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I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

• Genre: Memoir / autobiographical fiction
INTR
INTRO
O • Setting: Stamps, Arkansas; St. Louis; California
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF MAYA ANGELOU • Point of View: Maya narrates in 1st person.
Maya Angelou grew up in the segregated American south with EXTRA CREDIT
her grandmother, an unusually well-off black store owner. She Inaugural Poet. In 1993, Angelou recited her poem "On the
eventually left Arkansas to live with her mother and attend high Pulse of Morning" at the inauguration of President Bill Clinton.
school in California, where she also worked as the first black This made her the first poet to make an inaugural recitation
streetcar employee in San Francisco. Shortly after obtaining since Robert Frost in 1961.
her high school diploma, she gave birth to her son. She was a
lifelong lover of language, performance, and learning. She went
on to become an accomplished dancer and performer, but is PL
PLO
OT SUMMARY
most famous for her many decorated collections of poetry and
for her memoir, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. At the time of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings tells the story of Maya
her death, Angelou was working on another autobiography. Her Angelou’s childhood in Stamps, Arkansas. She and her brother
work addresses issues of racial and gender discrimination, and Bailey are sent away from their parents on a train to live with
she is often hailed as one of the most important cultural critics their grandmother (“Momma”) and Uncle Willie when they are
of this century. just three and four years old. Their grandmother owns a store,
and the children enjoy a certain measure of security. Yet life is
difficult for all black people in the segregated American south,
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
and the children encounter various forms of discrimination,
The book begins in the segregated American Jim Crow South degradation, and racial violence.
of the early 20th century and ends in San Francisco, shortly
One day, Marguerite’s father, Big Bailey, arrives, and
after the end of WWII. This turbulent period in American
announces he is taking her and her brother to stay with their
history is insightfully catalogued and examined by Angelou as
mother, Vivien. They leave Stamps for St Louis, and Marguerite
she recounts the events of her own life. Angelou investigates
feels a longing for home, but isn’t sure where home is. In St.
the effects of systemic segregation and racism on the minds,
Louis, Marguerite is just beginning to adjust when she is
bodies, and identities of black individuals. In many ways I Know
repeatedly assaulted and raped by Vivien’s live-in boyfriend,
Why the Caged Bird Sings provides readers with a crucial
Mr. Freeman. Following Mr. Freeman’s conviction (shortly after
account of the first half of the 20th century from the
which he is murdered) Marguerite returns to Stamps and
perspective of a Black southerner.
becomes withdrawn, and she believes her mother sent her and
Bailey away because she was too sullen.
RELATED LITERARY WORKS
Back in Stamps, Marguerite struggles to cope with her assault.
Angelou worked closely with author and civil rights activist She is rescued in a sense by the mentorship of Mrs. Flowers, a
James Baldwin in writing this memoir. The book is interesting in woman who teachers Marguerite how to read, recite,
the importance it places on literacy and language itself, and appreciate, and memorize poetry. Literature and language will
therefore examines various kinds of writing and poetry, from remain in Maya’s life as a source of strength and comfort.
Shakespeare to Dickens to Langston Hughes. The book is also
After Bailey is threatened by a white man, Momma decides it is
an innovation on a typical autobiography, for it uses techniques
time for the children to be with their mother, who has moved to
and styles common in fiction, while remaining true to Angelou’s
California. The children move to San Francisco, and live with
life story.
Vivien and eventually Vivien’s new husband, Daddy Clidell, a
con artist whom Maya loves as if he were her own father. Maya
KEY FACTS and Bailey love their mother dearly, and Maya continues to
• Full Title: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings perform well in school.
• When Written: 1969 One day Maya goes to southern California to stay with her
• Where Written: USA father, and gets in a fight with his live-in girlfriend Dolores
Stockland, which results in Maya’s needing stitches. She
• When Published: 1969
doesn’t want to humiliate her father, so she runs away and lives
• Literary Period: Postwar / Contemporary in a junkyard until her wound is healed, then goes back to her

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 LitCharts The best way to study, teach, and learn about books.
mother. Shortly thereafter Bailey moves out, and Maya gets a Vivien, though a frequently absent mother, is full of life and joy
job as San Francisco’s first black streetcar employee. and cares deeply for her children.
Things are going well for Maya until she becomes concerned Big Baile
Baileyy – Big Bailey is Maya and Bailey’s father. He is a
about her sexuality. She fears she is turning into a lesbian strikingly handsome, larger-than-life man whom Maya cares for
(though she doesn’t understand what “lesbian” really means) but who never really seems like a true father to her. He lives in
and believes if she has sex with a boy she will be cured. She California.
does, and the experience is unremarkable until she realizes she Mr
Mr.. F
Freeman
reeman – Mr. Freeman is Vivien’s live-in boyfriend in St.
is pregnant. She hides her pregnancy for six months before Louis. When Marguerite and Bailey come to visit them for a
finally telling Mother and Daddy Clidell—they are exceedingly few months, Mr. Freeman sexually assaults Marguerite. The
understanding and capable, and help her through the rest of abuse escalates until he rapes her. He warns Marguerite not to
her pregnancy and her labor. Maya gives birth to a beautiful tell anyone, or he will kill Bailey. But Marguerite eventually
baby boy, and she is so afraid to hurt him she can barely touch does tell her brother, and Mr. Freeman is kicked out of the
him. The book ends with Maya overcoming this fear, with house. He is sentenced to a year in prison, but is killed (likely by
Vivien’s help, and napping with her baby in her bed. Vivien’s brothers) before he can serve his sentence.
Mrs. Bertha Flowers – Bertha Flowers takes Marguerite
CHARA
CHARACTERS
CTERS under her wing when Marguerite returns to Stamps, Arkansas
after her assault. She teaches Marguerite how to read, write,
Ma
Mayaya Angelou – Maya Angelou is the narrator of I Know Why and understand literature and poetry, and Maya considers her
the Caged Bird Sings, and the memoir tracks her life from the one of the reasons she became a poet.
early years of her childhood, when she was called Marguerite Daddy Clidell – Vivien’s boyfriend in San Francisco. Maya
Johnson. Maya has always been a smart, inquisitive person with considers him a kind of father figure.
a passion for spoken and written language. She tells the story of
Edward Donlea
Donleavy
vy – A white man who makes a condescending
how racial and sexual discrimination and violence shaped her
speech at Marguerite’s 8th grade graduation. He makes it clear
childhood and young adulthood. These experiences come to
that black boys can aspire to be athletes, but says nothing
incite and inform her interest in literary studies; in many ways I
about black people succeeding in academics; he makes it clear
Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is the story of how and why
to Marguerite that her brain is not worth anything.
Angelou became a poet.
Henry Reed – The valedictorian of Marguerite’s 8th grade
Baile
Baileyy Johnson – Bailey is Maya’s older brother, with whom
class, Henry makes his speech right after Edward Donleavy
she has a special kind of familial bond. Bailey looks out for
talks. He leads the audience in singing the “Black National
Marguerite when they are children, and Marguerite trusts him
Anthem,” or “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,” and in doing so restores
more than anyone. Bailey’s experiences growing up as a black
Marguerite’s faith in and love for her people.
boy in the south demonstrate the particular challenges and
indignities endured by black men in America. Dr
Dr.. Lincoln – Dr. Lincoln is the white dentist in Stamps,
Arkansas. Though Momma once lent him money to establish
Momma (Annie Henderson) – Momma is Bailey and Maya’s
his practice, he refuses to return the favor by pulling
paternal grandmother, who cares for them for most of their
Marguerite’s teeth when she has very painful cavities. He says
childhoods in Stamps, Arkansas. She is one of the only black
he would prefer to stick his hand in a dog’s mouth than provide
storeowners in the area and deeply respected by the black
dental care for a black person.
community. She is a devoutly religious woman, and strict with
her grandkids, but also ruthlessly protective of them. Louise K
Kendricks
endricks – Louise is Marguerite’s first real friend.
Eventually she sends Bailey and Maya away to be with their Marguerite talks to her about young romance and plays
parents in California when it becomes clear that Arkansas is an pretend with her.
unsafe place for them to live. Tomm
ommyy V
Valdon
aldon – Tommy sends Marguerite a love note for
Uncle Willie – Uncle Willie is Bailey and Maya’s crippled Uncle, Valentine’s Day. Marguerite is scared at first for she associates
who lives with Momma in Arkansas. He is a quiet character, love with Mr. Freeman and her assault. But Tommy sends her
used to keeping a low profile for he is harassed not only for his another note and Marguerite is touched by this. She develops a
blackness but also for his disability. He helps raise the children. crush on him, but nothing comes of it. It is a refreshing example
of innocent, earnest, childhood affection.
Mother (Vivien Baxter) – Bailey and Maya’s mother is a
beautiful light-skinned black woman who, according to Jo
Joyyce – Joyce is Bailey’s first love. She initiates him into sex,
Marguerite, looks just like a movie star. She is no longer with boasting that she’s been intimate with many men before him.
the children’s father, and dates other men over the course of She breaks Bailey’s heart by running away with a much older
the book (one of whom, Mr. Freeman, rapes Marguerite). man.

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Dolores Stockland – Big Bailey’s girlfriend in Los Angeles. The book does not stop at recording and cataloguing the racial
Dolores is jealous of all the attention Marguerite gets. inequality between black people and white people. It also
Mr
Mr.. and Mrs. T
Taaylor – Mr. Taylor is an older neighbor of identifies a complex hierarchy within the black community
Momma in Stamps, Arkansas. Mr. Taylor believes that Mrs. between light-skinned black people and dark-skinned black
Taylor’s ghost appeared to him after she died. Mrs. Taylor’s people. Light skin is considered more beautiful, and garners
death (And Mr. Taylor’s response to it) make Marguerite more respect. Marguerite’s mother is light-skinned;
consider her own mortality for the first time. Marguerite, upon reuniting with her at the age of 8, thinks that
she is too pretty to be a mother. She rationalizes her own
Mrs. Kirwin – Mrs. Kirwin is Marguerite’s teacher in San rejection by appealing to a general cultural appreciation of light
Francisco, who respects her as an equal regardless of her race. skin over dark skin. Marguerite is dark but her mother is
Sister Monroe – Sister Monroe is a particularly fervent light—she thinks this must be the reason her mother sent her
worshipper in Marguerite’s church in Stamps. Her away. Marguerite is also envious of other children in the town,
behavior—which involves shouting and chasing the Reverend who are either bi-racial or borne of light-skinned parents, who
around as he preaches, makes Marguerite and Bailey laugh so are lighter and therefore, in her mind, better than her. Uncle
hard one day that they are whipped harshly when they get Willie faces even more discrimination and violence because he
home. is black, dark-skinned, and crippled. His character in many ways
The Re
Revverend – The preacher in Marguerite’s church in demonstrates how various oppressions and prejudices can
Stamps. Marguerite dislikes him for no reason in particular. converge and complicate a person’s identity and experience.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is in part an account of Maya
Angelou’s experience growing up black in the American South.
THEMES Her race, and the violence, discrimination, and degradation she
faced as a result of her race, played an integral role in shaping
In LitCharts each theme gets its own color and number. Our
her as a person and as an artist. Perhaps one of the most
color-coded theme boxes make it easy to track where the
important accomplishments of this memoir is its nuanced,
themes occur throughout the work. If you don't have a color
honest, and unflinching portrayal of racism and its
printer, use the numbers instead.
consequences in America.

