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Michael Tyka
Mr. Carmichael
ENG4U
28 July 2016
Feminism found in I know why the caged bird sings
Many stories all have a hidden meaning behind their texts. One of the best ways
to find that meaning is using different literary theories. When looking at I know why the
caged bird sings by Maya Angelou through a feminist literary theory perspective, it is
evident that the storys main theme is about feminism. The book contains topics about
different representations of women, the importance of beauty and misogynistic
views/gender inequality. The book teaches and tries to make the audience think about
feminism. The story uses these themes as a tool to provide a clear, mental picture of the
oppression females were subjected to during this time period.

The story contains many representations of women throughout the story. These
representations can be either positive or negative, but they all relate to feminism. Maya,
the main character, often describes the women she meets in the story. She describes them
as being strong and powerful, which often goes against gender norms and false views on
women. An example of this is with her grandma who she calls Momma. Maya looks up
to her grandmother and believes she is determined and hard working individual. For
example: when Maya suffers from a toothache and the dentist will not admit her, her
grandmother steps in. Momma then becomes angry, while Maya says, Momma walked
in that room as if she owned it (Angelou, 189). Maya is happy for her grandmother for

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being so strong. She then later says, I was so proud of being her granddaughter and sure
that some of her magic dust have come down to me (191). Her grandmother can be
considered rebellious going against typical views on women. The story takes place
around the 1940s, when women were not very respected. They were seen as petite and
weak and that when something gets tough, they give up. Momma proves the audience
wrong in that women can be powerful and determined in order to get what they want. She
goes against the stereotypes and shows true feminism in the way she acts.

The story talks a lot about the appearance of women and Maya is the one who
depicts them. She describes her mother and says, Mothers beauty made her powerful
and her power made her unflinchingly honest (Angelou, 206). She is trying to show that
beauty gives power. This gives a bad message towards others, specifically girls. There is
a false assumption that power is achieved when one is considered beautiful. That in order
to gain respect, one must look pretty. That is why Maya feels powerless. She says, I was
really white and because a cruel fairy stepmother, who was understandably jealous of my
beauty, had turned me into a too-big Negro girl, with nappy black hair, broad feet and a
space between her teeth that would hold a number-two pencil (Angelou, 3). Maya
believes that she does not receive respect, because she sees herself as ugly, and that being
black makes her undesirable. Maya also associates love to the way someone looks as
well. She is quite proud of her brother and thinks that he is very handsome. She says,
When I was described by our playmates as being shit color, he was lauded for his velvetblack skin. His hair fell down in black curls, and my head was covered with black steel
wool. And yet he loved me (Angelou, 22). She associates beauty with love and respect,

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in that looking good gets you affection and power. This is wrong and untrue. A woman
does not only feel love and respect when they are considered beautiful. A woman can
feel great and powerful and they do not need the approval of someone else. This message
about appearance correlates with feminism, showing that someones looks does not
measure their self-worth.

The most common evidence of feminism in the story was the male-dominated
world. During the time period, women were often put down and were always falsely
viewed. One of them is that men were often represented as more important compared to
women. Maya says she has been reading and mentions, Horatio Alger was the greatest
writer in the world. His heroes were always good, always won, and were always boys. I
could have developed the first two virtues, but becoming a boy was sure to be difficult, if
not impossible (Angelou, 75). Maya thinks that in order to be a hero, you must be a boy.
This is portraying men to be the only people who can be saviors. This causes women to
see themselves as weak and unable to fight for what is right, which perpetuates unjust
stereotypes. Maya even admits she is willing to become a boy just to feel some sort of
heroic feeling inside her. She however, does not need to be male in order to help
someone. This caused boys and men to look better than women. This view goes against
equality between men and women, causing gender discrimination. Feminism however,
advocates peace and fairness between men and women. Achievements and
accomplishments were also more focused on males than women. An example of this is
when Maya is in school. Children now a day are normally encouraged to do want they
want, but Maya was not. Maya says that she was in school when someone was talking

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about future plans after high school. Maya then said, The white kids were going to have
a chance to become Galileos and Madame Curies and Edisons and Gauguins, and our
boys (the girls weren't even in on it) would try to be Jesse Owenses and Joe Louises
(Angelou, 179). The women and girls in the room were completely excluded from this
persons speech. That belief that men were more important than women was still present.
The belief that males are the ones going to work, while the females stayed home to cook
and clean. This is not supporting feminism because it goes against what it stands for.
Women are capable of having jobs just like men, and are still able to perform other tasks.

After reading I know why the caged bird sings, it is clear that it contains many
topics about feminism, when looking at it through a feminist perspective. The women in
the story had to endure much discrimination and sexism when it came to their gender.
The story contains both positive images of women, such as being strong and independent,
and women who are excluded, and put down due to stereotypes. Feminism is still
important today and with the help of it, it can allow to have equality among men and
women socially and economically.

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Work cited

Angelou, Maya. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. New York: Random House
Paperbacks, 2009. Print.

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