I Know Why The Caged Bird Analysis

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Vengeance
In Maya Angelou's memoir I know why the caged bird sings, child Maya is raped by Mr Freeman. Mr Freeman is later convicted and sentenced to one year and one month in prison. However, Mr Freeman was beaten to death in retaliation to his crime. This brings up several questions about society: should we punish crimes or rehabilitate criminals, is it okay for people to go outside the law to get justice, what is justice and is it justified or vengeance.

Should prisons exist for rehabilitation or punishment? Ancient civilizations primarily punished for vengeance or fairness. An eye for an eye, was a popular way of punishing criminals for early man. Most modern civilizations have differing punishments for different crimes; stabbing someone in the eye could have less consequences than a drug offense or treason. In some ways this makes a lot of sense; one could stab someone accidentally, and treason could put many people at risk. This way of thinking can lead to a different type of idea. Namely, should punishment be distributed to protect citizens and discourage criminals or to punish criminals and give victims justice. This …show more content…
Civil rights is a great example of this. In America, a consensual relationship between a black man and a white woman used to be met with harsh penalties, even death. Now such a relationship is not that big of a deal. But how is this decided? Who decides what is right and what is wrong? Usually the general population determines what is right and wrong through social norms. However, social norms only benefit the majority and in retrospect can be very wrong. A perfect example would be the Salem witch trials. At the time burning suspected witches at the stake was perfectly acceptable, while now burning anybody at the stake for any reason is frowned upon. By this logic, future humans will probably frown upon a practice that we see as normal, as

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings Analysis

Some people struggle with moving on and let this one thing haunt them for the rest of their life. This causes them to not live life to the fullest. Which is why it is important for a person to live life to the fullest and to not hold onto the past. The story “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings” also supports the claim by saying, “For nearly a year, I sopped around the house, the store, the school and the church, like an old biscuit, dirty and inedible” (Angelou 53). In this text the author, Maya, is saying…

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I Know Why The Caged Bird Diction Analysis

In chapter 23 of the memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou, a famed and achieved writer, assumes both a celebratory and somber tone to reveal how African-Americans are brought down but their spirits are always lifted by each other. That reveal is brought about by Angelou through the use of despairing and uplifting diction. Initially, Angelou uses despairing diction to show how African-Americans were brought down by whites belittling them. For example, Angelou uses very gloomy words…

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Rhetorical Analysis Of I Know Why The Caged Bird Cannot Read

The article “I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read” by Francine Prose uses a variety of rhetorical devices to prove the purpose of the article. The purpose of this article is to inform people how the book students are being told to read are affecting the young readers because they aren’t being taught good. To make her purpose clear to the reader the author appeals to ethos, pathos, logos, usage of shifts, repetition and to prove her point. The author Francine Prose wrote this article for other…

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I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou Analysis

In Maya Angelou’s memoir, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, she explores and reflects on her high school experience as one of few African American students at George Washington High School. Through the use of anecdotes, Angelou creates an emotional appeal in her message, which builds a connection with the reader. Although Maya “was Black and therefore different”, Maya reveals in a story from her past Miss Kirwin does not treat her any different than anyone else; she simply says “correct” when Maya…

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african american lit paper

tone and language. At first glance the letter seems nothing more than a polite response to his former master’s request. But it is clear as one continues on that Anderson’s harbors antipathy for his former master. In the opening paragraph, he states, “I have often felt uneasy about you” (Anderson, J., 1865). He applies the word “uneasy” as a euphemism to disguise his abhorrence for his former master without explicitly stating it. By doing this, he maintains his polite language and demeanor yet successfully…

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Maya Angelou Research Paper

many African American women at the time. The meaning of Phenomenal Women was feeling confident with being a women, regardless of what any men or race may say. Angelou writes in her last stanza line fifty “When you see me passing, -I It ought make you proud.” An analysis of what Angelou was saying many people may pass her that may discriminate her for her race or gender but she does not care because when she has accomplished something in her life that she met her goal leaving you to be amazed. Angelou…

Words 1835 - Pages 8