to be oppressed and looked down on, but I wouldn't want, if I was black, to have my culture be remembered by only that. The oppression has had influenced their culture, yes, but culture is more about the lifestyle of the people and not what the oppressors did to them.
DeleteThis is an interesting mini-debate. I'll weigh in by suggesting that hating one's blackness (kinky hair, etc.) includes a repudiation of Af-Am culture as well. In that moment, young Maya longs to be white in every way.
DeleteI think those are very interesting points, Caroline. Segregation didn't only cause fear of black people for whites, but fear of whites for black people. I agree with Cyrus on so many different levels, the oppression of black started to show very soon in the book. Later on though, Maya Angelou says how white people don't seem real because of their skin color. I'm not sure if she meant this in a rude way, or as a compliment.
DeleteTo Ivy: perhaps she didn't mean it as either. I think she was just saying they were so separated form her life when she was young and the segregation was so powerful that they just felt like legends to her, mythical beasts maybe. I've seen videos of kids in the horn of Africa meeting a white man for the first time and feeling the arm hair and seeing freckles and all the things about white people that are somewhat specific to them and they are astonished and awestruck.
Delete"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" also illuminates African American culture along with history. In the scenes Angelou describes one of her church services to readers can experience some of that culture. She describes the lively and loud congregation especially Sister Monroe. She "-got the spirit and started shouting, throwing her arms around and jerking her body, so that the ushers went over to hold her down-" on page 32. Outburst like this aren't usually seen in normal church settings. One aspect of African American culture is intense and extremely soulful church services. "She screamed at Reverend Taylor. "Preach it. I say, preach it."" says Monroe also on page 32. In some African American dominant churches yelling and encouraging of the preacher is the norm. This aspect of culture is very well illuminated in Maya Angelou's book.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Caroline on how this church scene really illuminates African American culture. In many movies based on African Americans they play a church scene like in the book. And the scenes depicted usually aren't like you would imagine in a normal church. Generally they have very loud singing and soulful services, like Caroline said. Also as Caroline has said, in some African American churches the way Sister Monroe had kept yelling and encouraging the preacher is completely normal, however, definitely not something we would expect to see in a regular church service.
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DeleteI completely agree. I think that this part of the book almost illuminates the first story. We see it in TV all of the time where the preaching is loud, and joyous. I know that when I go to church, I don't experience this.
DeleteTrue. Most white worship services are more quiet and earnest, even solemn sometimes. What do you think the difference suggests about spirituality within black and white cultures?
DeleteObviously, many things in our current culture have improved since the time period of this book. We obviously don't have things like segregation or groups like the KKK that run around without consequence but there are other themes from the book that are perhaps things that are still present. For example, her dream that Caroline mentioned of her being a white, blond girl is probably one many black girls still have today. While for the most part black people aren't so oppressed in our society, they are still denied jobs and other opportunities because of their skin color, whether or not the person denying the job realizes it. Because of this, I think there has to be African Americans who still feel like that.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Cyrus in that some type of segregation that goes on subconsciously in society today. I think oppression is far from other whether or not we realize we are doing it.
DeleteI agree with Cyrus and Caroline as well in that we have come a long way with race relations, however, segregation does take place sometimes, even subconsciously in society today. I agree with what Cyrus said about how black people are denied jobs due to the color of their skin, although this can be untrue sometimes and turned around. Sometimes jobs are turned down from black people just as they would be white people, however the person being denied the job gets offended, saying it's because of the color of his skin, when really it's not. This then turns into a debate about racism which is a big problem our society has been dealing with for a long time.
DeleteI mainly agree with Destiny, but I do also understand where Cyrus and Caroline are coming from. Adding onto the discussion of the actions where black people have been turned down for jobs, and assume it is because of the color of heir skin, I don't necessarily believe that it only is because of racial discrimination. The choices are silent and are not spoken, which really makes it hard for us to completely know the reasoning behind the choices being made. The fact is that we don't know. We can't know for certain that it is because on race feels they are superior than the other without it being blatantly stated. Segregation is a tricky thing, sometimes it is so obvious, while other times is can be hidden away with hushed glances and looks without really knowing you are doing it. But it some cases it isn't even there. I believe that, like Destiny said, racism isn't always the case. There could be logical reasoning there, but assumptions are easily made, which can create debate whether people are being fair and humane.
DeleteI agree with Cyrus for the most part however, I disagree with the dreaming part. From what I've seen from social websites, many black people are glad that they where born that way, and don't wish differently. If you don't know, there was a day called 'blackout', which was basically a black pride day put on by someone small. It was so supported by both white and black people, and I was actually shocked it grew to the size it did. I think as white people, we try and pity people who don't need it. We don't realize that in a lot of ways, they don't want us to intervene, and we are making matters worse by saying "Oh no these people are so ridiculously oppressed!" When in reality we can fix it by just looking at different skins as just that, skin.
DeleteI somewhat agree with Cyrus, but I more agree with Abby and Destiny. I don't think segregation occurs so much now, as it did back then. But people of all races are sometimes denied collage/uni entry from some collages/uni's because the schools want more diversity. I think that on many social media cites everybody is very proud of themselves, their background, and their race.
DeleteI really get what Lauren is saying. Racial discrimination is tricky. There is no way of figuring out if a decision is made about someone solely based on race. I wish sometimes that people could meet, talk to each other or interview for jobs under a sheet or behind a wall so no one could know there race of even see what they looked like. I wonder if people would change the thoughts on someone after they saw them in person.
DeleteI too think that there is still Racial discrimination today, and that black people have trouble getting and or keeping jobs in the world today. I think that some black women do wish they weren't born black, I know for a fact that you can go up town and you can see some black women that have tried to dye their hair blonde.
DeleteI agree with you, Cyrus. Racism is passed through generations subtly, and we don't notice it enough for it to be called out. Assuming someone isn't educated based on their skin, it's something people do without really thinking, especially in certain parts of America. Also, another interesting thing is that white or black girls don't feel comfortable with themselves - They both want to look like the girl on the TV, or in the magazine. They want the long hair, the perfect skin, and the fit body. Girls can't embrace their bodies because it doesn't fit into the small skin of the girl in the picture, who herself doesn't even have the perfect skin and fit body.
Delete"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" illuminates African-American culture with setting. It takes place in a small rural town in Arizona. Two children; Marguerite and Bailey Johnson, live with their grandmother and uncle, because their parents couldn't care for them. In the book it said they had on wristbands that said "to whom it may concern." It was a common thing in that time and place for children to be sent to next of kin when the parents can't care for them. Another common thing to happen in that time and place is for black children to be beaten is for not being clean. In the book it says that the grandmother whom they call "Momma," pulled the quilts off after they had fallen asleep to examine their feet to see if they were clean. It also says, "If they weren't clean enough for her, she took the switch (she kept one behind the door for emergencies) and woke up the offender with a few aptly placed burning reminders."
ReplyDeleteI agree with Casi in that this book by Mya Angelou definitely illuminates African American culture with setting. I feel that the setting of African American culture is definitely something we tend to stereotype without even meaning to. However, being able to actually read about a true setting in detail really gives a new picture of African American culture on it's own.
DeleteI agree with Casi that this book does show off a lot of common things that happened years ago, that could be considered culture, but I feel like you only described the negative things that were seen numerous times. The African-American culture was different, it was unique and special, and something to be proud of. For example, the music, the loud, full and magical words of courage and love traveled to each generation, celebrating the strength and love that was commonly witnessed in this culture. So I think that this culture isn't full of negatives, but also filled with popular and interesting positives.
DeleteI agree with Lauren. I think currently with all the cases of police violence and in the recent video of the racial slur chant by the fraternity bus media only focuses on negative things. I feel we are taught about the great black humans in the past like MLK jr. and Rosa Parks, we are taught they did amazing things. However I think when talking about current African-American status we only focus on negatives. I wish we could also focus on the positives and the next MLK's and Rosa's in the world. If we have good stories as well as bad it can be more inspiring for our generation. I also really believe that our current generation born in the late 1990's and early 2000's are more racially conscious and not as racist (subconsciously) as our parents and grandparents.
