Character AnalysisI Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
In Maya Angelou's autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya's beautiful, vivacious biological mother, Vivian Baxter, emerges as an important character in her daughter's life. Vivian endures as a black woman in a white man's world by displaying strength, honesty, and toughness, which lead to self- preservation. Vivian lives within the St. Louis jazz society where blacks are faced with "... the hostility of the powerless against the powerful, the poor against the rich, the worker against the worked for and the ragged against the well- dressed." Ms. Angelou provides her readers with a vivid description of an unwilling mother thrust in and out of maternal situations during a thirteen-year span in which she survives as an entertainer in bars from St. Louis to San Francisco. Despite displaying character traits that may be interpreted as unmotherly, Vivian Baxter is, nevertheless, a positive role model for her daughter, Maya. Vivian is a very self- centered human being who considers herself her number one priority. Even so, she never doubts her love for her children, and mothers them in the only way she knows. Vivian abandons her children, Bailey and Maya, when they are very young. Written from the author's point of
An additional character trait the reader discovers about Vivian is that she is very blunt and straight- forward when dealing with matters. view, the story does not reveal the specifics leading up to this abandonment. For instance, early one morning, Vivian awakens Maya and Bailey and tells them to go to the kitchen. The reader concludes that, purposefully or not, the character Vivian Baxter played an important role in Maya Angelou's life. " Her mother's world is so different from anything Maya had ever known that she seemed almost unreal. Vivian's stubbornness and perseverance are instilled in her daughter. Another example of Vivian's selfishness occurs when Maya becomes pregnant. She is so involved in her own matters that as long as her daughter looks happy and healthy, Vivian figures she must be. She tells Maya, "That's what you want to do? Then nothing beats a trial but a failure. The children are delighted to discover that she has thrown a surprise party for them, for no other reason than they are her children. He gave you to me to be my girl and that's just what you are. Even though Vivian is not sure how to raise her children, she still tries to connect with them and be a good mother. However, it would have been extremely helpful to Maya if her mother had been there to offer advice and assistance.
Common topics in this essay:
Chinese Italian,
Vivian Baxter,
Maya Bailey,
Finally Vivian,
Maya Written,
Ms Angelou,
St Louis,
Maya That's,
Maya Vivian,
Additionally Angelou,
vivian baxter,
daughter maya,
mother vivian,
st louis,
position vivian,
maya bailey,
maya angelou's,
ms angelou,
biological mother,
tells maya,
|
Acceptance Essays
