This is a book report on Maya Angelous I Know Why the Caged Bird SIngs..How the people and places around her affected her

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

All the places Maya lived and the different people she was surrounded by really

affected her. There were many positive and negative influences on her throughout her

life. She had to move so much and was treated so differently everywhere she lived. She

was very confused about herself for a very long time.

All the shuffling around started when she was only three years old. She was sent to

Arkansas to live with her grandmother. Her grandmother was a very motherly figure. She

influenced Maya in many good ways. Yet, momma seemed to be a very ignorant lady.

Especially towards white people. Maya didn't let her know she was reading Shakespeare

merely because he was white. Momma also always refers to whites as "they". Momma

had a huge influence on Maya's thinking. At one point in the book she even says she

doesn't even consider whites human.

English: Maya Angelou reciting her poem, "On the P...

Arco Maya

Maya Relief of Royal Blood Letting

Then again, when the Powhitetrash girls are

harassing momma, she never sinks to their level. She just continues working and

humming.

Then when Maya and Bailey are transported to St. Louis they have a complete

change in the life they had known before. They are now in a loud, chaotic environment.

Maya has to deal with Big Daddy and his flashy white man habits. This totally disrupts

the quiet family lifestyle she had with momma. For awhile Maya starts to really find

herself among all the different people she is forced to live around. Just as she seems to be

fitting in a little, Mr. Freeman rapes her. She is left extremely guilt ridden and taken

advantage of. Mr. Freeman very negatively affected Maya. Although Maya isolates

herself to the library, the books really helped her. She learned to let the books keep her

company rather...