DeleteThis is a fascinating discussion! Casi's original point about Momma's strict discipline highlights an important aspect of African-American family culture: the emphasis on discipline and obedience. Why do you think respect for authority was so strictly enforced in African-American families?
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ReplyDeleteIn the book "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", by Maya Angelou, is a very powerful story, even just having read only the beginning of it. And I feel that it shows in many ways how far our society has come in terms of race relations. For instance Angelou describes how segregated blacks were in the time period of the book especially when she says, "Crossing the Black area of Stamps which in childhood's narrow measure seemed a whole world". That shows just how segregated blacks were back then, in fact, "In Stamps the segregation was so complete that most Black children didn't really, absolutely know what whites looked like", page 25. Just those two statements from the book hold so much power and show how different things were back then. To live in a whole other world, knowing there are other people out there, yet not knowing what they looked like, yet hearing stories about them and being told "that they were different, to be dreaded" also page 25, must have been quite unnerving in many ways. Especially when out of nowhere you see one of the "dreaded" people after so long being sheltered in the small Black area of Stamps. It goes to show how far we've come, as of today, both black and white people alike walk the same streets, apply the same jobs, eat the same foods, live in the same towns, and so much more. However, even though we have come very far, there are still things that have yet to be completely fixed, though I think this story by Maya Angelou really shows how far we've come in terms of race relations in our society.
ReplyDeleteI agree, that we have come a long way in terms of race in our society. I find that I think that people in that time should have been more adapt to what white people were living in their area. I also agree that the two statements are very powerful in showing how far away the black children/people were from the white children/people.
DeleteI agree with your point Destiny, but I also think that we can and still have room to improve. We need to if we want to form a somewhat "perfect" or sustainable society. I think that the worse it gets, the farther away we get to reaching this type of community.
DeleteI have to agree with Lizzie. Yes there has been so much change in societies ways of racism but there is definitely room for improvement. They can apply for jobs both white and black but they can still be objectified by race.
DeleteIn the story "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", by Maya Angelou, many aspects of African American culture are illuminated in several different ways. The setting is one of the aspects in this story that really illuminates African American culture, as well as the characters and the way things were in the time period of the book. The setting being set in a small rural town of Stamps in Arizona, is a rather poor town. Well the "Black area" is anyway. This setting alone says a lot about African American culture in this time period, for blacks in this period of time often lived in poorer parts of towns, while the white people were often richer and had "white 'things'", page 49. Also the way black people tend to talk in this story says a lot about African American culture, even today it's sometimes very obvious that they have a different way of speaking. One example would be how Marguerite's father "sprinkled ers or even errers in his sentences", page 54. And not only how things were spoken but also how things were interpreted. Like when Marguerite said "by the way" her grandmother whipped her with a switch because "anyone who says 'by the way' is really saying, 'by Jesus,' or 'by God', page 103, which is speaking the Lord's name in vain. However, we don't think of it that way and Bailey tried interpreting it by saying, "Whitefolks use 'by the way' to mean while we're on the subject", also on page 103. So that goes to show just how different our two cultures can be, just in a simple interpretation of words.
ReplyDeleteExcellent observations, Destiny! I love that you focus on speech patterns as a reflection of cultural differences.
DeleteI agree with you Destiny, I think that just how much the language differs, shows how different our cultures can be. I notice how you say it is the "black area," when whites live there too, so is it a black area even though the white people live there too? It is amazing how one phrase is taken into two different points of view by different cultures, and then have one using it to add something on to a sentence, and one as using the lords name in vein.
DeleteIn the book, I Know Why the Cage Bird Sings, there are many aspects where the plot, characters, and setting illuminates aspects of African-American culture. I believe that when they are young they would see and hear things that made them embarrassed about their own race, but with the guidance of their families they grow to be proud and embrace their differences. I still think that girls in our generation today feel different and less of a human because of their skin tone, which is a very sad thing to think about. But on the other hand, I do see that some African-Americans are celebrated their diversity. For example the general way the African-Americans would speak to each other really seemed different than how the whites would. They seemed more lively when they talked, which is similar to their spirituality, as they are so loud and out-going, but they would also incorporate strictness in the words. In addition, in this book it showed that they pretty much have the exact same routine every day, they would get up, do their chores, go to church, have dinner, then go to sleep, and repeat. This made me think that they were very strict about getting their stuff done and done well. Also, Maya’s family along with others seemed to live a happy life, no matter how cruel whites were to them, they practically brushed it off. For example, when Maya’s mother was sitting on the porch and the three white little girls started to mock her humming and make faces, trying to anger her. But all she did was continue humming and put the girls in their place without even seeming like she was affected. This shows me how strong and brave they are when they are faced with a challenge or obstacle.
ReplyDeleteYour remark about the liveliness of African-American speech and spirituality points to an interesting paradox—that these oppressed folks often seem happy and content with their lives (more so than many whites at the time). How can we explain that?
DeleteResponse to Ms. Vail: I think that this is because nothing is taken for granted. For example, I went to Honduras last year, and even the most impoverished families were the most happy people I had ever met. Nothing was presumed.
DeleteI agree with Lizzie. I think for people suffering in any situation long term especially won't take anything for granted. Just the life that they have is a miracle. I think this can explain the joyous and lively spirituality and outlook on life some of the characters exhibit. Maybe just the fact that they are so oppressed adds a sense of urgency (almost) to their rejoicing as if life could be take away in a second.
DeleteYes, what you both say makes great sense. No wonder Romeo refers to money as a kind of "poison." Also, if we trace their spiritual music (call & response) back to the cotton fields, we can see how much they relied on music to sustain them through hardship—adding to the sense of urgency that Caroline mentions.
DeleteThis paragraph I am choosing to do a free write. While I was reading the first third of my book, I cam across an issue that I believe is significant. That issue or realization I came across was that the African-Americans didn’t treat each other perfectly because they had the same skin tone, some Africans-Americans were practically looked at or treated as whites. For example, when Maya was in St. Louis, she found out that one black man disrespected her mother, so her uncles got him alone and beat him up for doing such a thing. Maya wrote that all African-Americans weren’t nice to each other or cared for each other. Another instance was when Mr. Freeman raped Maya (Page 78). I know that I had some idea that maybe African-Americans did have a bit more love towards each other than they did towards whites because of the separation between the groups of people. I learned that I was wrong, that some people are just cruel towards everyone. I think this shows that even in a world of separation, discrimination, and hate between two groups, the whites, and the blacks, there was an aspect of similarity between the groups because of the actions, faith, hate, and love they all shared.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, the fact that many people think only whites where the problem is interesting. Many people regardless of race, are cruel to each other. People like to think that in times of need, races or religions would band together and stick together. However this is not the case. Like you said, some blacks had been treated like whites. I believe that if given the opportunity, a black who happened to be poor would look away from their 'brothers' and follow the higher white person if it promised more safety for their direct family. I think many people where to scared to stand out of the crowd and help the more poor of their race, because it could get them in trouble. Other black people of the higher status might look at them as a threat to there 'safety net.'
DeleteYes, one of the most insidious effects of racism was black-on-black discrimination based on pigmentation (relative blackness).
DeleteI agree with both of you in how you state that many people believe the problem is just white against black when really it’s a lot more complex than that. So many people believe that all the conflict reflects racism towards black people from white people, when truly we all discriminate each other in more ways than one, we hold stereotypes and judgements for many people. Take the high school for example. There are so many different friend groups and everyone I talk to has assumptions or makes judgements about each group or people within the groups. It’s just something we all do, but when we do it to another person with a different skin color it’s considered racism? People can sit there and say really mean things to one another if they are the same skin color but the minute you say something to a person with a different skin color it turns into racism, even if you would have said to anyone else. I can see if something was directed at the race as a whole, and I do believe racism is a problem, however, it can be drawn out.