1 RACE, INEQUALITY, AND IDENTITY

2 SEX, GENDER AND SEXUALITY
Young Marguerite grows up in the segregated American south;
This memoir is also an account of how sex and gender influence
but I Know why the Caged Bird Sings is not simply an
experience and identity. Marguerite recognizes that being a girl
investigation of the history and effects of segregation: it is an
is a kind of disadvantage, and wishes occasionally that she had
incisive and honest examination of race, inequality, and identity.
been born a boy. The novels she reads have men and boys as
Marguerite is taught by her grandmother to fear and avoid their heroes and protagonists, so she believes that to be a hero
white people, and to think of them as godless, and not to be one must be male. Marguerite also feels pressure to be
trusted. At the same time, she teaches her grandchildren never feminine and attractive, and is tormented by her own “ugliness”
to speak disrespectfully to a white person, even if the person for much of her childhood.
was “powhitetrash”—in other words a white person with very
Marguerite’s rape at the hands of Mr. Freeman—and her
little stature. In the memoir, Maya Angelou carefully describes
struggle to recover, both physically and emotionally—are at the
and records the reality that interacting with a white person in
center of a discussion about sex, gender, and violence.
the segregated American south is dangerous for a black person.
Marguerite feels guilty and responsible for her own rape. She
The Ku Klux Klan—casually referred to as “the boys” by the
had been told by her grandmother to always “keep her legs
town sheriff—lynch black men for even looking at a white
closed” and she believes her rape is evidence of her own
woman the wrong way. Black people cannot feel safe around
promiscuity. Her relationship with sex and sexuality are
white people, because insulting a white person (even
complicated by this event, and the text is an account of how she
inadvertently, even if provoked) is quite literally a deadly
learns to navigate her own sexuality after being victimized.
mistake. However, this internalized fear and loathing of white
people is accompanied in Marguerite by the desire to be white. In many ways, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is an
White people are, in Marguerite’s eyes, prettier, richer, and investigation of how inequality—both racial and sexual—shape
happier. They are treated more fairly by the law, their stories experience and identity. The memoir records the experience of
are represented in books and movies, they do not live in fear of a black woman’s life in America, and her womanhood—like her
racial violence. Whiteness is superior, and the effect that this blackness—inevitably shapes and informs her experience.
cultural inequality has on Marguerite’s young mind is immense.

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3 LANGUAGE Marguerite uses religion to inform her often fiercely strict
moral code, but as an adult Maya recognizes that religion can
Marguerite finds refuge in fiction, poetry, and language itself.
foster its own kind of ignorance and passivity, which she
The book is in many ways an account of how Maya Angelou
believes is a dangerous thing.
came to be a poet, and her love of language plays a central role.
Marguerite is a quiet child, and especially after her assault,
learns to take refuge in the sound and quality of others’ speech.
5 FAMILY
She is told by her Uncles in St. Louis that it is okay if she is ugly The memoir explores the complexity of familial bonds and the
so long as she is smart. Though her love of language is genuine importance of family to a person’s experiences and identity.
(and even innate) it is also buoyed by a sense of obligation; Maya and Bailey’s relationship is in many ways at the center of
because she is not pretty, she must be well read. Her the book. Young Marguerite loves her brother so dearly and
subsequent relationship with Mrs. Flowers—an educated trusts him so implicitly that she confides in him first about her
woman who teaches Marguerite how to read, memorize, and attack. The children often have to cope with feelings of
appreciate poetry—is one of the most formative in her entire abandonment since they were sent away by their parents to
childhood. live with their grandmother at a young age, and are sent away
again after Marguerite’s attack. Marguerite in particular—who
The “singing” of the caged bird is analogous to the refuge that
bears no physical resemblance to her mother or
Maya Angelou finds in language and poetry. The world in which
father—wonders if her parents are in fact related to her. When
she grows up is an unforgiving one, always unfair, and often
Mr. Freeman assaults Marguerite for the first time, she is
brutal. The author’s appreciation and love of language as an art
uncomfortable and confused but so desiring of parental
form is presented as a kind of salvation. In a book so rife with
affection that she interprets his actions as tenderness, and
both racial and sexual violence, it is fitting that speech,
wonders if Mr. Freeman is her real father. Marguerite also
communication, art and language would be advocated for.
learns to form familial bonds outside of her own biological
family. Mrs. Flowers’ mentorship of Marguerite is another huge
4 RELIGION source of comfort and support.
Religion also plays a complex role in Marguerite’s The picture of family ties described by this memoir is a
upbringing—though the church is a kind of sanctuary for the complicated one: family can be a source of rejection, confusion
adults in the book, Marguerite is often intimidated by the and pain, but is also an indispensable source of love and
church and associates it with punishment. support.
The importance of religion to black southerners is made clear
early in the book. The passion of many adults in Marguerite’s 6 HOME AND DISPLACEMENT
church service embarrasses her; but adults see the church as a
sanctuary for their displaced and disenfranchised people. The The memoir also explores the idea of home and the pain and
revivalist meetings bring every black person in the town confusion of displacement, and in doing so for the particular
together—no one ever misses one, and it is a place where experience of Maya Angelou also more broadly portrays these
blacks affirm their own worth and humanity in a culture and issues with respect to the history and experience of black
landscape that has oppressed them for generations. Americans.

Marguerite and Bailey are raised in this highly religious town Marguerite is sent away from her mother and father to live
and their grandmother instills them with a sense of the with her grandmother at a young age; one of her earliest
importance of faith early on, often through discipline. memories is of displacement, of being sent away from her
Marguerite is once punished so thoroughly for laughing in home. She and Bailey often wonder why they were sent
church that for a long time afterwards the memory of it makes away—they feel rejected. At the same time, Marguerite
her cry. She also uses the phrase “by the way” casually, without associates Momma with home, and is sad to leave Arkansas
knowing that it means “by the way of God” and is therefore a when she and her brother go to St. Louis. In many ways,
form of taking the Lord’s name in vain, and her Grandmother Marguerite’s childhood is characterized by an enduring
punishes her for this as well. Both of these whippings stand out struggle to identify “home.”
in her childhood memory. Marguerite also enforces religious When Marguerite and Bailey are moved from Arkansas to
moral codes on herself from a young age. She says her favorite California, Marguerite finds the transition painful, but
book in the bible is Deuteronomy, because it gives clear understands it. Bailey is threatened by a white man who forces
instructions for how to live a sin-free and virtuous life. Bailey to help carry the carcass of a drowned black man found
Religion has a complex place in this text and in Maya’s life. She in the lake. After this incident occurs, Momma makes it clear
understands it as a kind of refuge for black southerners who that the children will have to move. In this way, displacement is
need the church for its strong sense of community and hope. shown to be a fundamental part of growing up black in America.

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Though Arkansas is Bailey’s home, he is forced to leave because PROLOGUE QUOTES
violent racism drives him away.
If growing up is painful for the Southern Black girl, being aware
In a book so deeply concerned with history, and with the of her displacement is the rust on the razor that threatens the
history of black oppression, it is appropriate that displacement throat.
and the difficulty of finding “home” play a huge role in the lives
of the book’s characters. The legacy of slavery is still having a •Speak
•Speaker
er: Maya Angelou
palpable effect on the lives of Maya and her family—finding •Related themes
themes: Race, Inequality, and Identity, Sex, Gender
“home” in America proves to be especially difficult. and Sexuality, Home and Displacement
•Theme T
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SYMBOLS 1 2 6
Symbols appear in red text throughout the Summary and
Analysis sections of this LitChart. CHAPTER 3 QUOTES
It seemed that the peace of day’s ending was an assurance that
MOMMA’S STORE the covenant God made with children, Negroes, and the
The store is at the center of Marguerite’s life in Arkansas. It is a crippled was still in effect.
figure for Momma’s prominence and strength—she is the only •Speak
•Speaker
er: Maya Angelou
black storeowner in town. But the store also serves as a
•Mentioned or related char
characters
acters: Uncle Willie
reminder of racial inequality. Momma is well-off—the store
gives her enough financial security that she is able to lend •Related themes
themes: Race, Inequality, and Identity, Sex, Gender
money to Dr. Lincoln, a white dentist who doesn’t have enough and Sexuality, Religion, Family, Home and Displacement
funds to start his practice. However, when Momma asks Dr. •Theme T
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Lincoln to pull some teeth for Marguerite, who is in a great deal
of pain, he says he would rather put his hand in a dog’s mouth. 1 2 4 5 6
So while the store is a place where black members of the
community congregate, and it is a source of security and CHAPTER 4 QUOTES
strength for Momma, it can only do so much. It is therefore a
In Stamps the segregation was so complete that most Black
symbol of Momma’s strength in a world where that strength is
children didn’t really, absolutely know what whites looked like.
necessary for survival.
Other than that they were different, to be dreaded.

THE TRAIN •Speak

•Speaker
er: Maya Angelou
The train is a symbol of displacement. Bailey and Marguerite •Related themes
themes: Race, Inequality, and Identity
ride the train by themselves, with their ticket pinned to Bailey’s •Theme T
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coat, when they are sent away from their parents. They ride the
train again to and from St. Louis, and finally again on the way to 1
California after Bailey is threatened and Momma makes them
move away. Angelou reflects on these train rides at
When I was described by our playmates as being shit color, he
length—they fill her with a sense of loss, of possibility, of fear, of
was lauded for his velvet-black skin…And yet he loved me.
longing. In many ways these train rides serve to remind her
that, as a young Black girl, she cannot have a home in America •Speak
•Speaker
er: Maya Angelou
the same way that others can.
•Mentioned or related char
characters
acters: Bailey Johnson
•Related themes
themes: Race, Inequality, and Identity, Sex, Gender
QUO
QUOTES
TES and Sexuality, Family, Home and Displacement
•Theme T
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code:
The color-coded and numbered boxes under each quote below
make it easy to track the themes related to each quote. Each 1 2 5 6
color and number corresponds to one of the themes explained
in the Themes section of this LitChart.

