Displacement, a Theme in Maya Angelou´s I Know Why the...

The feeling of displacement leaves a painful hole in ones heart. Whether a person is a male or female, white or black, lives in the North or South, or young or old, displacement takes a toll on their character and personality. Maya Angelou creates a theme of displacement in her novel I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Angelous novel has been critiqued by many notable scholars for being a classic autobiography. The critics note the importance of the setting to show universal displacement and the use of characterization to display the influences in Angelous life. The critics also note that Angelous diction and tone allow her pain and suffering to be evident throughout her novel and into her life. Angelous use of setting shows how she was personally affected by displacement. She also uses characterization and tone to personalize her childhood experiences. Maya Angelou’s autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is critiqued to have a theme of displacement based on the setting, characterization, and tone. Many scholars note that the setting in Angelous novel is necessary to understand the theme of displacement. The novels main setting is Stamps, Arkansas. Stamps, Arkansas is a small southern town, with a great deal of racial segregation. One scholar notes that the novel takes place in the middle of strong segregation in the South (Henke). This setting is important to the novel because it explains why the different races were mistreated and displaced. McMurry pointsShow MoreRelatedI Know Why The Caged Bird Sings1555 Words   |  7 Pages At the time of Marguerite Johnson better known as Maya Angelou s death on the 28th of May 2014, she was an Activist, acclaimed American poet, storyteller and autobiographer. However, all her accomplishments were born out of abuse, violence, neglect and pain, that she wrote about in her autobiographical novel, I know why the caged bird sings which was published in 1969. In the book, she wrote not only about the conflicts that plagued her for much of her life but also how the roleRead MoreMaya Angelous African American Dream2503 Words   |  11 Pagesï » ¿Maya Angelou and her African American Dream Maya Angelou is one of the most distinguished African American writers of the twentieth century. Writing is not her only forte she is a poet, director, composer, lyricist, dancer, singer, journalist, teacher, and lecturer (Angelou and Tate, 3). Angelou’s American Dream is articulated throughout her five part autobiographical novels; I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Gather Together in my Name, Singin’ and Swingin’ and Getting’ Merry Like ChristmasRead MoreReview Of I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings 1553 Words   |  7 Pagesnovel â€Å"I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings† by: Maya Angelou, she illustrates Marguerite combating society from a disadvantaged position. Set in the United States during the time of racism and segregation towards the black community, the novel displays the contrast in Maya’s upbringing in Stamps, St. Louis to San Francisco and her constantly changing development and maturity in herself through her effectiveness to conq uer difficult situations. Maya Angelou uses symbolism in the form of the caged bird toRead MoreRacial Prejudice By Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou And Kathryn Stockett2958 Words   |  12 PagesHughes, Maya Angelou and Kathryn Stockett have used their writing to express the unfairness of racial inequality. Langston Hughes uses his poetry to express his personal struggle relating to racial prejudice which he encountered through his life particularly in the 1920’s when he was a student at Columbia University but was forced to leave due to racial abuse. Similarly, Angelou uses literature to express her feelings about racism and slavery when she began writing her first novel in the late 60’s, a