DeleteWhen you get down to it, we're all the same. All humans have that tribe mentality that makes us want to name groups and single people out. Hundreds of thousands of years ago that was necessary for survival but now it is a huge problem. I don't think we will ever stop discriminating whether it's blacks and whites, men and women, gays and straights, etc. The African Americans in those times were no different. Humans will always find a way to be hurtful to one another.
DeleteMaya Angelou illuminates African American culture in the setting of her story. One of the most apparent settings/scenes has been when she was talked about church. From what I've seen of churches through white media and attending events, it's a solemn more cold atmosphere. It has an almost threatening vibe to it. However, from reading and seeing black dominate churches, it has become clear to me that they have much more soulful and enjoyable services. They are not afraid to be loud, and often are. Their services are much more bright and welcoming. From the way I see it, I think they are more welcoming to their congregation, because it was truly one of the only times they could be happy and loud. They aren't looked down on by a rich white man while at church, and it at that time, was almost like a second home. -Abby Malbon
ReplyDeleteI agree, I think it was a second home for them, and it was a place where there was no discrimination, and everybody was able to say what they wanted to say. It is a great place to go to not get judged, because they believed that God was one of them and he was there for the ride to help them get through life and show them what they had to do.
DeleteI also agree, I visited an AME church a while ago and I completely can relate the feeling being there just lifts your spirits and they make you feel welcome and do not look down on you.
DeleteGenerally, I feel very threatened in church, I grew up with an image in my head of christianity being bad and that carries over into my modern life sometimes, but the African American churches, with their singing and their dancing and their loud shouts is really welcoming, warm and friendly. I think this is certainly a part of African American culture to be proud of and It's very well showcased in the book.
DeleteIn the book "I Know When The Cage Bird Sings" she illuminates african-american culture when she talks about church. In many movies based on African Americans they play a church scene like in the book. And the scenes depicted usually aren't like what our average churches are like. In these black dominated services/churches you really feel a sense of community, and joy. It's more of a ritual in a way opposed to a task. What Angelou talks about almost illuminates the single story as well. People at these black-dominated churches aren't afraid to be loud and call to God. They aren't afraid to sing get into it. They aren
ReplyDeletet afraid to laugh in church. It appears to be a more enjoyable event, instead of a long, dull task.
Yes, indeed! Amazing that such joyful spirituality grew out of such miserable suffering.
DeleteI see your point but Maya seems tense when she sits in church afraid to move when the minister is preaching.
DeleteI agree with this, they have a great time in church and they aren't afraid to do anything there (within the limits.) It seems more enjoyable than church is today .
DeleteI agree with both Lizzie and Fiona. In a seemingly joyful atmosphere Maya seemed pretty tense. This could be because she is afraid of being embarrassed. She might be afraid that what she is doing isn't what a perfect white girl going to church would do. Although this doesn't come up specifically, we do gets hints later on in the book about Maya wishing she didn't have her kinky hair and dark skin.
DeleteThis paragraph is a free write. The comments and discussion about this book have really brought up good points. I think a lot of readers can look at this book will pity Maya, but walk away after. So, I'm happy to be having these discussions. Maya Angelou sinks her claws into discrimination in one of the most subtle ways possible. Within her stories of childhood, something so simple can be mention, but still be different from how a white child would describe it. I think that this is still true today. Nowadays, discrimination could be described as transparent. It's like a thin fog that almost clouds how we see the world. For example, crossing the street you might want to stay closer to the white man rather than the black man approaching you. It's almost force of habit. So I wouldn't be surprised that a black child could see school as a zone to be afraid of his teachers and failing, and a white kid could see school and see it as making his teachers mad, and purposely failing with no consequence of looking like a bad kid.
ReplyDeleteYes, Maya's recollections do help us imagine what it might be like to grow up black, even today, when—as you eloquently say, racial discrimination still envelops us like "a thin fog." Will we, as a society, be able to dispel this fog, I wonder. One person at a time, maybe.
DeleteI think as a society we can clear the fog, but first we have to make it denser. As a society we need to address the race issue upfront before we can get rid of it. I don't think we will clear it from the minds of people alive today though. Only teens and younger I feel still have a chance to be convinced of the fact that racism is still here. When the new generation of kids are born, I think we need to start them right away in learning about racism. They need to understand that everyone is the same. I grew up learning nothing about skin color, so I accepted the fact that skin color shouldn't matter when deciding to like a person or not. If we start kids learning at a young age that skin color doesn't matter, we can then address the history of racism, and they will be able to see the topic with a fresher mind.
DeleteI completely agree with Abby. We all need to talk about how to improve. We need to teach people, and make sure that everybody is educated on this subject. We also need to teach the new generations why racism is wrong, and no first impression should be based off of race or somebody's looks.
DeleteI agree that even though discrimination today is not quite as severe as it once was that it is still here in an almost invisible way. I feel the racism is part of human nature and that it will never truly go away while humans are still humans. Whether or not racism will ever go away I think the consequences and violence that is a outcome of it can end and hopefully will someday with the right approach and cooperation from all parities and races.
DeleteI agree with you all, as Caroline said, I think that racism and stereotyping people is something that can't go away. Yeah, I mean we can work on it, which we have. Even though it is less severe today, it is still present, and will always be. We are people and whether we admit it or not, we have opinions on people that are negative and harsh. We can't really do much about that because they are always in the back of our mind when we see something that we think is odd and doesn't quit fit in.
DeleteThis book refutes Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's single story, by in book I have not yet heard anyone talking about the weather. And I have not yet heard of anyone eating apples, or playing in the snow, or drinking ginger beer. I don't think that all of the black girls had "Kinky hair," and didn't keep it up in a pony tail. I'm sure that most women and girls kept it down only because they didn't have anything to keep it up with. I do see a connection with threats that mother give to their children when they don't eat their food.
ReplyDeleteCasi, I think you're referring to the single story that Adichie grew up reading—about white people in Europe/England. But do you think Maya's story undercuts any of the stereotypes about African Americans prevalent in our society now or then?
ReplyDeleteFor my free write I decided to talk about the respect in African American Culture. Maya talks about how in her family she is taught to call relatives brother, sister , and uncle. Even with the "powhitefolk" Maya and her family are respectful. Her mother sits on the porch and hums a song trying to keep her sanity as the girls make rude, snarky comments at them from below. They disrespect them in everyway possible by calling the elders by their first names like they're the maids and impersonating them. But yet with all of the harsh comments shot at them in the end when they leave they say goodbye with Miz in front of the "powhitefolks" names. Yes I understand that they are scared being African American but not all of the respect comes from that. With the girls being disrespectful and Maya and her family not saying anything it shows that they are a step above them by not sinking down to their level. I find in this day and age respectful behavior in our generation in america is hardly found. Our generation is handed so many opportunities and gifts that we lost the sense of respect.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with this. It seems like people are losing respect for themselves and other people, which isn't what society needs these days. I, myself have seen how disrespectful our generation can be. I wish that people today had the same amount of respect as people in earlier decades.
DeleteI agree with you Fiona, this book is really highlighting the respect they show towards everyone no matter what obstacles, cowardliness, and disrespect that is thrown at them, either from the white race or the black race. But it seems most likely they are treating people how they want to be treated, which is a common thing told to kids today, but not necessarily followed. I believe that in our generation now, more people are losing the kindness and love towards others and replace it with judgements and snarky comments about something they don't like.
DeleteGood points all around! Alas, it does indeed seem as though cynicism and sarcasm are more fashionable than kindness and civility these days. I notice this a lot in movies and popular TV shows.
