Year I in Review: February '08 ~ I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS by Maya Angelou

We wanted to read more than fiction in our book club, so in February, we read an autobiography of Maya Angelou and individually selected some of her poetry to read and share. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is the first volume of Angelou's life story (other titles are listed below), that recounts her childhood and teenage years, ending with the birth of her son. It was surprising to read of the prejudice and segregation that she experienced as she was raised by her grandmother in Arkansas in the 1930's. That really wasn't so long ago! Yet the town was essentially divided between black and white, and each community existed separately. Even a dentist refused to treat her when she had an agonizing toothache, forcing her grandmother to take her to another town for treatment. Angelou has a remarkable way of describing her life with a child-like vision so that we feel her embarrassment when she wets her pants at church, we sense her befuddled attempts to understand the grown-ups' concerns and conversations, and we feel her pain and confusion when she is molested at the age of eight. Though she was certainly marked by that incident and refused to talk for several years, she learned great powers of observation through listening and eventually found the magic of reading when an older woman began loaning her books. Her command of language is evidence of a well-read woman, though her formal education did not go beyond high school.

In spite of the challenges of her circumstances, Angelou determined to triumph and gain her freedom from stereotypes and prejudices. She completed her education in San Francisco where she moved with her mother at age thirteen. During high school, she became the first black female street car conductor, a job she earned by her determined persistence at the hiring office. In pursuing independence, she became pregnant in a one-afternoon-stand. But she hid the pregnancy as she finished her senior year of high school and gave birth to a son just a few weeks after graduating. This volume closes with her realization of the intense love and protection she feels for her baby boy.

We had plenty to discuss from this book, for it presented a view of life and such a variety of experiences that were foreign to most of us. We laughed over some stories, were shocked by other experiences, and at times inspired by her innovation and ingenuity in the face of difficulties. As mentioned above, each member also tried to read selections of Angelou's poetry. Several of us shared a poem that particularly resonated with us, either for the beauty of the language itself or the way the poetry captured the essence of her story. (See separate post for a couple of poems we liked.) Although we didn't record any comments from this discussion, I think most of our members would recommend this book.

FOR FURTHER READING
Other autobiographical titles by Maya Angelou:
Gather Together in My Name
Singin' and Swingin' and Getting Merry like Christmas
The Heart of a Woman
All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes
A Song Flung Up to Heaven
Poetry by Maya Angelou: The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou