Ignorance And Racism In I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

A motif is a recurring idea or symbol that develops over the course of a story or novel. The book I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou has three prominent motifs which are represented throughout the book. Ignorance and illiteracy, self-esteem, and racism are all present motifs in Maya Angelou’s autobiographical novel. Ignorance and illiteracy are displayed by Momma and Maya, respectively. Momma displays ignorance when she does not understand the new slang of the times and Maya show illiteracy when she gets pregnant by accident. Maya struggles with being a Negro girl in the south and this damages her self-esteem. Racism also affects Maya when she goes to the dentist in town as well as when she lives in San Francisco. These ideas†¦show more content†¦Later, when Maya moves to San Francisco, she lives with a group of homeless kids for a month. She discovers that people of white, black, and Latino descent can all live together in harmony and segregation is unne cessary. This elevates her self-esteem and makes her realize that the world is not just black and white. Maya struggles with her self-esteem throughout the novel, thus making self-esteem a prominent motif in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Lastly, racism is a motif shown throughout the novel. When Maya is living in Stamps, Arkansas, Momma takes her to the only dentist in town because she has a horrible tooth ache. The dentist refuses to treat Maya because she’s black, â€Å"Annie, my policy is I’d rather stick my hand in a dog’s mouth than a nigger’s† (189). Maya also experiences racism when she lives in San Francisco. She dreams of becoming the first black woman to work on a trolley and when she tries to apply the clerk turns her away. She persists and eventually the white clerk allows her the job. Racism is everywhere in Maya’s life, making it a large motif displayed throughout the novel. In conclusion, ignorance and illiteracy, self-esteem, and racism are prominent motifs in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Ignorance is displayed by both Momma and Maya. Momma shows ignorance when she demonstrates that she doesn’t keep up with modern slang. Maya demonstrates illiteracy when she gets pregnant without knowing how or why. Self-esteem is also a motif shownShow MoreRelatedLiterary Analysis of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Essay2756 Words   |  12 PagesEnglish 2 Professor Padilla Themes of Racism and Segregation in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings By Maya Angelou The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the novel I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. Specifically it will discuss the themes of racism and segregation, and how these strong themes are woven throughout this moving autobiography. 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