DeleteI want to reflect on the relationship Maya has with her brother Bailey. It's a relationship of great love. Maya says she feels she loves Bailey so much "she could never hurt him". This is such a sweet thought, I feel that way about people in my life. It is bittersweet that Maya feels like Bailey is the only person she can talk to after her rape and the trial of the rapist. This statement is just reaffirming her unconditional love for her brother. I have found in my own relationship with an older brother illuminates a unique love from brothers to their sisters. Brother have this heightened protectiveness over their sister which is special. Sometimes I think society expects and pressure kids and teens to tell their parents about their problems and whatever is going on in their life. However sometimes I think a sibling is a better choice for a confidant. The closeness in age between Maya and Bailey and most siblings allows siblings to see and hear you as the young person you are. I think parents only see you as the baby and perfect person they want you to be. I predict that Bailey's brotherly love will continue to protect Maya through the rocky waters they are sure to face in the future. Brother and sisters often have to go throughout tough times with only each other, I think that makes the relationship so strong.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your comment Caroline. I can also connect with having a relationship with an older brother that can't really be taken away. There are some instances when it is better to talk to a sibling rather than parents because they can give better advice ad connect to your problem because they are close to the same age and are more familiar being young in our generation more than our parents. It does seem that Maya feels more comfortable and safe in the presence of Bailey and knows she can tell him anything with no judgments. It is sad that Maya feels she only has him to talk to, but it is wonderful that they do share such a great bond between each other.
DeleteCaroline, I also really enjoyed reading your comment, it was really interesting and I was actually able to relate to it really well. You stated that brothers have this “heightened protectiveness over their sister”, and being the older sister of two younger brothers I can really relate with that, even though I’m not an older brother with a younger sister, but instead I’m an older sister to two younger brothers. I know I am very protective over my brothers and would do anything to keep them safe. So I feel that the heightened sense of protection applies to most if not all older siblings. Being an older sibling really gives you a different perspective on things for you are the one the younger siblings look up to, they want to be just like you and follow your footsteps more closely than we may realize sometimes. I also agree with how you say that society seems to pressure kids into telling their parents about problems, and I can tell you that that isn’t always easy. Not just from personal experience but also from experiences with my brother. I often find him coming to me about things that happen at school because he knows I can relate to them and understand them, maybe better than our parents can at times because when our parents were kids things were a lot different than today, so it’s sometimes hard for them to understand how things are today. Also being able to talk to your siblings creates a strong relationship as well as the tough times. Tough times seem to bring people together and make them realize a lot, which is one of the reasons I think Maya and her brother are so close. People who don’t really have a hard life can often take their siblings for granted, but tough times can change that, because it’s then that you begin to realize that someday they may be the only person you have when you are going through something tough, or they may not be there when you need it someday. So it’s always good to have a strong relationship with your siblings.
DeleteIn my experience, the relationship between two siblings that are close in age can be very cut-throat. My brother and sister are only a few years apart and they are always fighting and causing problems. But, in a situation where the other one was threatened or in danger I think the other would no doubt stand up for their sibling. I definitely see that kind of loyalty between Maya and Bailey but I'm surprised that they rarely bicker and fight amongst themselves.
DeleteI agree with what Cyrus stated about being surprised at how rarely Maya and Bailey bicker. It really is sort of shocking, especially because of how close in age they are. I feel that maybe the reason for this is because in many ways they were forced to grow up a lot sooner than most people. Even at the ages of 8 and 9, when most children still act like children, they were treated like adults, and had jobs and chores that most teenagers wouldn't even have today. They weren't allowed to be foolish and disrespectful, they were forced to be mature and respectful or else there would be consequences. I've noticed, in hearing stories from the past and watching older movies, that siblings often seem closer than siblings tend to be today. And I feel this has a lot to do with the fact I mentioned earlier about how Maya and Bailey were forced to grow up much sooner than most people. Except in that time period that was the case for most families. However, generally the more poor families, where harder work was to be done and more chores were to be done, the children in those families were often forced to grow up much faster, therefore behaving differently and respecting one another. In comparison to today where most things are just handed to kids and they don't need to work for it so they are sometimes very late in finally maturing, and being very disrespectful and selfish even towards siblings where jealousy often arises. It just goes to show once more how different things have become.
DeleteIn the book she looks back on her childhood experiences, Maya notes that she not only fell victim to a hostile, racist, and sexist society, but to other social forces as well, including the displacement she felt from her family and her peers.
ReplyDeleteI think that this defiantly reflects on us today because we don't have as much of a sexist society, but we do have a pretty racist one. Now I know that a lot of people aren't racist which I love and support, but there is still racists out there(Like the chant the members of SAE sang). It seems that we think that everything is perfect now, but it's just a bad(maybe even worse). I have to admit that we have made progress with having twice elected a black president, but we could be doing better in teaching and learning about how to prevent this hate.
I agree with you Lizzy in some ways, like how you said our society has made progress, because it really has. No, I don't believe that the problem has been resolved, but I honestly don't really believe it ever will be. You can't force a person to think differently than they do. But my question is, is racism itself really the big problem? Or is it what people consider to be racism? I do believe racism is a problem, but a lot of the time it's the debate between what one person believes is racist and what the other person believes is to be racist. So really it's how people look at and how we interpret things. Someone could say something not intending to be racist at all, and if it gets in the wrong hands it could be made out to seem awful, so our society today really has to be careful what they say. Which brings up another big issue. Freedom of speech; we all have the freedom to say what we want, but then that freedom is taken away from us when someone points a finger and claims you were being racist.
DeleteI agree with both Lizzie and Destiny. Racism won't be stopped anytime soon, and that's such a shame. In reality, the probability of it ever stopping is little to none. Somewhere deep inside of everyone they have a sort of sensor that tells them what to think of people the moment they see them. I think this is a very important sensor but it also connects to the reason for racism. If you saw a murderer out on the street, if you didn't have the first impression judgement, you might think, "Hey what a nice person." even though his face is on wanted signs everywhere. This is why the teaching and learning Lizzie mention should start young as possible, so they know when the sense is good or not. And on the topic of freedom of speech, as white Americans we have to be careful with what we say. Words have so much power, and many people will try to pin us because we are white to being racist. However where we are in society is built off of racism, so I can understand why people are so shaky around the topic.
DeleteI want to free write about the actual title of the book. I'm not at the very end yet, but I think that it is literally about a caged bird that is trying to escape, but what is the bird trying to escape? Why is in a cage? et cetera. But in a figurative manner, I think that the caged bird is Maya, and she is trying to escape the barriers of racism, sexism, insecurity, poverty, and abuse.
ReplyDeleteYes I agree, I have also thought about the title and I do feel too like she wants to escape the barriers of racism, sexism, insecurity, poverty and abuse. In the very beginning she talks about how see wants to be a white girl and I think it sort of relates to that too.
DeleteI agree with you Lizzie, that the tile of this book can bring up many different interpretations about what it actually means. I also feel that the bird is Maya trying to escape many things. I believe in the years of her youth, when she feels embarrassed to be part of her race, she is trying to escape that and become a 'normal' girl, and was wishing to be a young, beautiful white girl that she sees. However I believe as she grows up she becomes proud of her race and color, and is, like you said, trying to escape the surrounding barriers of sexism, racism, abuse, insecurity, and poverty.
DeleteLadies, check out Angelou's poem "Caged Bird."
Deletehttp://www.poetryoutloud.org/poem/178948
I'd be curious to know how that illuminates your discussion of the book's title.
I read Angelou's poem "Caged Bird", and I feel that the title of the book, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" has to do mostly with Maya finding her voice. After Maya was raped she went years without speaking. She said what had to be said and that was it. The only person she really spoke to was her brother Bailey. But during this time of silence, Maya spent her time observing and listening and reading, and with this she was able to absorb everything around her and it was then that she started speaking when she realized her love for language. So again language and linguistics took part in this story. And she did all of this by listening and absorbing and it was then that she finally realized her true passion, and and she discovered her way to speak. She realized that there were so many different ways to speak, so many ways to say the same thing, but everyone had their own way of saying it.
DeleteAn eloquent interpretation and response, Destiny!
DeleteIn what ways does this book refute the notion of the “single story”? I Know why the Cage Bird Sings does not give a single story. Maya’s life is like a picture book. You can judge a picture book by the pictures but if you read the sentences you might be surprised about the real meaning of the story, just like Maya. For a young, 8 year old, African American girl from the South, whites would expect her not to read or be as educated as she is. But Maya is taken in by her books; they help her escape from her life is St. Louis and she finds that the stories in the books are more of a reality then her own life. Maya does not stand behind the stereotypes given to her because of her color, she stands out and shows that she is more than a single story.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Fiona. I feel like the young Maya is anything but a stereotypical black young girl in the south at that time. She is so curious and educated. I feel her observations are miraculously kept in her memory. The fact that this is a autobiography is amazing that Angelou kept all of those memories in her head after all these years.
DeleteI agree with both of you. Sometimes I forget while reading that is is an autobiography. She talks about her life and hardships with such ease. If I was her and discriminated at the time, I would push back the darker days. She brings them right up and is strong about how she feels. I'm so happy that she kept the memories in her head, because if not we wouldn't be having this inside experience on how life was like for a young black girl.
DeleteI agree with all three of you. While reading this book Maya really showed me that what some people may view black children as may not be always true. The whole stereotype that young African-American kids can't read or aren't quick learners or simply aren't as capable as whites. However, Maya really nips that stereotype in the butt. She is a strong, independent, and smart young girl who stands out because of her talents.
DeleteThis is my free write. I have noticed that a lot of people in the book have nicknames instead of using their real names. One person is Miss Glory on page 109. Her name used to be Hallelujah, and that's what her "Ma" named her, but her mistress called her Glory, and she stuck with it because she liked it and it's shorter. It seems that there were more nicknames just for the convenience. Most people liked their nicknames because they were given by a friend or a mistress or a family member.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting when she talks about the white woman she works for renaming her for her convenience. It certainly doesn't sound like shortening a long or hard to pronounce name. There is so much ignorance and rudeness in that that. Mrs. Cullinan didn't even care enough to know Maya's name. It was an active disregard to the humanity of the black workers.
DeleteIn history Black children weren't allowed to read or write, but in this book they read and write for school, and church. In some cases people were killed for being able to read or write, but in this time in the book children and people are praised for being able to read and write, because they can read the bible and do homework for Sunday school. In the book Maya can read and write, and this helps her because she can read stories to herself and Bailey.
ReplyDeleteYes I agree with you Casi but this time period was way pass the time of killing African American for reading or writing. They are not exactly praised by the whites for reading but inside their community they were.
DeleteThe African American community is very beautiful, in my opinion. To hear the songs, the stories, and how tight knit they are, it's amazing. Where friends are family, and you take care of your family. This struck me when a black man was reported to be "messing" with a white lady, and the Sheriff was patrolling the streets that night, looking for the man. Word was passed around, and Uncle Willie was literally hidden away. Silence and darkness filled the house that night, in fear that they would take him away. Luckily though, they didn't. Anyway, I thought that was amazing, that the community knew he didn't do it, but that he could be taken away for it, just because he's a black man.
ReplyDeleteAlso, in the begging of the book, Maya Angelou brought up that Momma was known in the community, that she was the local storekeeper and she had everything. Shelves and shelves of things. And to me, it seems like she's the type of person to know everyone's names, all their stories. To be wise enough to impart wisdom, but still be gentle about it. She's the type of person to do a million things at one time, but make it seem like she always has time for you. She takes care of the kids, the store, Uncle Willie, and keeping her shop running well.
In the very first pages (2nd page) Maya was saying how she would one day wake up from the nightmare of her dark skin and large tooth gap. She would have long hair and white skin, that she would be "beautiful". Later on in the book though, she stated how white people didn't seem real. Their skin was too light, almost see through, and that they were too fake. Their clothing, their attitudes, all of it. To hear her attitude change, it was interesting, considering she was in two different places when she said this.
I totally get what you're saying Ivy about Maya's changed thoughts and feelings towards white people. It's almost like she knew whites were superior in that time and wanted so much to be like them but then when she encountered them she realized how different and strange they actually are to her.
DeleteI think this book reflects how the current racial state in this country especially in the part when Maya's family and community gathers in the store to listen to the fight on the the radio. Everyone in the store is black and is rooting for African-American boy Joe Louis. When the announcer said his name as the heavyweight champion everyone rejoiced. Maya says "Joe Louis had proved we were the strongest people in the world." The way she said "strongest people" reminds me of how a large groups African-Americans rallying together over many problems in the world, most recently the Ferguson trials and murder. I feel that black people stick together more than white. I imagine this is because of the only 13.2% of the US are black. African-Americans have also encountered so many more hardships, discrimination and alienation by the majority of US citizens that them as a whole rallying together is one of there only choices for relief.
ReplyDeleteI'm addressing the question, "In what ways does this book refute the notion of the single story." However, I feel like at time's it actually enhances it. For example, Maya and her brother talk about white people when traveling into town for fresh meat. They talk about them in the only way they know, because they only know their single story. They compare high heels to horseshoes, and ponder why women wear bra's that aren't attached to their dresses. They don't get answers because they are so separated from the white community. I feel like this scene doesn't refute the notion, but brings it upfront to tell us that even the suffering saw single stories. I think by showing an example about how everyone starts out with one story, Maya is clicking the on switch in our brains to realize no one is innocent of judging someone by looks or background.
ReplyDeleteYes, Chimananda Adichie makes that point, too, when she recounts how she imagined that everyone in foreign countries ate apples and drank ginger beer, solely based on the books she read as a child.
DeleteYes I agree completely. I actually had a bit of trouble thinking of what in this book refuted the single story. The people in Stamps have only the single story of St. Louis, the whites and blacks only have the single story of each other. For the most part , the single story is all that is represented.
DeleteWhen Maya talks about the black community gathering around the radio to listen to the fight, It reminds me of the topic, how does the book reflect current issues. After Joe Louis wins, she says, " ...we were the strongest people in the world," It reminds me of the rights activists our their. All of their picket signs talk about how they're standing up for their rights, and against discrimination. I haven't heard of a single black women with children doing well in our current america, but when you see one, and she looks happy, you can't help but realize how strong she is. Not only is she showing her children their race is important and shouldn't matter what other people think, but she is also showing the white people that black people can, and will be strong. In many cases, instead of running from dangerous communities, black people fight for their race and show that they aren't brought down by white people and their expectations. In the book, no white person could have guessed that Joe would win, because he was black and to white people Joe's race is what made him weak. He proved them wrong just like many black people have today by standing up for themselves and others like them.
ReplyDeleteI am commenting on how this book is refuting the notion of the single story. I agree with Abby's comment above relating to this question. I feel like this book isn't refuting the notion of the single story, but showing how it happened, and brought more perspective towards it. It is showing that they are so separated and distant from all of the things that are accustomed to white people. I think this makes them wonder even more about their race. This shows that there isn't just one race that creates a single story about the other race, but it is a thing everyone does when they don't know the whole story. It's something that no one can really stop or realize they are doing because it could be exactly what they believe is the truth and all there is to it, but that's not the truth. This can be one major factor that creates stereotyping of people, when they just don't know the facts.
ReplyDeleteI believe that this book is making me realize how in our culture today we haven't changed much. I do think we have changed in many aspects. For example we have supported many accomplishments black people have had in our generation today. But the structure and basic ways people are stereotyping and separating others because of simple differences like the color of our skin, our sexuality, or beliefs. I'm not saying I see all of this occurring everyday but there are instances where other people have raised discussion about different actions people have taken that are due to racial discrimination. Many people are claiming that we, as people today are equal and treat people equal, but that isn't always the case. There are people who strongly support equality, but there are also handfuls of people who either know they are being racist or are doing it unknowingly. Either way I think that racism and stereotyping people will always be present no matter what. But there has been progress, all we need to do is continue working on it and do the best we can do individually.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Lauren. I also think that we have made progress, like twice electing a black president. We have defiantly steered away from segregation(but not completely), but we still have so much to do. We really need to work on making sure that everybody is equal. I mean, woman still sometimes have differences in paychecks, even when they have the same job as a man. In class the other day we talked about jobs, and race. I mean, why should it matter what race you are when you are applying for a job. Also, with the new controversial law that was passed in Indiana and Arkansas about religious freedom. I understand that people have their beliefs and should be allowed to do what they want with their business, but if you are going to not make somebody a wedding cake because your religion doesn't "believe" in black people then that's just wrong. We need to create equality in the nation that everybody wants to be a part of.
