I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings - Etude De Littérature Anglaise (texte en anglais)

I chose this document because I remember that my mother used to talk to me about a caged bird singing, or something like that. I don't remember very well because I was a child, but when I saw the title on the paper, it sounded familiar, so I decided to work on this one.

This novel is an autobiography, written by Maya Angelou, in 1969. This book is the first in a seven-volume series, it is a story that illustrates how strength of character and a love of literature can help overcome racism and trauma. The book begins when three-year-old Maya and her older brother are sent to Stamps, Arkansas, to live with their grandmother and ends when Maya becomes a mother at the age of 17. We can see that from the beginning until the end of the novel, Maya transforms from a victim of racism into a self-possessed, dignified young woman capable of responding to discrimination. This novel was written during a very painfull periode for the Afro-Americans, racism was still very present after the abolition of slavery, especially in the Southern states.

This time of the book is both very amusing and very frightening. It's the moment when Mrs. Henderson come back the to dentist's office to complain. At first, we can see that the dentist is completely powerless next to Mrs. Henderson, as if he couldn't do anything against her, he lets himself beaten up by this woman : the dentist's position seems very frightening. However, Mrs. Henderson seems to take pleasure out of this situation ; she is powerfull, fearless, and it seems like she is having fun calling the dentist names, as « you contemptuous scoundrel » (line 7), or « You knave » (line 13). Mrs. Henderson seems to be enjoying herself has the person who is respected.

At first sight, this extract seems like an event of a very powerfull woman's life. In fact, it is Maya’s imaginary account of Momma’s argument with the white dentist ; actually, the real version certainly doesn't come close to this one. I think that Maya found a very beautiful way of expressing her anger and her fears towards the Afro-Americans's condition. I feel very moved by the subject of this extract ; indeed, it is a little girl's dream, to be strong against persecutors and persecutions. Actually, this book is due to a challenge, that James Baldwin (author) and Robert Loomis (editor) gave to her, which involved writting an autobiography that was also a piece of literature. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is considered as an autobiographical-fiction, due to the use of techniques belonging to the fiction gender.

I really appreciated this extract, even though I haven't read the book entirely yet. I think that Maya did a good job with this work, and completed her challenge with success.

...