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CHAPTER 7 QUOTES •Theme T
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Momma intended to teach Bailey and me to use the paths of life 1 2 5 6
she and her generation and all the Negroes gone before had
found, and found to be safe ones.
I laughed because, except that she was white, the big movie star
•Speak
•Speaker
er: Maya Angelou
looked just like my mother…and it was funny to think of the
•Mentioned or related char
characters
acters: Bailey Johnson, Momma whitefolks’ not knowing that.
(Annie Henderson)
•Speak
•Speaker
er: Maya Angelou
•Related themes
themes: Race, Inequality, and Identity, Family, Home
and Displacement •Mentioned or related char
characters
acters: Mother (Vivien Baxter)
•Theme T
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code: •Related themes
themes: Race, Inequality, and Identity, Sex, Gender
and Sexuality, Family
1 5 6 •Theme T
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CHAPTER 11 QUOTES 1 2 5
He held me so softly I wished he wouldn’t ever let me go. I felt
at home. CHAPTER 18 QUOTES
Let the whitefolks have their money and power and
•Speak
•Speaker
er: Maya Angelou
segregation and sarcasm and big houses and schools and lawns
•Mentioned or related char
characters
acters: Mr. Freeman like carpets, and books, and mostly—mostly—let them have
•Related themes
themes: Sex, Gender and Sexuality, Family, Home and their whiteness. It was better to be meek and lowly…than to
Displacement spend eternity frying in the fires of hell.
•Theme T
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er: Maya Angelou
2 5 6 •Related themes
themes: Race, Inequality, and Identity, Religion
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CHAPTER 15 QUOTES 1 4
It would be safe to say that she made me proud to be a Negro,
just by being herself.
CHAPTER 19 QUOTES
•Speak
•Speaker
er: Maya Angelou “It looks like Joe Louis is going down.” My race groaned. It was
•Mentioned or related char
characters
acters: Mrs. Bertha Flowers our people falling. It was another lynching, yet another Black
man hanging on a tree. One more woman ambushed and raped.
•Related themes
themes: Race, Inequality, and Identity, Home and
A Black boy whipped and maimed. It was hounds on the trail of
Displacement
a man running through the slimy swamps. It was a white woman
•Theme T
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code: slapping her maid for being forgetful.
1 6 •Speak
•Speaker
er: Maya Angelou
•Related themes
themes: Race, Inequality, and Identity, Sex, Gender
CHAPTER 17 QUOTES and Sexuality, Home and Displacement
The Black woman in the south who raises sons, grandsons, and •Theme T
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nephews had her heartstrings tied to a hanging noose.
1 2 6
•Speak
•Speaker
er: Maya Angelou
•Mentioned or related char
characters
acters: Bailey Johnson, Momma
(Annie Henderson) It wouldn’t do for a Black man and his family to be caught on a
lonely country road on a night when Joe Louis has proved that
•Related themes
themes: Race, Inequality, and Identity, Sex, Gender we were the strongest people in the world.
and Sexuality, Family, Home and Displacement
•Speak
•Speaker
er: Maya Angelou

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•Related themes
themes: Race, Inequality, and Identity, Family, Home •Speak
•Speaker
er: Maya Angelou
and Displacement •Mentioned or related char
characters
acters: Mrs. Bertha Flowers
•Theme T
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code: •Related themes
themes: Language, Home and Displacement
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3 6
CHAPTER 23 QUOTES
We were on top again. As always, again. We survived. The CHAPTER 27 QUOTES
depths had been icy and dark, but now a bright sun spoke to
The Japanese were not whitefolks…since they didn’t have to be
our souls.
feared, neither did they have to be considered.
•Speak
•Speaker
er: Maya Angelou
•Speak
•Speaker
er: Maya Angelou
•Mentioned or related char
characters
acters: Henry Reed
•Related themes
themes: Race, Inequality, and Identity, Home and
•Related themes
themes: Race, Inequality, and Identity, Home and Displacement
Displacement
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CHAPTER 28 QUOTES
The white kids were going to have a chance to become Galileos Miss Kirwin never seemed to notice that I was Black and
and Madame Curies and Edisons and Gauguins, and our boys therefore different.
(the girls weren’t even in on it) would try to be Jesse Owenses
and Joe Louises. •Speak
•Speaker
er: Maya Angelou
•Mentioned or related char
characters
acters: Mrs. Kirwin
•Speak
•Speaker
er: Maya Angelou
•Related themes
themes: Race, Inequality, and Identity, Language,
•Mentioned or related char
characters
acters: Edward Donleavy
Home and Displacement
•Related themes
themes: Race, Inequality, and Identity, Sex, Gender
•Theme T
Trrack
acker
er code
code:
and Sexuality, Language, Home and Displacement
•Theme T
Trrack
acker
er code
code: 1 3 6
1 2 3 6
CHAPTER 29 QUOTES
The Black man, the con man who could act the most stupid,
CHAPTER 24 QUOTES
won out every time against the powerful, arrogant white.
“Annie, my policy is I’d rather stick my hand in a dog’s mouth
than in a nigger’s” •Speak
•Speaker
er: Maya Angelou
•Mentioned or related char
characters
acters: Daddy Clidell
•Speak
•Speaker
er: Dr. Lincoln
•Related themes
themes: Race, Inequality, and Identity, Language,
•Mentioned or related char
characters
acters: Maya Angelou , Momma
Family, Home and Displacement
(Annie Henderson)
•Theme T
Trrack
acker
er code
code:
•Related themes
themes: Race, Inequality, and Identity, Family, Home
and Displacement 1 3 5 6
•Theme T
Trrack
acker
er code
code:

1 5 6 CHAPTER 34 QUOTES
The fact that the adult American Negro female emerges a
formidable character is often met with amazement, distaste,
CHAPTER 25 QUOTES
and even belligerence. It is seldom accepted as an inevitable
I wouldn’t miss Mrs. Flowers, for she had given me her secret outcome of the struggle won by survivors and deserves respect
world which called forth a djinn who was to serve me all my life: if not enthusiastic acceptance.
books.
•Speak
•Speaker
er: Maya Angelou

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 LitCharts The best way to study, teach, and learn about books.
•Related themes
themes: Race, Inequality, and Identity, Sex, Gender CHAPTER 1
and Sexuality, Home and Displacement
Marguerite and her brother Maya didn’t start out in
•Theme T
Trrack
acker
er code
code: Bailey arrive in Stamps, Stamps—she was sent away from
Arkansas when Marguerite is her parents as a young child.
1 2 6
three and Bailey is four. They’d Though Stamps is Marguerite’s
been sent on the train to live home, at least nominally, her
CHAPTER 36 QUOTES with their grandmother after very migration to Stamps is an
I patted my son’s body lightly and went back to sleep. their parents had decided to example of displacement.
divorce. Years later, Maya Marguerite is like other “millions
•Speak
•Speaker
er: Maya Angelou writes, she would discover that of black children” in America
•Related themes
themes: Race, Inequality, and Identity, Sex, Gender millions of Black children had because from the start she
and Sexuality, Family, Home and Displacement been sent back and forth struggled to find acceptance,
between the north and the permanence, and home.
•Theme T
Trrack
acker
er code
code:
south, looking for the safety of
1 2 5 6 home, and never quite finding 1 5 6
it.
Marguerite and Bailey’s The book keeps a keen eye on the
SUMMARY AND ANAL
ANALYSIS
YSIS grandmother, whom they call effects of gender as well as
The color-coded and numbered boxes under each row of Momma, has owned a store race—it means something
Summary and Analysis below make it easy to track the themes for 25 years. The store is different to be a black man than
throughout the work. Each color and number corresponds to central to black life in Stamps. it does to be a black woman.
one of the themes explained in the Themes section of this Everyone does their shopping Black men in this book record a
LitChart. there, and men come there to history of violence on their
rest after long laborious days bodies: they endure hard labor,
working in white people’s assault, and the threat of
PROLOGUE fields. Their tired bodies and lynching. Black women are
The prologue tells a story The pressures of traditional beat up hands teach victimized (as we will see) in
about Marguerite in church on femininity and the ideal of Marguerite about the other ways.
Easter, performing in a play. whiteness weigh heavily on the harshness of being a black man
She is wearing a dress that mind of our narrator in this in the south 1 2
she’d hoped would make her opening segment. Marguerite’s
look like one of the white girls running toward “home” from the
she’d seen in movies. She church in this scene is followed
dreams that one day she will by a note about the pain of
wake up white, and her displacement. Black life is not
blackness will have been a only dangerous in the south
curse put on her by a mean (there is a metaphorical razor
fairy stepmother. Marguerite threatening the throats of black
stumbles over her lines and people); but it is also displaced;
then runs from the church where is a southern black
because she has to go to the person’s home? The book will in
bathroom. She runs, peeing many ways serve as a lengthy
and crying, back home. The investigation of what
prologue closes with this displacement
summation: “If growing up is means—conceptually,
painful for the Southern Black practically—and this prologue
girl, being aware of her begins that discussion.
displacement is the rust on the
razor that threatens the 1 2 4 6
throat.”

