...Menu On Course Print Answer Key In Holt Literature and Language Arts, you read “Brother,” from Maya Angelou’s autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. In the selections you are about to read, you will learn more about the experiences that made Maya Angelou the extraordinary individual she is today. In the biographical essay “Maya Angelou,” Joyce Hansen gives us a sense of the events that shaped Angelou’s life. Angelou’s poem “Life Doesn’t Frighten Me” presents a more subjective viewpoint. “Life Doesn’t Frighten Me” exists as a personal statement in which Angelou herself tells us how she’s managed to overcome the fears that otherwise might have beaten her down. Marguerite Johnson, who became known as Maya Angelou, was born on April 4, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri. She and her brother, Bailey, were raised by their grandmother, the owner of a country store in Stamps, Arkansas. During her lifetime, Angelou struggled to overcome many difficult circumstances, a process she believes made her strong. The events of her life became known to millions through the 1970 publication of her autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which was nominated for a National Book Award and later used as the basis for a TV movie. Reading Standard 3.5 Identify the speaker, and recognize the difference between firstand third-person narration (for example, autobiography compared with biography). How did you become you? What are the circumstances that helped shape you? Who are the individuals...
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...you can look up to. An inspiration is someone who is worth a thousand words. An inspiration is someone who is a great role model for others. An inspiration is someone who has achieved a great number of goals. My list could go on and on, but what I am trying to get at is how Maya Angelou is my inspiration. She has achieved worldwide fame as a poet, author, actress, historian, civil rights activist, producer and director. She has published ten best selling books and numerous magazine articles, winning both the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award nominations. Maya Angelou has also survived many hardships. She remembers the good times and the bad and writes about them both. Maya Angelou's sad life experiences inspired her to write works of poetry about herself. And today she is one of the most acclaimed female black authors in history. Maya Angelou is the true definition of an inspiration to me. Maya Angelou is considered to be one of the most talented people alive. She has made a difference in so many people's lives. Her personal outreach for women, especially in Africa, has helped change the live of the less privileged. She gives her heart and soul to those in need. Maya Angelou is also a very talented and gifted woman. She has had great success in professions as an author, actress, poet, historian, civil rights activist, producer and director. She lectures throughout the U.S. and abroad. Maya Angelou also happens to be believed to be a great leader by many people. In the...
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...Maya Angelou “ Still I Rise” The Poem “ Still I Rise “ Immediately drew me in with its powerful words. For example in the first stanza it reflects the concept of slavery seen with the words “ You may write me down in history” “(The Academy of American Poets, Inc.)” .The poem offers a mixture of tones however in the end its tone is mainly victorious. This poem is not only addressed to one person it is addressed to all the public it is extremely political and somewhat controversial. This made me want to analyze the different meanings the poem may have hidden within. The poem was written by Maya Angelou in 1978. This was Angelous most famous point of her career. She had just published three autobiographies and published two other volumes of poetry. “ Still I Rise” is part of “ And I still I Rise” a volume of poetry made up of thirty-two short poems. This volume also included one of her most famous poems “ Phenomenal Woman”. The thirty-two short poems carry a similar theme throughout the volume. Maya Angelou focused a lot on her race, strength and resiliency. Maya Angelou was born on April fourth 1928 in St. Louis Missouri United States of America. She was born Marguerite Ann Johnson. Her father Bailey Johnson was a doorman and a naval dietician and her mother Vivian Baxter Johnson worked variously as a card dealer, boarding house proprietor and registered nurse. Maya Angelou and her family moved to Long Beach, California, however after he parents were divorced, her and...
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...Running head: Analysis of “Still I Rise” 1 Analysis of “Still I Rise” When reading, “Still I Rise”, by Maya Angelou, I immediately get a sense of perseverance and pride. The author seems to be addressing her adversaries directly through her words. I love the imagery used in this poem. I can almost see the dust rising and can feel the swelling of the black ocean that the author mentions. “Cause I walk like I got oil wells pumping in my living room”(Angelou, 1978), and, “Laugh like I’ve got gold mines diggin’ in my own back yard” (Angelou, 1978), tells me that the author feels that her life is joyous and priceless, and can’t be taken away. As the phrase, “I Rise” (Angelou, 1978), is repeated again and again, it’s as if I can hear the author’s voice becoming louder and louder, declaring that her spirit will not be broken. It is the voice of someone who has not only persevered, but has triumphed and now thrives! “Still I Rise” was published in 1978, during the postmodern era. This was a period that saw much political and social change, particularly for African Americans. The 60’s brought about desegregation and the signing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964. Maya Angelou lived in the South, Arkansas, for a time during her childhood. There was much white resistance to the ending of segregation in the Southern states. During the 60’s and 70’s, many American cities were swept by race riots. Civil Rights activists organized marches and protests around the country...
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...Irene Lange Intro to Humanities Task 1 Still I Rise Prior to beginning this assignment, I had never heard of the poem, “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou. I had only recently been introduced to her and her works after she passed away in 2014. It was then that I had seen what an impact this woman had in the lives of so many people. My first reaction to the poem was that it appeared that she was being defiant. Her questioning in several paragraphs, made it seem as if she is almost taunting the reader with her responses. There is the repeating theme of her “rising” throughout the poem. In the last paragraph she addresses “slaves” which suggests that the entire poem is about racism, sexism and black rights. To me, the poem seems to make it clear that she has risen above the racism and sexism of other people and what they may think of her past or her actions. This poem was written in 1978, and while there were no “slaves” at this point in history, there remained many areas in the south that were segregated. The women of the Post Modern Era had to work hard to defend their rights. Angelou’s works became part of the Black Power Movement of the 1970s. She was a civil rights activist and worked with both Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr to help improve the rights of the African American. Maya Angelou was a remarkable woman. Into adulthood, Maya had held various job titles including “a cook, a waitress, a madam, a prostitute, a dancer, an actress, a playwright and a calypso singer.”...
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...Still I rise Favorite Poem Essay Maya Angelou’s poem Still I Rise is an astonishing piece of art. The reason I chose this poem is because it’s not only a poem, it’s a story. The poem is about Maya Angelou’s beliefs being a women of color about discrimination. It’s not just her personal story but a universal experience for those with an African American background. Throughout the poem, Maya Angelou uses many poetic devices to give us more in-depth meaning behind what is in the poem. These poetic devices help her poem flow, create emotion, and makes the read more interesting. The poetic devices Maya Angelou focused on throughout her poem are repetition, rhyme, metaphor, and symbols. These poetic devices work together to create an overall effect on the meaning of the poem, creating the poem to be more thought-provoking to the reader. The first poetic device Maya Angelou uses throughout her poem is repetition. In the poem, she continuously uses the phrase “I’ll rise” (Angelou 12). The repetition of this phrase emphasizes the hope and confidence she has to overcome the struggles she is facing as an African American. The idea of moving forward and being a successful individual despite what society may bring towards someone is given off by this repetition of the strong phrase. The repetition allows the reader to notice the importance of never giving up on their own beliefs even when they’re different. These words at the end of the stanzas gives it strength and brings the poem back...
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...Collective Soul, a rock band with the base 90, and the famous poet Maya Angelou is known that they have to make a statement about their thoughts and feelings. They are expressed in two different forms of poetry. Maya Angelou to speak in modern poetry, while the rock band Collective Soul adds an impressive pace and rhythm of his words. These two forms of poetry are too strong to say that he really likes his point of his public activities. Both Maya Angelou and Collective Soul share the hardships and oppression, which had been given to life and other people. Poem Maya Angelou Still I Rise and song Collective Soul December showing the effects of the individual through positive and negative expression. Poetry Maya Angelou and Collective Soul are similar in some respects, when broken down correctly. Collective Soul wrote "Why drink the water from my hand contagious as you think I am?"; reflects the same idea that the actions of Maya Angelou when she said, "Are you annoyed by my boldness Why did you suffer from sadness"; These two parts of his writings to make a similar question. Why do I push one world I that you can not wait for someone else? "Do not cry, do not just think aloud Turn your head now baby just spit me not to worry, not to speak of doubt Turn your head now baby just spit on me";. This is a complicated way of saying why I respect what you missed, because you can not stand the way I am. Just go with me, I try another law that if I shit. What good do it for you, let...
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...“Still I Rise” Maya Angelou I could tell right away from the poem’s description, imagery, and repetition that she was directing her thoughts towards someone who was trying to hurt her. “Still I Rise” and “I rise” were her saying over and over you can keep trying to put me down but I’m going to keep getting up. She portrays a strong woman with supreme attitude and stresses that the person didn’t like her how she was. She identifies that she has a strong attitude with words like “sassiness”, “haughtiness” and “sexiness”. Her self-described attitude can be compared to today’s reference of a “Diva”. I am interested in her strength in an era where the woman’s movement was just beginning. She was so far ahead of her time and willing to talk about it. I can tell in her words that she has been brought down in the past by this person. She describes being shot down by their words, being glared at and having hate directed at her. She keeps telling the other person that I will not let you bring me down and every time you do, I will get stronger and stronger. She references that she creates waves like the moon and the sun, that she is challenging and the other person doesn’t like it. She felt the other person was trying to break her down and be dominating but she was a strong woman and would not let that happen. In the end, she says she is leaving all her negatives in the past and focusing on the future. She is a wanted person and she has pride. Maya Angelou was an author...
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...set of core values that can be applied to the outside world. One of those Marywood values is empowerment and also service. Empowerment is a value that uplifts a person so they can achieve their full potential. These values are clearly seen in the novel A Good Man by Mark Shriver the poem “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou. The core value empowerment is notably expressed throughout the poem “Still I Rise.” Throughout the poem, Angelou continues to say “I rise” in a way that indicates she wishes to empower and overcome all obstacles. She states the following: “Does my sexiness upset you Does it come as a surprise That I dance like I’ve got diamonds At the meeting of my thighs?” (Angelou)...
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...Alice Walker and Maya Angelou are two contemporary African-American writers. Although almost a generation apart in age, both women display a remarkable similarity in their lives. Each has written about her experiences growing up in the rural South, Ms. Walker through her essays and Ms. Angelou in her autobiographies. Though they share similar backgrounds, each has a unique style which gives to us, the readers, the gift of their exquisite humanity, with all of its frailties and strengths, joys and sorrows. Tragedy struck both of these women at the age of eight. Ms. Walker lost her sight in one eye. Ms. Angelou was raped. Each described the incident as part of a larger work. Ms. Walker related her experience in the body of an essay published in her book, In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens. Ms. Angelou told her story as a chapter in her autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Although both wrote about their traumatic experience, the way each depicted the incident was distinct and seemed to be told for very different purposes. Alice Walker reports the facts to the reader with short sentences written in the present tense. She chooses words which elicit a forceful emotional response from her audience. For example, in telling how her brothers were given BB guns and she was not, Ms. Walker writes, "Because I am a girl, I do not get a gun. Instantly, I am relegated to the position of Indian." The word "relegated" causes the reader to be irate and indignant....
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...Maya Angelou was born on April 4th, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri. Maya had a rough childhood. Her parents split when she was young and she went to live with her grandma in Stamps, Arkansas. Angelou experienced a lot of racial discrimination in Arkansas. While visiting with her mother, she was raped by her mother's boyfriend. Later on, Maya’s uncle killed her mothers boyfriend. She was very traumatized by the experience and soon after Maya stopped talking. She returned to Arkansas and spent years as a mute. She was in a short high school relationship and it led to pregnancy. When she was 16, Maya gave birth to girl son, Guy Johnson.(“Maya Angelou”) During the war, Angelou moved to San Francisco, California. She had won a scholarship to study dance and acting at the California Labor School. While in California, Angelou became the first black female cable car conductor. After giving birth to her son, she worked at many jobs to support herself and her child. Although she worked many jobs, her passion was writing. She was an American author, actress, screenwriter, dancer, poet and civil rights activist. Angelou is best known for her 1969 memoir, I Know Why...
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...Weinberg/ 663 19 February 2014 Maya Angelou Life Maya Angelou was born on April 4TH 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri. She was raised in Missouri as well as in Stamps, Arkansas she experienced cruel racism. She also experienced many traumatizing events that led to her uncommunicativeness as a young girl. However, with the help of a teacher she was able to learn to express herself and love words. She became a wonderful and exstrodenary woman who the people inspire and love her words of wiz them. EDUCATION: Maya Angelou and her brother Bailey had attend to a public school in Arkansas and California. She study dance with Martha Graham and drama with Frank Sliver FAMILY LIFE: Maya has a brother named bailey, at the age of 4 her mother sent them to live with her pious grandmother rural Stamps Arkansas because her parents were getting divorce and she didn’t want them to know what was going on. AT the age of 8 she was rape by her mother boyfriend this expire to write” I know why the cage birds sing which recalls a young African American women discovery of her self-confidence. (Maya Angelo (1928 ) Contribution: Maya Angelou was an author , poet ,playwright stage and screen performer and director she had become san Francisco first female streetcar conductor .In the early 1960s,Angelou lived in Egypt where she was the associate editor of the Arab observer in Cairo. Maya Angelou had a successful career , Angelou worked as writer-produced for 20th...
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...2011 Maya Angelou is a well-known American author, especially during the times of the civil rights movement which she was an activist. Maya had a long career, which includes different works from poetry, plays, screenplays for television and film, directing, acting, and public speaking. She is a profound writer of poetry. Her style of writing is geared for self-empowerment. To rise over all odds and to take pride in who you really are. She shows her honesty and emotions. Mostly her experiences that she went through in life or read about. Most of her works flow and rhyme well and usually very inspiring. Some of her poems are even considered autobiographical kind of poems. The style of Maya Angelou can range from complex symbolical ideas to easy, straightforward concepts. Her style is like a story. The vocabulary is usually easy to understand, and not too complicated. Her works are not always conventional either. (Study World 1) Maya Angelou was born April 4, 1928 as Marguerite Johnson in St. Louis. She was raised in segregated rural Arkansas. She came from a broken home. Angelou was raped at eight, and was an unwed Reyes Page. 2 mother at 16 years old (Williams 1). Angelou is a poet, an author, a historian, an actress, a playwright, civil-rights activist, a producer, and a director. Ms. Angelou began her ...
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...Martin Luther King Jr.’s good friend, Oprah’s hero, Alicia Keys’s singing instructor, America’s everywoman, phenomenal poet, inspiring speaker: there is an unlimited list of how to describe Maya Angelou. Those who knew Angelou knew her for her most popular memoir, or her poetry, or her talent for public speaking. Few knew her for her dancing career and less popular autobiographies, and even fewer knew how much she influenced people around the world. Knocked down by rape, racism, and sexism, Maya was able to not only stand right back up, but she also helped others who were struggling stand up with her. Her words of strength were not only popular and enjoyable, but the messages they held truly affected people and changed the way they saw the world. Through writing and voice, Angelou was able to have an everlasting effect on people, worldwide....
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...A 1. This poem touched my heart and made me feel great compassion for the author. She wrote about how she feels the world perceives her. In the first paragraph, she describes how people can metaphorically step on her and crush her into the dirt, but she and her spirit could not be crushed. She also mentions how history depicts her in a negative light. People tend to believe what they read, even if it is not accurate. In the next paragraph, she describes how she is outspoken and how that makes others uncomfortable. Even though she may not have experience financial freedom, she was able to exert confidence. She explains that no matter the circumstance, even if she is mistreated, she will not give up. The writer then asks the public if she should appear crushed and broken, but she will not let that happen. She may be sad on the inside, but on the outside, she will present as strong and confident. During the poem, she is still concerned about public opinion. This is evident when she says “does my haughtiness offend you?” ( Angelou, M. 1978 ).In general, we the people, do not like to be judged or be different. We tend to conform to society’s expectations and rules. This poem illustrates how strong a person can be. It tells the story that a person can overcome pain, criticism and past experiences. It tells us in the end, that a person’s will power cannot be defeated. A 2. The one aspect that most interested me was when she wrote about how she would, “ still I’ll rise”...
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