DeleteIn this story "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", by Maya Angelou, young Maya does not have a single story. I agree with Fiona when she states just that. Maya is very aware of how different everyone is, but doesn't stereotype them. She reads different stories and reads so many things about white people, but she knows the description of white people in her book don't always play true to every white person. And she doesn't judge them either. Yes she may be cautious and nervous around them, but that's only because she's not around them all the time. The segregation just within their small town is crazy, it's almost as if their are two separate worlds just within the small town of stamps. Maya has even states this herself, when she mentions how sometimes she doesn't even believe white people exist. But she knows this isn't true it's just a metaphor to make us realize just how segregated this town was. And you would think being in a town like this Maya would be much more apt to having a single story. But she doesn't, even after hearing all of the things she does from the black people around her she doesn't claim to hate them, if anything she's curious about them, but she's educated too. Maya knows that one story doesn't fall true to everyone as a whole.
ReplyDeleteIn my free write I want to address racism directly. The definition of racism is to believe that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, which makes sense. But racism is a very powerful word, and can be interpreted in so many ways and I don't think many people realize this. Different interpretations of racism seem to be causing a lot of problems. Is racism really that big of an issue right now, or is it being drawn out? If you say the word black referencing the color, is that supposed to be considered racist? No, it's not, yet I see all the time that people get called racist for doing just that, which isn't right. I'm not saying that racism isn't an issue, because it is, but it's not addressing something to one person, it's addressing something to the race as a whole.
ReplyDeleteI think that the definition of racism changes quite a bit based on the person it's being directed toward. Some African Americans are very relaxed when it comes to racism, some let their white friends say the N word or say racist jokes while others can't stand either and will automatically assume racism from any non-black person. We see this in standard bullying too. If you are teasing somebody, you might think it's okay but they might not. You can't always say that something isn't racism because it isn't being directed toward you so you wouldn't know what it feels like on the receiving end.
DeleteI agree with Cyrus in some ways. I also think that we can all be racist, no matter if you are caucasian, black, latino, et cetera. It's in not because our parents influence that, it's because of the history of this country. We have made jokes about racism, or other races. We have written songs that feature the N word and other abusive language. We talk about it in the daily news, and we learn more and more about what it is everyday. And although some of these jokes may not influence me, I still know that they are wrong. I still know that they can me harmful. We know all of these yet, we still tell these jokes, and listen to these songs. We are growing up in a time where all we have to do is type out what we think, and share it with the world. This can be extremely harmful, and dangerous. And when it come's down to it, this is a extremely savage form of bullying. And we all know that bullying is wrong, so why do we still do it?
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ReplyDeleteThe story really illuminates African American culture. It shows through their religious beliefs. The Civil Right movement even started in churches in the the 1950s and 1960s. On page 166 Bailey tells a story about a dead black man who was found in a river. The white man who found him says some harsh words toward him, he says the word N… in the sentence. This word is a word that has been looked upon as bad word in our culture today but even today in Maine our generation uses this hateful word towards human beings. When a person uses that word against African Americans it creates a sense of fear.
ReplyDeleteThe older generation like Uncle Willie and Mama believe that god will save them like he did with the Jews. In the very beginning of the book you quickly tell how religious her family is in Stamps. Bailey and Maya have to wash there feet at the well and when their Momma checks them and they are not clean, they have to go back outside in the dark and wash again. Even with the church scenes they sing and shout. Many do not hold back, they express themselves loudly to god. These two examples illuminate African American culture.
In my opinion, the story supports the single story of rape victims. We often think that a rape victim becomes a helpless, unsociable person who thinks themself guilty because of what happened. This is the case for Maya but not the case for all victims. Some victims use their story and their experience to raise awareness and fight back against the evils of rape and sexual abuse, though we tend to think that they are unable to live the same again. This is true for many people which is probably why the single, helpless and sorry story for rape victims exists and the struggles and emotional torture that is put on so many victims is also put on Maya.
ReplyDeleteI agree, because in the book I felt like Maya felt like it was her fault that she was raped, and at such a young age she was pretty helpless, because she was frail because she is still growing. She struggled all the way through this book, because she had her pregnant self to remind her of what had happened.
DeleteI completely agree with Cyrus on the single rape victim story. I feel it is human nature to always sympathize and to assume the worst and try to help in any way even without knowing if what we are doing is actually beneficial. I personally think rape and sexual assault are some the most evil and unforgivable crime someone can commit. I also think victims should be given attention and love however I think they are still capable humans. I don't think all rape victims are the same and I think they should treated individually like their stories are, individual.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Caroline. We often categorize people, in this case rape victims. In many cases you can see them being sheltered from certain things that could actually help them learn about what really happened. Victims normally don't want to be babied. If I was kept from the truth of my case I would be even more emotional. However, many people won't be able to truly handle a lot of things we protect them from. I feel like a lot of times you have to choose sides, and this has to be one of them. Whether to protect them or let them be themselves with the knowledge of their story. I think giving victims details is a good idea, because as Cyrus said many victims use their stories to fight back.
DeleteThe book really shows how far we've come in terms of recognizing and preventing child abuse. It's crazy to me to read about how readily the adults in Maya's life were to beat her with switches and anything else they could find and that nobody was really doing anything about it. Nowadays, we have made huge steps in eliminating child abuse and children now have many more people on their side.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Cyrus. We have come very far in preventing child abuse. And this book has made this much more obvious to me. I've always known that child abuse was a lot worse in the past, however, I guess reading this book knowing that it is a true story really puts this issue into perspective. Back then there weren't laws telling anyone that they couldn't hit children. Now there are laws preventing even teachers from abusing children as well as everyone else. Sometimes however, I feel that in some ways child abuse now is more extreme. It was more common back then, however, you mostly hear of being whipped (which that alone seems extreme to us), but today though child abuse is less common, you hear of more things like adults killing infants by beating them to death or suffocating them in beyond extreme ways. So really I guess it's how you look at it.
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DeleteI agree with Cyrus and Destiny. We've made progress in that section of the world issues. Although it still arises, the majority is ready to jail the person for life who commits the horrible act. Occasionally I've heard stories of even hardened criminals being disgusted at child abusers. Going as far as murdering them in prison because their crime was worse than death for a kid. As a child a lot of times you will hear kids talk about how mean their parents are for spanking them with a paddle, but when you look at Maya you have to thank your parents for being who they are and not treating you like Maya was. Now with Destiny, I agree about the more extreme. It was much more common back then, but with the cases being few and far in between they've been worse. For example, less police bigger crimes in the area, like murder and large scale destruction. More police, and you see petty robbers and a few drunk disorderly behavior cases, but not a lot more.
DeleteI agree, I think that we have come a long way with this problem of children being over punished by being spanked with a paddle or whipped with a belt or stitch. I remember being a child and the worst that happened to me was I was spanked with a ruler, and I remember hating that, so I'm happy that it doesn't happen to me or anybody else anymore.
DeleteThe book refutes the "single story" by showing how the black people saw the white people. In this case the single story is that the blacks simply wanted freedom but I've never heard it directly from a black person in that time period. The way Maya talks about the "Powhitetrash" is fascinating to me. She describes them as "Grimy, snotty-nosed girls" on page 29 and "dirty, scummy, peckerwoods" on page 31. This class of white people are interesting as they are essentially equal to the African Americans as far as wealth and status but they think themselves better because of their skin. This whole dynamic is a very different story from what I've heard in the past with white and black relations.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with Cyrus. In learning about black history I think we forget that they were not the only ones that were poor. Relation back to on the of race articles we read "The Coming Race War Won't Be About Race" it is mentions that the real problem wasn't racism but poor communities and the violence that is born of the poverty. Without knowing it the poor white and black families had some the same problems and hardships. If they could have seen past race maybe they could have helped each other out.