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 LitCharts The best way to study, teach, and learn about books.
CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 3
Uncle Willie lives with Uncle Willie represents the way Marguerite loves the store—it The store is perhaps the closest
Momma too—he is a bog man, prejudices can converge and is her favorite place to be as a thing to “home” that Marguerite
who was crippled in an complicate a person’s life and child. She is intelligent, and has. It is a place where people
accident as a child. In the identity. It is a difficult life for a deft with weighing out congregate, where Marguerite is
south, able bodied black men healthy, able bodied black man in quantities and making capable and comfortable. It even
had a difficult time making a the South. Willie’s other features calculations at the register. In conveys to her a kind of spiritual
life for themselves; Willie is (his dark skin, his handicap) evenings at the store, after a security—she sees in the store
not only black, he is especially make him a victim at the hands long days work, Uncle Willie evidence of God’s covenant with
dark skinned and crippled, and of able-bodied blacks as well as doesn’t stutter or shake like he the meek and downtrodden.
is victimized by both blacks whites. The story about Willie does during the day.
and whites. Marguerite can pretending in front of the Marguerite believes those 4 5 6
only remember one time strangers is a touching evenings are an assurance that
where Willie, usually sensitive articulation of the exhaustion of the “covenant God made with
and honest, pretended not to Willie’s burden. It also highlights children, Negroes and the
be crippled. Strangers had Marguerite’s longing for family, crippled was still in effect.”
stopped by the house, and and for a father figure. As a
One such evening the sheriff The Sheriff’s condescending
Marguerite noticed Willie in young black girl in the South, she
comes to visit them, casually benevolence, and his especially
the kitchen, standing behind identifies with the desire to live
telling them that a black man awful habit of calling a
the counter upright, though without burden, even for a
had “messed with” a white murderous group of white
this position must have been moment, and this makes her feel
woman today. He, with a supremacists “the boys,” is a
very painful for him. The connected to Willie.
condescending kind of painful reminder that Stamps
strangers asked Willie if he had
1 5 6 benevolence, tells Momma she can never really be home. The
children, and Marguerite
better hide Willie, because store has gone from seeming like
reflects that she’d been willing
“the boys” would be in town a kind of sanctuary in the
to pretend to be Willie’s
tonight. “The boys” are actually previous chapter to being a
daughter. In that moment,
the Ku Klux Klan. Marguerite shoddy hiding place for Willie,
when he’d tried so desperately
is filled with loathing for the who is apt to be punished for the
to escape his burden even just
sheriff, who rides away jauntily (rumored) actions of other blacks
for a few minutes, Marguerite
as though he has done a good because he is not only black, but
felt closer to him than ever
deed. Momma hides Uncle crippled.
before.
Willie in a bin of onions and
During these early years in Maya’s love of language and potatoes. Marguerite reflects 1 5 6
Stamps, Marguerite “met and poetry starts early—she is not that it is lucky the Klansmen
fell in love with William even ten years old before she is didn’t ride to their house that
Shakespeare.” She feels as reading Shakespeare. The way night, for they would have
though Shakespeare Maya rationalizes Shakespeare’s found Uncle Willie and lynched
understands her, even though whiteness indicates how him.
he is white. She rationalizes important it is to her (and to her
that Shakespeare has been family) to read and learn about
dead so long his race doesn’t black voices. They live in a white
matter; she does, however, person’s world.
have to hide her love of
Shakespeare from Momma, 1 3 6
who wouldn’t approve if she
found out Maya’s literary hero
was a white man.

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 LitCharts The best way to study, teach, and learn about books.
CHAPTER 4 CHAPTER 5
Bailey, Marguerite’s brother, The color of a Black person’s skin Everyone in Stamps follows “Powhitetrash” (Poor white trash)
is the “greatest person in her doesn’t only matter to white certain rules of decorum, children do not have the stature
world.” Where Marguerite people—there is a complex except for “powhitetrash” or sophistication of many of the
perceives herself to be ugly hierarchy present in Marguerite’s children, who behave in ways black adults in Stamps, but
and awkward, Bailey is a community based on different that astound Marguerite. They simply because they are white,
beautiful boy, with velvety kinds of black skin tones. are unkempt and dirty, and they still treat blacks as inferior.
black skin that earns him many Marguerite feels that, on top of they call Uncle Willie by his Though their moniker
compliments. Marguerite’s being black, she is the wrong first name even though he is (“powhitetrash”) makes them
playmates often describe her shade of black. Fortunately she their elder. One afternoon a seem pathetic, they still make
as being “shit color.” Bailey has her brother, whom she thinks group of powhitetrash children Marguerite nervous; their
protects Marguerite and of as her salvation. Notice how comes down the street toward whiteness is a threat.
punishes those who make fun Marguerite uses religious Momma’s house. Marguerite
of her looks. Bailey is language when describing things is nervous and Momma tells 1 6
Marguerite’s “kingdom outside of the church: her her to go inside the house;
come”—he is an important spirituality is important to her, Marguerite obeys, but listens
source of hope and but her religion is non- and watches from the door.
reassurance in a difficult traditional.
The children harass Momma, This is a scene about maintaining
childhood.
1 4 5 who sings a hymn. They “ape” dignity in the face of
her—which involves doing a overwhelming degradation.
Segregation in Stamps is so By recording her honest thoughts degrading kind of monkey Momma endures the racist and
complete that black children about white people as a child in dance. Momma keeps singing. dehumanizing behaviors of the
aren’t even very aware of the the segregated south, Angelou They call her Annie, which children (which happens when
existence of white people. offers us a perspective centered makes Marguerite furious. Momma is standing on her own
They do know, though, that on black experience, where white One of the girls does a front porch) and steadily sings a
white people are powerful and people are “alien” and strange, a handstand in her dress, and hymn—she finds refuge in faith
dangerous and associated with reversal of the typical portrayal her skirts come up and expose and worship. Though Marguerite
feelings of dread. Maya can of minorities as the “strange” her nakedness to Momma. is furious that Momma treats the
remember not really believing outsiders. This perspective is one They grow bored and say children so respectfully, she also
white people were real. She of the reasons her memoir is so goodbye, and Momma says understands that, by keeping her
thinks they can’t be real—their important and unique. goodbye to them respectfully, composure and remaining polite,
skin is too white and almost calling them “Miz.” Marguerite Momma has prevailed over the
transparent; they walk on their 1 children’s racist cruelty.
is furious and doesn’t know
heels “like horses.” They are a how Momma could stand to
strange kind of “alien unlife;” call them “miz” after they did 1 4 5 6
they are not folks, they are such things to her. But
whitefolks. Marguerite can also tell that
some battle had taken place,
and that Momma had won.

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 LitCharts The best way to study, teach, and learn about books.
CHAPTER 6 The next Sunday Sister Having a sense of humor about
Monroe is back. The ushers religious worship was not well
The Reverend often comes to Marguerite is disdainful of the
set up near her, ready to received in Stamps. Sister
visit Momma at the house, and church—we have already seen
restrain her again should she Monroe’s behavior lends itself to
she always welcomes him, but that her faith is non-traditional.
become overzealous again. She a hilarious scene. It is perfectly
Marguerite hates him. She But her love of Deuteronomy is
begins to shout “preach it!” understandable that Marguerite
doesn’t know why exactly—she telling; Marguerite wants to
then rises from her seat, should laugh after witnessing her
just hates him in the irrational know the rules. She wants to
evades the ushers, and antics. But her uncontrollable
way that children sometimes understand what she must do in
pursues the Reverend again. laughter leads to a brutal
hate certain adults. One day in order to make it to heaven. This
Bailey keeps whispering punishment. The lesson
church the Reverend reads desire for belonging, for
“preach it!” to Marguerite, and Marguerite learns is that it is
from Deuteronomy, and knowledge and comfort in her
she can barely contain her unsafe to think funny thoughts
Marguerite is conflicted—she surroundings, shows how eager
laughter. Sister Monroe finally about church—she hits Bailey
hates the sound of the she is to feel accepted
reaches the Reverend, and in a every time he tries to make her
Reverend’s voice, but she loves somewhere.
moment of frenzied passions laugh about the incident.
Deuteronomy; it is her favorite Childhood traumas like these are
4 6 whacks him over the head with
book in the Bible because it always compounded by
her purse. The Reverend’s
lays down the rules most Marguerite’s race. She is not only
dentures fall out of his mouth
clearly. young and struggling with the
onto the floor. Marguerite
There is a woman in church Sister Monroe is a rare source of cannot contain herself and she rules, like every other child: she is
called Sister Monroe who humor and levity in a very and Bailey fall to the floor also black and struggling to
cannot make it to every difficult story. The humor here laughing. Afterwards Uncle survive.
service, and seems to make up also highlights that Willie gives them the whipping
for her absences by shouting Angelou—though raised in a of their lives, and from then on 1 4 6
harder than anyone. In this staunchly religious community anytime Bailey whispers
particular Sunday she like Stamps—has a sense of “preach it!” to her she hits him
becomes so enraptured by the humor about religion. She as hard as she can.
Reverend’s words that she understands its importance to
yells at him to “preach it!” over her community, but she also is CHAPTER 7
and over, even going so far as capable of taking it lightly.
to chase him around the pulpit, Marguerite sees Momma as Though Momma is a highly
yelling. Others begin to pursue 4 one of the strongest and most accomplished businesswoman
her to try and restrain her, and powerful people in Stamps. and upstanding citizen, calling
the result is all of them taking a She was the only black woman her “Mrs.” is a laughable error to
big fall off the stage area. in the town’s history ever the white judge. It is a very
Sister Monroe rises calmly and called “Mrs.” by a white person, serious matter to black residents
thanks the Lord for she has though it was a mistake; a in Stamps, however, for the
come to Jesus. judge read her name as a respect of a white person (even if
witness in a petty crime that inadvertent or erroneous) is rare,
took place near the store; he and cause for celebration.
didn’t know she was black, and
when he realized his mistake 1 6
he laughed. But the blacks in
town believed this event was a
testament to Momma’s
greatness.

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 LitCharts The best way to study, teach, and learn about books.
CHAPTER 8 When they finally arrive and The children’s mother is
see their mother, Vivien, the beautiful—but her beauty makes
One of the main differences From Angelou’s perspective as a
children are blown away. She is Marguerite feel isolated. Her
between blacks and whites in black person, the behavior of
light skinned (“butter colored”) dark skin and her unfeminine
Stamps regards how each white people seems errant and
and wears lipstick. Marguerite appearance make her feel like
group elects to spend money. irresponsible. Momma’s success
thinks she is too beautiful to be she cannot belong to her mother.
Marguerite perceives whites even during the Depression is a
a mother, and Marguerite Her feeling of displacement and
to live grotesquely lavish testament to her enormous
bitterly notes that she is too unworthiness comes from
lives—blacks do not tend to dedication and determination.
ugly to be the daughter of a complicated cultural hierarchies
spend money on readymade She manages to endure in
woman like that. Shortly after regarding skin color and gender
(i.e. not homemade) clothes Stamps not only in spite of racist
dropping them off, Big Bailey norms.
even if they could afford them. violence and segregation, but
leaves St. Louis to go to
Momma is a prime example of also in spite of the severe 1 2 5 6
California.
this—she is so frugal and economic downturn.
diligent that she manages to
keep the store open 1 6 CHAPTER 10
throughout the Great The children are struck by the Despite all of the turbulence in
Depression. fact that the schools in St. her life, Marguerite is a good
One Christmas Marguerite Typically a gift from one’s parents Louis are full of relatively student. This is evidence of her
and Bailey receive Christmas would be cause for happiness uneducated children. innate passion for language and
gifts from their mother and and celebration. But for Maya Marguerite and Bailey knew learning. She never finds studying
father. The gifts confuse them, and Bailey it’s a reminder of their how to count because of their difficult, because she enjoys it.
because they have not heard displacement. They are only left work on the register, and they
both spent much of their free 3
from their parents in so long. wondering why they were sent
Both Marguerite and Bailey away as children. time reading, so they were well
cry—the gifts make them ahead of their classmates.
wonder all over again why 5 6 One of their mother’s Marguerite’s investment in her
their parents sent them away brothers tells Marguerite one education results in part from her
on the train when they were so day that it doesn’t matter if she insecurity about her appearance.
young. isn’t pretty, because she is She is driven to expand her
smart. He says intelligence is knowledge and intellect as if to
CHAPTER 9 always better than prettiness. “make up for” her ugliness.
One year later, when Marguerite’s fear of being 2 3
Marguerite is seven years old, relocated is understandable. She
Daddy Bailey comes to town. has worked hard to try and feel Their mother has a live-in Marguerite’s first impression of
He is a huge, exceptionally at home in Stamps, and the idea boyfriend named Mr. Mr. Freeman is that he is “too
handsome man with a great of moving again frightens her. Freeman. He is fat and ugly ugly” for her mother. Recall that
sense of humor. He tells Bailey Like the millions of other black and seems to understand he is Marguerite also thinks this about
and Marguerite he will take children mentioned earlier in the lucky to have a woman like herself—this is perhaps one of
them to St. Louis to stay with book, she travels between cities, Vivien (their mother) in his life. the reasons she will seek out
their mother. Marguerite is trying to find a safe and He longs for her when she is affection from Mr. Freeman later
apprehensive, but Bailey accepting place. gone and his eyes follow her in the book
clearly worships his father and throughout the house when
5 6 she is home. 1 2 5
is excited to go. Marguerite
thinks it’s possible their father
is delivering them to hell.

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 LitCharts The best way to study, teach, and learn about books.
CHAPTER 11 Marguerite starts to spend Language and literature provide
more and more time at the an escape for Marguerite. Yet
Marguerite begins sleeping in Marguerite’s first assault is
library—books are a refuge for prejudice and inequality follow
her mother’s bed because of fraught with a complex and
her. She wishes often that she her here, too—because she does
nightmares. One morning she confusing power dynamic.
had been born a boy, because not see women represented in
wakes up after her mother has Marguerite knows very little
only boys get to be heroes in stories, she wishes she were a
left, and feels a pressure in her about sex; she only knows that as
the stories she reads. boy.
back. She has a dim a girl she is obligated to keep her
understanding that Mr. legs closed. Marguerite’s lack of a 2 3
Freeman is pressing his penis solid home and family life makes
into her, but doesn’t know if her misinterpret Mr. Freeman’s
this is wrong or not. Then Mr. abuse. Though Mr. Freeman is at CHAPTER 12
Freeman puts his hands fault, his abuse makes One afternoon when Vivien Marguerite is raped at the age of
between her legs, and she Marguerite feel guilty. In an and Bailey are out for the day, 8 by a man she considered a
remembers Momma told her example of tragic irony, she Mr. Freeman calls Marguerite father figure. The rape is
to keep her legs closed, and considers his actions to be over to him. She resists—she incestuous, violent, and
feels guilty. Mr. Freeman asks normal, even fatherly. has found happiness in the physically and emotionally
Marguerite to touch him and library and doesn’t feel she traumatic. Note how careful
then masturbates while she 1 5 6 needs him to hold her Angelou is to record Mr.
lies on his chest. Afterwards he anymore. He insists, and when Freeman’s response to the rape.
holds her gently, and she goes over to him, he Marguerite’s sense of guilt is even
Marguerite is so happy for the becomes rough. He tells her if coded into the language with
affection; she feels that she she screams he will kill her. He which she describes her rape; she
has found the father she was demands that she pull down cannot ignore Mr. Freeman’s fear
meant to have. her underwear and then he and his pathetic apology. She
rapes her. The pain is seems to focus on his emotional
Soon she becomes very Marguerite doesn’t understand
excruciating. Marguerite response to the rape, not her
confused again, however. Mr. that Mr. Freeman’s abuse is a
blacks out. She wakes up and own.
Freeman accuses her of vast breach of trust and an abuse
Mr. Freeman is washing her in
wetting the bed. Then he tells of power. Why would he want to 2 5
the bathtub and his hands are
her that if she ever tells keep it a secret, she wonders? But
shaking, and he tells her he
anyone what just happened, he the threat against Bailey is
didn’t mean to hurt her. He
will kill Bailey. Marguerite is enough to convince her to
reminds her again it must be a
frightened, and struggles to obey—Mr. Freeman is abusing
secret.
understand but agrees to keep Marguerite’s dependence on her
the incident a secret from family.
Bailey.
5 6
After a while Marguerite Marguerite feels lonely and
becomes lonesome, and longs abandoned after the initial
to be held gently again. One abuse—she longs for affection
evening she sits on Mr. and contact and she seeks it out
Freeman’s lap. He moves from the one person she believes
against her for a short while has provided it to her. Though
then abruptly stands up to go her impulse is understandable
to the bathroom. After that he and innocent, Marguerite will
doesn’t speak to her or even feel guilty about it later.
look at her for a long time.
5 6

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 LitCharts The best way to study, teach, and learn about books.
Marguerite wanders to the Marguerite tries to go on living as Mr. Freeman is sentenced to Mr. Freeman’s death does not
library but finds the seats are she usually does by going to the one year in prison, but before put an end to Marguerite’s
too hard and painful for her to library. But the rape has created his sentence even starts he is struggle. This time Marguerite
sit on. She goes home and goes another kind of displacement: found beaten to death outside blames her sullenness, not her
to bed. Mother returns and she can’t find comfort anywhere. town. It is likely that Vivien’s ugliness, for making her mother
makes Marguerite soup, The fact that it takes several days brothers killed him. send her away. She is not a
believing her to have come for her mother to discover what Meanwhile, Vivien also decides cheerful enough daughter, and
down with some virus. Mr. happened shows how alienated that Marguerite and Bailey has (in her mind) failed to meet
Freeman threatens Marguerite is from her family. would be better off in Stamps. her mother’s expectations.
Marguerite again as she is Marguerite becomes
lying in bed. Later that night 2 3 5 6 withdrawn and sullen, and 2 5 6
Marguerite hears her mother believes she is to blame for the
and Mr. Freeman fighting. A fact that her mother has again
few days later, Mother says decided to send her and Bailey
she needs to change away.
Marguerite’s linens. When
they strip the bed, CHAPTER 14
Marguerite’s bloody
underwear is exposed. Her Momma and Willie treat “Tender hearted” is a loaded
mother rushes Marguerite to Marguerite gently upon her description. In this case, the
the hospital. return from St. Louis. She phrase is a subtle critique of
wanders about Stamps almost Marguerite’s response to her
in a daze. People believe her to rape: she’s being too sensitive.
CHAPTER 13 be “tender hearted”—they The phrase is simultaneously
In the hospital Marguerite says Shame and guilt make don’t forgive her for her understanding and cruelly
if she tells who attacked her, Marguerite misrepresent Mr. sullenness, but they critical.
Bailey will be killed. Bailey tells Freeman’s abuse. Her religious understand it.
Marguerite no one can kill him, upbringing has distorted her 2
and Marguerite trusts him understanding of the heinous
enough to tell him that Mr. crime she has endured. The CHAPTER 15
Freeman was the one that hurt hatred she feels all the more
After a difficult year, in which Marguerite finally finds a place
her. Soon after, Mr. Freeman is strongly now toward Mr.
Marguerite becomes more where she can feel comfortable
arrested. Marguerite is called Freeman shows how the abuse
and more withdrawn, Mrs. in her own skin. Here she is not
upon to testify in the trial, and continues to harm Maya long
Bertha Flowers, a neighbor defined by her familial relations,
the questions from Mr. after it occurs.
whom Marguerite has always her race, her gender, or even her
Freeman’s attorney are
2 5 admired, asks to see her. age. Mrs. Flowers respects and
aggressive and harsh.
Marguerite walks with Mrs. cultivates Marguerite’s intellect,
Marguerite lies and says that
Flowers to her house, where and introduces her to poetry, a
Mr. Freeman never touched
she has tea and cookies. Mrs. gift that will change Maya’s life
her before the rape—she is too
Flowers reads to Marguerite for the better in a tremendous
ashamed of the fact that she
from A Tale of Two Cities. Maya way.
felt comforted by him holding
remembers this as the
her. She hates Mr. Freeman 1 2 3 5 6
moment she heard poetry for
even more for making her lie.
the first time. Mrs. Flowers
gives her books of poems and
teachers her how to read,
understand, and memorize
them. Marguerite feels that for
the first time in her life she is
liked—not because she is
related to Bailey or Momma,
but just because she is herself.

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 LitCharts The best way to study, teach, and learn about books.
After this visit, Marguerite This scene describes the CHAPTER 17
comes home and tells Bailey all complicated relationship that
One day, Bailey, who has Bailey’s adolescent self-
about it. Then she says “By the Marguerite has with religion.
become more surly and indulgence and rebellion is
way,” and tells Bailey Mrs. Religion for her is in many ways a
unhappy after being sent away normal—he is a young boy who is
Flowers sent him some system of mysterious rules and
from his mother yet again, upset about the apparent loss of
cookies. Momma comes into confusing punishments. Though
doesn’t come back from the his mother. But because Bailey is
the room in a rage and whips it brings some peace and stability
movies before sun down. black, his simple mistake of
Marguerite. Marguerite is to the lives of many adults in
Maya, as narrator of the missing his curfew raises other
utterly confused and doesn’t Stamps, for her religion is a
memoir, explains that to be the implications. Black men in the
understand why she is being source of fear and chaos.
caretaker of a black boy in the South were in a unique kind of
punished. She learns later that
4 South means that you must danger—villainized and
“By the way” is a shortened
always fear the worst if your demonized by white society, they
form of “By the way of God”
boy doesn’t return home on could be lynched at any moment.
and is therefore taking the
time. Momma and Marguerite When Maya has her own son
Lord’s name in vain.
walk down to the end of the later, she also worries deeply
lane to wait for Bailey. After an about his safety and vulnerability
CHAPTER 16 agonizingly long time, Bailey in society.
Momma decides that Here we see one of Marguerite’s arrives, unapologetic and
first acts of defiance against sullen. Marguerite is confused 1 2 5
Marguerite should learn
refined manners, and racial inequality. Later, and wishes her brother would
therefore sends Marguerite to Marguerite will find more ways show contrition for making
work as a servant in a rich to resist and subvert racial them worry. That night Willie
white woman’s house. The hierarchies, such as by becoming whips Bailey for what seems to
white woman insists on calling the first black streetcar employee Marguerite like an eternity, but
her Margaret, and then says in San Francisco. Bailey doesn’t cry.
that, actually, she prefers the Later Bailey explains to This is a striking articulation of
name Mary. This makes 1
Marguerite that he’d seen the displacement Bailey feels—he
Marguerite angry, and she Mother at the movies—a white must remember and feel close to
exacts revenge by dropping a actress that looked exactly like his mother by watching a white
huge casserole dish on the Vivien was in the movie he movie star who bears a
floor right in front of the watched, and he couldn’t resist superficial resemblance to her.
woman. This story is a source staying and watching it a Once again, home and
of endless entertainment and second time. He says he will community are made
enjoyment for Marguerite and take Marguerite back to the unavailable, and whiteness finds
Bailey. movies and show her. Two its way into the center of Bailey’s
months later the actress is in life, simultaneously seducing him
another movie playing in town, and excluding him. Bailey is not
and Marguerite is astonished in control of his own destiny. It
at how striking the seems he can only ride the train
resemblance is. She thinks when he is asked to by someone
with satisfaction how mad else.
white people would be if they
knew their white movie star 5 6
looked exactly like a black
woman. On the way home
Bailey tries to jump on a
passing freight train so he can
ride it to St. Louis and be with
his mother.

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 LitCharts The best way to study, teach, and learn about books.
CHAPTER 18 CHAPTER 19
The family—Momma, Bailey, Angelou’s description of the Every black person in town is Note how even a triumph in the
Marguerite, and Uncle worshipers contains a note of gathered in Momma’s store to black community is tainted by
Willy—attends a revivalist criticism—their fervor seems like listen to the radio coverage of fear and racism: the revelers
meeting—no one ever misses zealotry, and their solution (to Joe Louis’s fight. Joe Louis is a cannot walk home because Joe
the revivalist meeting, and wait for deliverance in the black boxer who is one match Louis’s victory brings with it the
every congregation is afterlife) seems somehow away from being heavyweight threat of danger and violence.
represented. The preacher’s lacking. The meeting fosters champion. They follow the
sermon is about how the meek “righteousness and fight with their hearts and 1 6
and the poor and the exclusiveness”—but only because souls—they groan when Joe is
downtrodden will make it to they live in a world where they hit, they cheer when Joe
heaven. It is a thinly veiled are victimized by the succeeds. Finally Joe is
criticism of white affluence, righteousness and exclusiveness crowned champion, and there
and an affirmation that after of institutionalized racism. Their is unrestrained rejoicing and
many years of suffering black faith, even if it is not the best revelry. But those who live far
people will at last be rewarded solution, in many ways seems like away from the store must find
in the afterlife. Marguerite can the only solution available to this accommodations nearby for
see the satisfaction and delight generation of black southerners. the night—because it would be
on the worshipers’ faces—they dangerous to be a black person
take so much comfort in 1 4 walking alone in the dark on
knowing that white people the night Joe Louis beat a
would one day get their white man to become the
comeuppance. “They basked in heavyweight champion of the
the righteousness of the poor world.
and the exclusiveness of the
downtrodden.” Marguerite can CHAPTER 20
see them thinking “let them
have their whiteness” for they The summer picnic is one of Marguerite’s “first friend” is
know that it is better to be the most well attended Louise, who impresses
poor and downtrodden in this community events of the year. Marguerite with her honesty and
life than to burn in hell for However, during it, playfulness. Marguerite begins to
eternity. The chapter ends Marguerite grows weary of build a semblance of a normal
with Maya wondering “how the crowds of children, and social life. This scene of innocent
long” until black people in goes into a small grove of trees child’s play reminds us that
America find justice and peace. to find peace and privacy. throughout all that she has
There she is joined by Louise endured, Marguerite is still just a
Kendricks. At first Marguerite young girl.
is irked at the disturbance but
soon discovers that Louise is 2
thoughtful and honest and
willing to play with her. They
play a dizzying game together
where they both spin and look
up at the sky. It makes them
both laugh hysterically, and
Marguerite knows she has
made her first friend.

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 LitCharts The best way to study, teach, and learn about books.
That winter, Marguerite Note the contrast between the Later Bailey proudly tells Bailey’s introduction to sex and
receives a love note from subject matter of this Marguerite that Joyce has hair romance is another example of
Tommy Valdon, who is asking scene—Marguerite’s assault, between her legs and under displacement: he falls for a
her to be his valentine. guilt, and shame—and the her arms because of how many slightly older and more
Marguerite decides she must innocent playfulness of the boys she’d been with. Joyce is experienced girl who leaves him
ask Louise about this—Louise previous scene. Marguerite’s only one or two years older to be with a much older man.
explains that it is a love note, experiences have distorted her than Bailey. It becomes clear This hurts Bailey especially
and asks Marguerite if she perspective on love: a heartfelt that Joyce is Bailey’s first love. deeply because, as a black boy,
loves Tommy. The word love love note reminds her of her She hangs around for a few he knows all too well the pain of
reminds Marguerite of Mr. rapist. months, then suddenly leaving and being left.
Freeman and she says she disappears. She runs away
does not love Tommy. Together 2 5 with a much older man. Bailey 2 6
she and Louise tear up the is clearly heartbroken, but
note and let the pieces blow won’t talk about it to
away in the wind. Marguerite or anyone else.
Two days later Marguerite Tommy shows Marguerite that
receives another note from real love should not include fear CHAPTER 22
Tommy. He says he’d seen her or violence. Marguerite’s crush One stormy night an old Marriage, sex, and reproduction
tearing up his last note, and on Tommy shows her resilience neighbor, George Taylor, are again rendered in a fearful
doesn’t believe she meant to and her ability to still feel comes to visit the house. light, this time by Mr. Taylor. The
hurt him. He still wants her to affection for others despite the George’s wife, Mrs. Taylor, terrifying “angel” story is another
be his valentine. Marguerite is emotional and physical pain she died about six months ago. example of how something that
reassured by his patience and has endured. Momma offers her should be a joyful expression of
his undemanding tone. She condolences to him, and love—having a baby—is depicted
becomes enamored of him, 2 as frightful and disturbing by the
remarks offhand that it’s a pity
and cannot keep from giggling they never had children. This adults in Marguerite’s world.
anytime she sees him. causes George to go into a
kind of shock. He then 2
CHAPTER 21 launches into a ghostly story
about how, recently, in the
Bailey, an adolescent now, Bailey, too, is beginning to
middle of the night an angel in
begins “playing house” with experiment with sex, romance,
the form of a baby appeared to
other girls around his age (11 and affection. He has never had
him, and his wife’s voice came
years old) in a makeshift tent in sex before, and clearly does not
to his ears, demanding
the backyard. During these fully understand how sex works.
children.
sessions, he brings a girl into Marguerite is not made
the tent, instructs Marguerite uncomfortable until she Marguerite hates ghost Here we see Marguerite take
to keep watch, and then overhears Joyce trying to have stories and desperately wishes comfort in Momma’s
imitates sex with the girl. It is actual intercourse with Bailey. Mr. Taylor would stop talking. courage—she sees that her
innocent enough—neither of Having been raped as a child, She remembers Mrs. Taylor’s grandmother is not scared and
them removes their clothes Marguerite knows the pain that funeral as the day she realized will protect her from evil spirits.
and Bailey simply wiggles his forced sex entails and wants to that she, too, would die one We know that Momma has
hips on top of theirs. One day save her brother from an day. When Mr. Taylor finishes already protected Marguerite
he invites a new girl, Joyce, experience that she believes will his story about the angel and from much more imminent
into his tent, and she tells him be traumatic. the ghostly voice, Momma has dangers, most obviously from Mr.
he is doing it wrong. a slightly amused look on her Freeman’s repeated sexual
Marguerite tries to stop them, 2 5 face. That night Marguerite assaults.
for she knows what Joyce crawls into bed with her,
intends and doesn’t want knowing that Momma is strong 4 5
Bailey to go through that, but enough to fight away evil
Joyce sends Marguerite away. spirits.

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 LitCharts The best way to study, teach, and learn about books.
CHAPTER 23 Mr. Donleavy begins a As if Mr. Donleavy’s presence
condescending speech wasn’t enough of an affront to
Marguerite is graduating from Marguerite’s graduation presents
wherein he encourages boys to the black community, on top of
the eighth grade. It is a very her with a much-needed
dream of becoming Joe Louis that, he launches into a speech
special occasion, and she opportunity for affirmation and
or Jesse Owens but says that claims—to a group of black
enjoys that she is able to have congratulations. Her thanking
nothing of academic middle school graduates—that
her moment. She wears a God shows her spirituality, but
achievement or of possibilities blacks cannot be successful at
gorgeous yellow dress also her vulnerability: she has
for girls. As Maya Angelou school. His speech promotes the
handmade by Momma and lived in such a state of fear and
describes it: “The white kids racist status quo: blacks are
feels pretty and important. She danger that she thought she
were going to have a chance to allowed some notoriety if they
is deeply excited for the might die before making it past
become Galileos and Madam are male athletes, but otherwise
ceremony—on the morning of eighth grade.
Curies,” but black children cannot hope to achieve any kind
her graduation she is
1 2 4 could only hope to become of greatness. The entire audience
overcome with gratitude to
athletes if they were can detect the condescension,
God for allowing her to live to
boys—and the girls were and Marguerite feels once again
see this day.
completely disregarded by Mr. the vulnerability of racist
The ceremony does not go as The white man’s speech is yet Donleavy. Marguerite, along oppression: the white man at the
planned, however—the another example of with much of the rest of the podium is telling her what she
students sing the national displacement: a song celebrating crowd, falls into a dismayed can and can’t do.
anthem, then the pledge of black culture and unity is silence as they realize that
allegiance, then, though they replaced with the unwanted their brains are worth nothing 1 2 3 6
are supposed to conclude the presence of a white speaker. in this world. Their scholarly
opening songs with the Black Once again, we see the dominant accomplishments are a farce.
National Anthem (“Lift Ev’ry role whites play in Marguerite’s She feels exposed and
Voice and Sing”), the principal world of the South. dismayed. She feels she has no
tells them to have a seat. It is control over her life.
announced that Mr. Edward 1 6
Next the valedictorian of Though the boy’s speech about
Donleavy, a white man who is
Marguerite’s class, a boy decision-making and controlling
somehow affiliated with the
named Henry, speaks. He your own destiny is undermined
educational board in Arkansas
delivers a carefully prepared by Mr. Donleavy’s condescending
(Maya is sure he was brought
speech called “To Be or Not To words, his decision to sing the
in to make the white school
Be” and Marguerite bitterly Anthem—to reclaim what Mr.
better, and appears at her
notes the irony—for Black Donleavy took from
school as an afterthought) will
people cannot “be” in this them—revives Marguerite and
be giving the commencement
world at all. But as Henry the rest of the audience.
address.
finishes his speech, he Displacement and oppression
surprises everyone by inspire resistance and resilience.
launching into the Black
National Anthem. The voices 1 6
of everyone in the audience
rise to join his, and Marguerite
feels proud and hopeful once
again. “We were on top again.
As always, again. We survived.”

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 LitCharts The best way to study, teach, and learn about books.
CHAPTER 24 Momma and Marguerite catch Marguerite admires her
a Greyhound to Texarkana grandmother’s resilience and
Marguerite’s love for sweets Marguerite endures physical pain
where they can see a dentist loves her all the more for it.
has finally taken its toll—she of cavities and the deeper
for blacks. Momma is
has two horrible cavities and emotional pain of racism: 1 5 6
especially nice to Marguerite,
the pain is excruciating. It because she is a black person in a
and rubs her back and allows
becomes clear that she needs white part of town, she must
her to have ice cream, which is
to see a dentist. She walks with enter through the back door, yet
unusual. Marguerite thinks her
Momma to the white part of another example of humiliating
Momma has been strong and
town, and works hard to and unfair racist oppression that
impressive, and is full of love
maintain a dignified Marguerite encounters in her
for her.
appearance and not cry once everyday life.
they cross out of the black
area. Momma walks 1 6 CHAPTER 25
Marguerite to the back of a One day Momma tells the Once again, systemic violence
dentist’s office and knocks on children it is time for them to and racism drive Marguerite and
the back door, asking to see Dr. move to California. Bailey away from home. Bailey’s
Lincoln. Marguerite is fairly certain treatment at the hands of the
Dr. Lincoln emerges. Momma This scene, one of the most this decision came about white man indicates to Momma
explains that Marguerite has poignant and heartbreaking in because of an incident that Bailey has reached an age
two rotten teeth and needs the book, shows just how cruel involving Bailey. He had been where it is no longer safe to be
them pulled by a dentist. Dr. and inhumane the racists in walking home from the movies black and male in the South. The
Lincoln, choosing his words Stamps could be. Dr. Lincoln and had noticed the body of a implication is clear that Bailey
carefully and calling Momma thinks Momma is obliged to do Black man being dragged out could be the next body dragged
“Annie,” says he has a policy him favors, but doesn’t consider of a lake. A white man from the lake if he stays in
and “won’t treat colored returning her favors. He won’t watching the scene ordered Stamps—and Momma knows
people.” Momma politely asks even look at Marguerite—this Bailey to help carry the body they must again move away.
him to reconsider. She reminds child and her toothache are so to the police station. The man Home and the feeling of
him that she loaned him money beneath him that he will not had laughed mercilessly at belonging remain elusive.
before, and did so without even glance in Marguerite’s Bailey’s discomfort, and said
threatening things to him. 1 2 5 6
hesitation. He snaps back that direction. His hateful
he paid back that money, and proclamation that he would Bailey was clearly scarred by
he will stick to his policy. rather treat a dog than a black the incident, and Momma
Momma tries again, saying child is literally dehumanizing. knew that Arkansas was not a
that Marguerite is only little, safe place for a black boy to
and in a great deal of pain. But 1 grow up.
this time Dr. Lincoln says Momma has to organize the Marguerite handles this
belligerently: “Annie, my policy transportation. She will ride relocation better than any thus
is I’d rather stick my hand in a with Marguerite on the train far, in large part because of what
dog’s mouth than in a nigger’s.” about a month ahead of Bailey, Mrs. Flowers taught her: that
He turns his back and goes so as to spread out the cost of there is refuge in literature and
inside without ever once the tickets. Marguerite knows that stories and poetry can
looking at Marguerite. she will miss Bailey, and all of accompany and comfort her
her friends in Stamps. The only anywhere. Books become the
person she won’t miss is Mrs. only semblance of “home” that
Flowers, who had given her a Marguerite has.
gift that would not be affected
by distance: books. 1 3 5 6

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 LitCharts The best way to study, teach, and learn about books.
CHAPTER 26 CHAPTER 27
Momma and Marguerite and Another example of Momma’s As World War II rages and the Here Angelou explains the lack of
Bailey live in Los Angeles strength and resilience in the United States battles Japan, camaraderie and support
together while the children face of displacement. Having the Asian population in San between disenfranchised racial
adjust to life in California. lived in Arkansas her entire life, Francisco dwindles before and ethnic minorities in America.
Looking back, Maya can see Momma must have found LA to everyone’s eyes. Asian parts of Because black Americans are
how remarkable it was that her be like a foreign country. But she town are evacuated, and they consumed with their own
grandmother adjusted to living handled the feeling of being out become predominantly black struggle, and their own fear of
in LA, which was so different of place so capably that Maya areas. Though we might expect white people, they disregard the
and so far away from the place doesn’t even realize, as a child, the black community in plight of Japanese Americans.
she was used to. Eventually it the kind of challenge Momma America to have a special kind
is time for Momma to leave, was facing. of empathy for other 1
and she hands the children oppressed people, like
over to their mother and takes 1 5 6 Japanese-Americans, that was
the train back to Arkansas. not the case. Asian people
were not white people, and
Bailey and Marguerite drive to Marguerite’s mother is an
since they “didn’t have to be
San Francisco with their example of an entirely different
feared, neither did they have
mother (Vivien). They live in a variety of strength—as a black
to be considered.”
dingy Oakland apartment. One woman, Vivien has also
night Mother wakes presumably had to endure a Blacks continued to be Though racism is not as overt as
Marguerite up at two in the lifetime of injustice and abuse. discriminated against in San it is in the South (because San
morning—this makes The levity and determined Francisco, though the city Francisco residents consider
Marguerite nervous, but when positivity that she shows in this considered itself very themselves progressive) racism
she sees Bailey is up too, and scene, we can imagine, has egalitarian and progressive. “festers” here—a word that
smiling, she relaxes. Her carried her through hard times in Animosity between white evokes a kind of disease or
mother tells them they’ve been the same way that Momma’s people and black people infection. In the South racism is
invited to a party and serves practicality and resilience have “festered” in San in the open—here it is disguised.
them chocolate and biscuits. helped her survive. Francisco—Maya says she saw
Their mother’s laugh is it on the streetcars and on the 1
infectious and they grow to 1 2 sidewalks. White people
love her even more. Yet for all assumed black people were
her gaiety and silliness she was lazy draft dodgers; and Black
also tough and people were still defending
uncompromising—Marguerite themselves from white
admires her for her strength. aggression.
Marguerite hears that With the start of WWII, the pace
America has declared war on of the story shifts. Maya has
Japan when she is walking moved out of the South, into a
home from the movies. She is big city with her mother, in a
frightened and runs all the way more politically and socially
home, where she is comforted. progressive state. After this point,
Not long after this, Mother the events in Maya’s life are
marries Daddy Clidell, who recorded at an almost rapid-fire
will be the first father pace.
Marguerite has ever known.
1 3 5 6

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 LitCharts The best way to study, teach, and learn about books.
CHAPTER 28 CHAPTER 30
Marguerite attends an Mrs. Kirwin is one of Marguerite’s Marguerite goes to visit Once again tension arises
integrated high school, where first white mentors. She is a Daddy Bailey in southern between Marguerite and one of
she is one of only three black dedicated educator who doesn’t California, where she meets her parent’s love interests. It’s
students. Here she meets Mrs. coddle or spoil Marguerite; she his live-in girlfriend Dolores only natural that Marguerite
Kirwin, a highly intelligent and simply treats her as equal to the Stockland. Dolores is very well would resent Dolores’s
caring white educator who has other (white) students. Mrs. postured, and acts as though behavior—recall that one of her
a great influence on Kirwin is another vital figure in she is richer and better than first feelings of resentment
Marguerite—she doesn’t treat Marguerite’s intellectual and everyone around her. Dolores toward white people is based on
Marguerite as though she is literary career. Marguerite’s and Marguerite do not get their lavish lifestyles. That
different from anyone else, success allows her to attend a along; Dolores thinks Dolores thinks Marguerite
even though Marguerite is progressive integrated high Marguerite is too tall and “arrogant” suggests that
from the south and is black. school program—an especially improper and arrogant, and Marguerite’s confidence has
Marguerite performs well and unusual opportunity for a black Marguerite thinks Dolores is grown.
gets a scholarship to California female student in that time. stiff and pretentious.
Labor School, a progressive 1 2 3 5
high school program designed 1 2 3
One night Marguerite goes Marguerite has associated racial
for especially talented and with her father to a fiesta divisions with fear for so long,
motivated students in across the border in Mexico and lived with a very rational fear
economics and the arts. She with several of his Spanish- of white people, that she
continues to excel in her speaking Mexican friends. develops an irrational fear of
regular classes, and elects to Marguerite can speak some Mexican people. Her ability to
take drama and dance classes Spanish but it is clumsy. At the recognize her own prejudice
in the evening, fulfilling her party she loses sight of her shows that she is capable of
love for spoken poetry and father and becomes panicked, introspection and critical
performance. believing he has left her, and thinking regarding
worrying she has been race—something many white
CHAPTER 29 drugged. She is relieved when characters in the book fail to do.
Daddy Clidell (and Marguerite’s she sees his car is still parked
Daddy Clidell is a wily con 1
love and admiration for him) outside. She wonders why she
artist who uses white people’s
indicate that Marguerite’s had been so afraid of
prejudice against them. He
interest in active resistance to Mexicans.
teaches Marguerite how to
play cards and tells her stories white superiority has changed When she locates her father, This is a kind of familial role-
of how he and his associates since she dropped the white he is too drunk to drive, and reversal. Marguerite has been a
play the fool, and manipulate woman’s casserole dish as a she must figure out how to get child for the entire book, and she
the bigoted expectations of child. She is now “proud” of her him home. She has never is finally called upon to look after
rich white men in order to con stepfather’s resistance to bigotry. driven a car before but she has her father—she is notably in
them out of their money. The positive implications of watched her mother drive. She control here; she is the caretaker,
Though they are con artists, resistance outweigh the negative triumphantly drives the car, and her father is helpless. The car
Marguerite cannot see them implications of criminality. This is feeling on top of the world, crash makes her newfound
as criminals—in fact she is perhaps one of the reasons until she crashes into another power fleeting, however. The
proud of them. They provide Marguerite considers Daddy vehicle. At first the police peace following the incident
her with a certain kind of Clidell to be a father figure. officers are suspicious of could be a result of Marguerite
education that is different Marguerite, but when they and Big Bailey taking comfort in
from the one she gets at 1 5 understand the situation, are the fact that they’ve returned to
school, where she is taught sympathetic. During the the original power structure.
how to speak and act in a way commotion Big Bailey comes
that will impress white people. to, and charms them both out 5
of trouble. He drives them
home in a strangely peaceful
silence.