DeleteIn the book I Know Why The Cage Bird Sings refutes the notion of the "single story" because of Maya. Maya at a young age felt misunderstood, she fantasizes that she is a blond-haired, blue-eyed girl trapped in a African-American girl's body and later she finally wakes up and finds her true self. She was so stuck in this world of thinking that she had to fit into this "typical" girl because she wasn't comfortable with herself because of so many different things.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, I think that a lot of girls fantasized about being the "typical" blond-haired, blue-eyed white girl that fits in with everyone else, and lives in a big house with a middle or high class family.
DeleteI agree, I feel like Maya didn't really know all the benefits and things to be proud of for being an African-American young women. It seems that she really only saw the negatives and thing that totally stood out, which was just the single story. She portrayed that she didn't really know the whole story about herself and how amazing it is to be who she was born to be.
DeleteI agree with Lauren. It was just a single story but during Mayas life she was looked upon as ugly and she was told that African Americans were not as good as whites.
DeleteI think that racism is a BIG deal now. Racism is not just about African-Americans and Caucasians, it's directed towards all races. The website dosomething.org is one of the largest orgs for young people and social change. In one of their articles (https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-racial-discrimination) they give different statistics on racism in the U.S. Almost none of them surprise me. I really think that you should check out their website and this article in particular. I think that racism is everywhere; in popular songs, in jokes, in our speech, in our news, in our past, present, and even future. We have to be the generation to change things. We need to learn how to change for the better, and we also need to teach the upcoming generations.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely. It goes so deep that children seemingly know the stereotypes before reaching kindergarten. We can not normalize these stereotypes and social laws. No matter the race, gender, sexuality or gender preference we need to learn to not assume anything of anybody and treat everybody the same.
DeleteI agree with you Lizzie and the racism in jokes is where I can relate to the most. African American jokes are all over the internet with all the stereotypes and words directed at African Americans. It is not only African Americans too though. Racism is everywhere and it shows up on social media which effects our generation.
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ReplyDeleteI'm addressing the topic, how does the story reflect or illuminate the current state of race relations in our country? Have we made any progress as a society? And I think we have made progress in society. The fact that we've twice elected a black president is amazing. However, like I've mention before a haze is over our eyes in these days. Recently, because of cases like the Walter Scoot shooting, the haze has become a fog. Although we've made progress, I think starting from ferguson we are now going backwards. Having a period of peace made this shocking discovery of hidden racism explode. Being so used to the calm, ignorant state we where in this new information probably rattled a few worlds. When Maya refers to white girls as "Grimy, snotty-nosed girls" on page 29, it makes me wonder if that is what some black people think of us now. White people have been racist for a long time now, and without realizing it most of the time. I feel that black people have always thought of us as an bad thing, even in the back of their minds. Meaning, when we see a black person and are hesitant on instinct, they probably are to, and even more so with the white police. Reading this book and seeing the atmosphere Maya lives in, i'm sad to say we may be reaching a point where we will be back in that zone. Not as bad as segregation, but more the mind set of, you leave me alone I'll leave you alone.
ReplyDeleteI want to talk about how I am blown away at how strong Maya is. Throughout her life she was put through so many tough situations that I couldn't image going through at any point in my life, and especially as young as she was. The fact that she was able to keep a positive look on life while so many things seemed to be trying to push her down. Her love for her family, friends, and knowledge was so strong that she used it to bring happiness in her life. Just it her first few years of living she went through being deserted by her parents, beaten for speaking out of term, raped by a man she thought loved and could protect her, to practically losing her brother and going through a pregnancy at sixteen all alone. I believe all of this happened to her for a reason. I think that whoever controlled her fate, whether it was God, chance or fate, knew that she could handle it. From the start Maya was strong and supportive and really couldn't help caring for others. After reading this book and learning about Maya's life, she quickly became an inspiration to me. I learned that no matter how hard things can get, good things are most likely to occur during or after all of the hard things happen.
ReplyDeleteThis response is going to be a free-write. Since I finished reading this book, there has been something weighing on my mind. I really do wonder how I would feel being an African-American child during this time. Even though Maya highlighted some positive and negative things about living her life. I know I got pretty much got the big picture of what it would be like but I would love to feel the pain and exhaust of going one day with all of the chores and responsibilities she had to go through. My family isn't religious and as strict as Maya's so I would like to see what it would be like to go to church every Sunday with the rest of the community and see how intense it can get. The hard thing about learning about racism and abuse that happened years before my time and even today is that we can't really understand how it feels. We don't know how it felt to be sent out into the fields all day to only receive little pay. All the things Maya talked about in this book really sparked my curiosity on how it actually felt to be treated differently and most of the time very cruelly.
ReplyDeleteLike Lauren I have often wanted to feel true pain like so many young African-American girls have felt. When I was in elementary school I pained with wanting to be black living in the 50's or 60's and experience the fight and revolution going on then. If everyone had a small piece of the pain of black people in that time we might no longer have the race problems we have today.
DeleteThat's a profound insight, Caroline and Lauren. Yes, imagine how the world would change if we could all trade places with others for a period of time! This will be one of Scout's most important realizations in To Kill a Mockingbird. Let me know when you think you've found it as you're reading that novel.
DeleteI think a huge representation of African American culture that we've mostly missed so far is the chapter about Joe Louis. This is a perfect representation of culture. On page 134 Maya says "Even the old christian ladies who taught their children and tried themselves to turn the other cheek would buy soft drinks, and if the brown bomber's victory was particularly bloody one would order peanut patties with Baby Ruths also." This is clearly so important to the culture of those people, far more than the most dedicated fan in some other sport. A win for Joe Louis is a win for African Americans all over, by the same light, a loss for him is a loss for the entire race. "It would be true, the accusations that we were lower types of human beings. Only a little higher than the apes. True that we were stupid and ugly and lazy and dirty and, unlucky and worst of all, that God himself hated us and ordained us to be hewers of wood and drawers of water, forever and ever, world without end."
ReplyDeleteIn response to the question of how the book reflects race relations today I want to point out something I've noticed about our society. We don't need signs over water fountains or separate neighborhoods just for black people because we do it ourselves. When I ask myself how many black people I know, I can't think of many. the truth of it is, black families often don't move into white neighborhoods and the same is often true with white families. We don't need to separate because we do it all the time without thinking of it. I would bet that most of the black people from Maine that you know or at least have come in contact with have come from Portland or Lewiston. We jokingly say that sports like basketball and track are only done well by black people or that white people can't rap or create the kind of music black people do. We subconsciously decide that certain things are just for black or white people. We do it with other races too. We think that only Middle Eastern or Indian people can be good at computer programming or that only Asian people can be good at math or piano. We segregate our hobbies and neighborhoods and so on without even realizing. In that sense we're hardly better than we were back then. If you disagree think about how surprised you are when you see a black hockey player or golf player. Think about how surprised you are when you see a black person with a nice job or pursuing higher education. I'm willing to bet your image of a doctor isn't a black man. In fact it probably isn't a woman either, regardless of the race. These are all examples of how segregation continues today but it's segregation we all seem to be willing to accept and live with.
ReplyDeleteI want to respond to the question regarding a single story, not of race however. As Maya became pregnant I think how her and family responding is vey typically expected of teen pregnancies. She assumed right away “the world had ended” and had become “a nightmare” . Her mother asks about marriage right away which she denied. She also assumed she would have to give up school. I feel in society we still have a single story of teen parents mothers especially. I think we assume a lack of intelligence and we expect school to be given up. The more conservative and "old-fashioned" people in society will expect marriage. I don’t feel that the way Maya thought about her pregnancy in that era is different then how a girl now would feel. She was horrified. I would feel the same way. Mr. Clidell told her not to worry and that women get pregnant all the time, now I think people wouldn’t quite feel that way about teen pregnancy.