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 LitCharts The best way to study, teach, and learn about books.
CHAPTER 31 CHAPTER 32
That night, Marguerite feels It is important to keep in mind all Maya (who begins to identify Maya takes refuge in her
bad for Dolores when she of the times that Marguerite has herself as such—this new name childhood nickname when she
comes home. Dolores had been forced to stand idly by comes from a nickname Bailey feels the most alienated from her
waited all night for Big Bailey, when her family has been gave her; she was “Mya sister”) family she’s ever felt. Her
but he hardly paid her any insulted: Momma at the dentist, sleeps in a car in a junkyard, attempt to avoid going home to
attention when he finally did the incident with the and wakes up to find several her mother with a scar shows the
return. They fought, and “powhitetrash” children, the other curious boys and girls depth of her guilt. Though
Marguerite overhears Dolores threatening of her brother Bailey. about her age (14 or 15) Marguerite knows what it’s like
say that Marguerite has come Here Marguerite can finally watching her. They agree to to be victimized for being
between her and Big Bailey. stand up for her family, and it is accept her into their group as different, she has not
Marguerite decides to talk to perhaps not surprising that she long as she follows their rules experienced much difference
Dolores. She apologizes for does so with so much anger. This (which stipulate that no people herself. She believes her month
coming between Dolores and scene demonstrates how of the opposite sex are allowed spent in the Junkyard changes
Big Bailey. Dolores accuses her constant and systemic to sleep together.) Marguerite this—she met, knew, and
of eavesdropping. The oppression can foster rage and lives for a month in the yard, understood people who had lived
argument escalates until violence. where she learns to drive and dramatically different lives than
Dolores ends up calling Vivien dance. She feels at home with hers, a vital experience for any
a whore, which sends 1 5 6 her peers for the first time, and young writer or artist.
Marguerite into a rage. She develops a real tolerance for
slaps her and tackles Dolores. difference that she hadn’t had 1 2 3 5 6
They wrestle for a while, until before. After her wound is
Marguerite throws Dolores off healed, she calls her mother
of her and leaves the house. and returns to her. When she
sees her she knows her
Marguerite is bleeding from Though Marguerite is by no
mother is a fine lady, and that
her side, and when her father means to blame for her injury
Dolores is a liar.
sees her, she explains (with (remember, she is only about 15
some satisfaction) that years old), she feels she is
Dolores cut her. He takes her responsible for the incident in the CHAPTER 33
to the house of a friend who same way she felt responsible for Bailey and his mother’s Bailey was once the very center
sews her up. But Marguerite Mr. Freeman’s abuse. Though relationship has become of Maya’s universe; now, she is
becomes convinced that she Marguerite has much more fraught and contentious. They able to accept and understand
might have ruined her father’s confidence now, her guilt from push each other’s buttons and his leaving. That Bailey leaves
life—he would be humiliated if being abused still weighs heavily drive each other away only to Maya his books demonstrates his
news got out that his lady had on her mind. apologize and reestablish good love and understanding of
cut up his daughter. She recalls relations and restart the whole her—he knows that, absent other
Mr. Freeman and feels guilt 2 5
process. Maya knows that comforts, Maya has always been
well up in her. She decides to eventually Bailey will leave, someone who can find a refuge in
run away. and one night she overhears a books. His departing gesture
great fight during which Bailey affirms that.
says he has had enough of
living with his mother and 3 5
needs to move away. Though
Maya and Bailey have grown
apart, before he leaves he tells
her she can have his books—a
touching gesture that saddens
Maya.

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 LitCharts The best way to study, teach, and learn about books.
Bailey moves to a motel. After This is the last time we see Maya CHAPTER 35
a while, Maya goes to visit and Bailey speak to one another.
Maya, as it typical of a teenage Though Maya has broadened her
Bailey in his dingy motel room It is a sorrowful departure, but
girl, becomes interested in sex horizons recently she still knows
to offer him support. He insists not a bitter one—Maya is no
and sexuality. One night she a strikingly small amount about
he is doing fine, and begs her longer dependent on Bailey.
confesses to her mother—with sex, sexuality, and femininity. She
not to worry about him. She
5 great difficulty—that she thinks “lesbianism” is some kind
leaves when she realizes
believes something is of disease one develops over
they’ve said all they can say.
“growing” on her vagina. She time, and she is frightened by her
explains what she’s noticed, own sexual maturation. Recall
CHAPTER 34 and her mother sits her down that Momma instilled feelings of
Maya decides that she can’t Here we see Maya’s strongest and has her read about female shame in Maya regarding her
stay at home all day with resistance to racial anatomy in the encyclopedia. womanhood. Vivien counteracts
nothing to do over winter discrimination and segregation. Maya is deeply relieved to this teaching by approaching sex
vacation. She wants to get a She does not play by the rules realize she has been with honesty, openness, and even
job. She becomes determined (she lies) because the rules have experiencing normal sexual some levity.
to be a streetcar conductor, never allowed her to play at all. maturation—she confides in
even though no black person Her success is a testament to her her mother that she thought 2
has ever worked on the intellectual maturity and her she was becoming a lesbian.
streetcar before. She set her determination in the face of This makes Mother laugh, but
sights on this work, however, obstacles. not in a mean way. Marguerite
and tells intelligent lies to her feels relieved and comforted.
interviewers about her past 1 3 6
However, some weeks later, Maya is still frightened of being
experience. She is granted a Maya has a friend sleep over sexually different—which is
job as the first black person and catches sight of her understandable, given how race
ever hired on the San breasts while she is changing. and gender have ostracized her
Francisco streetcars. She feels moved in some way before. She views lesbianism as
When Maya’s high school Maya retrospectively identifies by the sight of it, and worries yet another thing that could
classes resume in the spring at herself as a “strong black again that she is attracted to result in her victimization, and
California Labor School, Maya woman.” She notes that defiance women. She decides she needs though she clearly doesn’t really
becomes disenchanted with in black women is often met with to have sex with a man, and understand what the word
education—she feels she has fear and frustration, but propositions a boy who lives means, she sets about trying to
nothing in common with her Angelou’s story has shown that down the street. He agrees, “correct” it by having sex with a
classmates; that her strange defiance in black women is and they have awkward, male neighbor. Maya’s fear of
experiences have set her apart inevitable—their struggle unromantic intercourse. Maya what she considers “lesbianism”
and made her “aware.” Maya naturally makes them defiant. doesn’t feel different results from her lifelong struggle
believes she knows more Maya has grown from an afterwards, and still questions with racial and sexual
about the way the world works insecure black child in the South her own sexuality. Three oppression.
than they do. She cannot to an intellectual black woman weeks later, however, things
tolerate the frivolity of student blazing trails in a northern city in do change: Maya discovers she 1 2
life. Maya reflects that the California—her defiance has is pregnant.
emergence of strong and been an integral part of her
defiant Black American growth.
Women is often met with
disdain or discomfort or 1 2 3 6
surprise. But she believes it is
the inevitable outcome of a
long and difficult struggle, and
should be treated with
respect, if not enthusiastic
acceptance.

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 LitCharts The best way to study, teach, and learn about books.
CHAPTER 36 Vivien and Daddy Clidell Bailey’s experiences in Stamps
respond capably—they assure taught Maya how dangerous it
Maya hides her pregnancy Maya’s life begins changing at an
her everything is going to be can be to be a black male in
from everyone, though she even faster pace. Faced with a
okay, and buy her maternity America, especially in the South.
avoids lying outright about it. new struggle (pregnancy) she
clothes. Three months later, Now the mother of a black male,
Though her body is changing, once again returns to books to
after a rather easy labor, Maya treats her son as if he’s
her mother asks her no help cope. Note how different
Maya’s son is born. She is unusually vulnerable and fragile.
questions, seemingly unaware this graduation ceremony is from
terrified to touch him, afraid Maya’s son’s birth and her
of Maya’s more feminine Maya’s last one in eighth grade.
she will hurt him. After about peaceful nap at his side are signs
figure. Maya suddenly finds Since Maya is now an expectant
three weeks, Vivien brings the of progress and hope: Maya has
school to be a comforting mother, she is looking towards
baby into Maya’s bedroom and begun to overcome the fear,
refuge again, and digs back in the future and is determined to
says he will sleep with her. oppression, and victimization of
to her studies. After about six succeed.
Maya begs her not to—she is her past. She joins the other
months, Marguerite receives
3 5 sure she will crush him or hurt successful maternal figures in
her secondary school diploma
him. But the baby falls asleep this book (Momma, Vivien) in
in a high school gymnasium,
peacefully at Maya’s side, and approaching her new life with
and when she returns home
Maya sleeps without injuring determination and courage.
tells her mother and Daddy
him. Vivien wakes her to point
Clidell that she is pregnant. 1 2 5 6
out how they are lying
together safely. Vivien says “if
you’re for the right thing, then
you do it without thinking.”
Maya pats her son’s small,
sleeping body and falls back
asleep.

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MLA CIT
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Carey, Patrick. "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings." LitCharts.
LitCharts LLC, 5 Dec 2016. Web. 5 Dec 2016.

CHICA
CHICAGO
GO MANU
MANUAL
AL CIT
CITA
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Carey, Patrick. "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings." LitCharts LLC,
December 5, 2016. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
https://www.litcharts.com/lit/i-know-why-the-caged-bird-sings.

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