ReplyDeleteHas our society made progress in race equality? Yes and no. I think on the outside we have, like what Abby said, we have twice elected a black president. In that respect of the big picture events we have made progress, however in day to day events I think we have a lot more progress to come. There is no more legal segregation, whites and blacks can be together in many ways now but I still think they are divided. I think the black race in America still feel threatened in different ways to the point of feeling they are still being targeted like during the time of Maya's life. Maya mentions at different times about the meanness of whites, but also envies them and wishes to be more like them in the beginning of the book. Does this hate and possible envy still go on? I fear that yes it does to some extent. I do feel however that African American culture is so much more accepted and celebrated today. On the outside we have seemed to make progress. but on the inside of people (thoughts, racial profiling) we still have some prelims. How we fix those problems I am not sure.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Caroline but on the inside I don't think we can ever really solve racism "inside". I feel like it is mentally put in our brains and I think there is really no solution to fix it. You can talk about it but no matter what happens it is still there. It doesn't have to be mean but if you look at somebody on the street there is always a thought in your mind about that person.
DeleteFor this response I will be free writing. I'm addressing the topic of how we as a group have really learned so much from not only the book but what our peers have to say. By having this blog I've learned a lot of things I would've never considered before. As a person who strongly supports the fight against racism, having the background knowledge from Maya's story and the ideas and remarks from peers is precious information that can be used at any point in the rest of my learning lifetime. Having people comment on the mindsets and behavior of people in and out of Maya's story helped me realize that there is many different sides, not just two. Tittering in the middle is hard, and seeing all of our comments has helped me have a equal understanding. The best part of this book group experience for me was learning about cultures. The African-American culture is amazing. It's a soulful, warm and welcoming community. The fact that many black people regard us white people as friends make me smile. It's hard not to be bitter to a race that has beaten you down for years. The black population being kind to us is just one example of how welcoming and forgiving they are. I am disappointed that we have to ask for their forgiveness again because of what is going on in today's world.
ReplyDeleteAbby, I'm glad you've found the experience worthwhile. I, too, am drawn to African-American culture for the same reason—deep admiration for strength of spirit, vitality, and resilience through centuries of suffering.
DeleteHave we made any progress as a society with racism? Yes, but it seems like it's going down hill fast, because of how racial comments are going viral on the internet, and the newspapers. We have gotten this far in society from the 13th amendment which abolished slavery, which then led on to racism slowly decreasing. Although it never stopped because there are always "those" people, it came to a point where almost the whole world wasn't thinking about the differences between people. I have a feeling that racism is only going to stop when the world is a mess and they have more important things to worry about. In the book, Maya's generation is the generation that only got made fun of and not really discriminated against.
ReplyDeleteHow does the story reflect or illuminate the current state of race relations in our country? In the book White girls showed themselves off as if to try to mock the black girls. Today the same thing. I have heard of white girls that had made fun of the black girl(s) and there was nothing the black girl could do because she knew that she would get into more trouble than the white girl. It is very racist and unfair that the black girl would get in more trouble for bullying than the white girls. In the book Maya decided to hide behind a door when the white girls can into her moms store, because she didn't want to risk getting seen and being made fun of and it was good for her to because she didn't want to get mad and yell at them and get in trouble.
ReplyDeleteSince I have finished reading the book I really want to talk about it. Throughout the story I kept having to continuously remind myself that this was a true story, not just some made up fiction. Reading this story made me continuously realize how cruel our world can be, and this can be a hard thing to grasp. When we were little we were sheltered from so much, we didn't realize bad things could happen, we thought a band-aid could fix anything, and as long as we had our parents we were safe. But growing up we realize this isn't the case, there is so much to fear in our world, even the words and criticism thrown at us on a daily basis. Just innocently walking down the road you could fall a victim to some terrible crime, you never know what can happen and this story opened my eyes to that as well as many other things. It's different when you hear things on the news because generally they don't pertain to areas really nearby, but when you actually hear a true story and read it word for word, or if you hear something that happened in the area around you it really gets you thinking. It could be any of us. But could all of us had been as strong as Maya was? She was raped at the age of 7, and though she fell silent for some time, she used that silence to her advantage, for it was then that she learned to sing.
ReplyDeleteI loved reading this post, Destiny, especially the last line. It's a true testament of character when someone manages to turn suffering into a source of strength and inspiration.
DeleteAlmost every single page of the story "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", by Maya Angelou reflects some sort of African-American culture. If you really think about it this entire story embodies a vast area of African-American culture. The way they speak, the foods they eat, their dialect, their religion, their community, their family, it reflects all of this in the story. And in different areas too. When Maya was living in the small town of Stamps, she spoke differently, everyone did. And everyone there was very strict about going to church every Sunday. But when she moved to California things were a lot different. They too spoke differently there, and they never spoke of going to church there. People were also richer in California too, Maya speaks of her mother's suede suit that she happens to be wearing when Maya's grandmother takes Maya there. In Stamps you wouldn't hear about people wearing a nice brown suede suit, they, for the most part, seem to wear handmade clothes. The families and community were also very different in comparison. In Stamps, Maya's grandmother took care of her, her brother Bailey, and her Uncle Willie, and never left them to fend for themselves, she was always there providing for them and giving them the best. And the people in the community were just as friendly, and always there seeming to look after one another as one large family. In California, however, Maya's mother kept shipping her off to either her other grandmother's home, or Maya's father's home, and when she did live with her she was hardly ever home. And you never once heard of anyone in the community looking after anyone there, so you can see just by that how different the two places are, and also how different the African-American culture can be within itself in just two different places.
ReplyDeleteThrough out the book it seems like Maya has a lot of influential people in her life. Maya's grandmother (momma). She is more like her mother then her own biological mother. Even though hard at times in the end Mamma was always there for her. Uncle Willie is also a big figure too in Maya's life too. Maya's parents through out the book are there but not there like Mamma and Uncle Willie. I wouldn't say personally that they effected her life a huge deal, unlike Bailey; the bond between Maya and Bailey is unbelievable. Its not a fake story about this brother and sister that are best friend's and go through life together but it's a true story about this unbreakable bond. Yes, at some points they grow apart but they always end back together. Stretching away from family. Miss Johnson was one person that I thought influenced Maya a lot. She never treated her differently because of her color or her abilities. Maya talks about how no matter what happened the day before Miss Johnson would have a new slate the very next day. Maya even says at the end that she wonders if she knew she was the only teacher she remembered and that says a lot. Mrs. Flowers is the second person who I found that impacted Mayas life. She was practically Mayas idol in Stamps. She talked to Maya about her problems and it made Maya feel important I think. Those are the people I think evolved Maya into who she was.
ReplyDeleteI have so much to say about race relations in our country. It is a very controversial subject for me. Racism is there and we do not really no how to get rid of it nor do I think we can; but these stereotypes are put out in society so much it is hard to dodge them. Stereotypes are just one view of race, religion etc. I saw this video of this African American man who made a video ten minutes after being pulled over and talked about how it was civil action between him and the caucasian police officer. He went on to talk about how not all police officers are bad and not all people who are shot or tased are innocent. From this video I took away that by racism happening with African Americans and police officers we are making stereotypes about white police officers while talking about these issues. In this way our country has really stepped back an era of racism but we have also come so far the thing is that Racism is not thrown under the rug any more it is a huge topic in todays society.
ReplyDeleteMy opinion of a "single story" through out the book has changed somewhat. Through reading others blogs about peoples opinions of a "single story" I understand where they come from in how Maya talks about how she yearns to be a blonde and blue eyed girl. But she also refutes the single story too by being an educated African American that uses her education in so many ways possible. For me this question doesn't have a solid yes or no. It really makes me think about the books meaning. To get a solid answer I would have to make a pros and con list.
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