I Know Why The Caged Bird Can Not Read Essay - 1661 Words

The argument from the right for why capitalism is overall positive for a nation’s cultural growth is because in such a system the market is regulated less, allowing a person to maximize their potential as an individual without hindrance. However, the words of Francine Prose in her essay â€Å"I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read† outline that just the opposite is true. The economics of the western world, in fact, discourage critical thought and self-expression in order to create a docile work force that fit into the mold that has been inadvertently forged by the society around them. Francine Prose’s commentaries on the issues of high school students who have are apathetic toward reading hold weight for several reasons. Her love of literature stems from the fact that Prose is an avid reader herself who enjoys the art and has â€Å"preserved a lively and still evolving passion for good books.† Prose’s basis for vocalizing her concerns and frustra tions about the topic of mindless readers comes from her desire for her own children to have an appreciation for the therapeutic values of a good book, in addition to the lessons that they teach. Francine’s status as an avid reader, a writer and a mother all lend themselves to establish her credibility in her essay. The reader can easily comprehend the struggle of the bookworm mother who is unamused that her sons have to dredge through the same tiered literature that has been taught for ages. Prose clearly elaborates for her reader theShow MoreRelatedI Know Why The Caged Bird Sings By Maya Angelou Analysis1661 Words   |  7 Pagesfreedom of speech. Equally, authors like Maya Angelou have the freedom of speech in our country to write, and in Angelous case, the freedom to write about her life. Maya Angelou, one of the most banned authors in The United States, wrote I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings. Her autobiography depicts rape, explicit language and racism. It has been use d in educational settings such as high schools and universities and should be celebrated for its elegant prose and creating new literary avenues. This novelRead MoreRacism in Maya Angelous I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Essay1643 Words   |  7 PagesRacism in Maya Angelous I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou, the current poet laureate of the United States, has become for many people an exemplary role model. She read an original poem at the inauguration of President Clinton; she has also appeared on the television show Touched by an Angel, and there read another poem of her own composition; she lectures widely, inspiring young people to aim high in life. Yet this is an unlikely beginning for a woman who, by the age of thirtyRead MoreI Know Why The Caged Bird Sings And Still I Rise By Maya Angelou1517 Words   |  7 PagesPoems of Color The poems â€Å" I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings† and â€Å"Still I Rise† by Maya Angelou are both poems that speak on the issues of the mistreatment of African Americans, and how these challenges were created simply by the color of one’s skin and overcome. While the poems â€Å"Mother To Son† and â€Å" Dreams† by Langston Hughes refer to the hopes of African Americans for a better standard of living, and the consequences of departing from these dreams of bettering themselves. This comparison ofRead MorePaul Laurence Dunbar1604 Words   |  7 PagesPaul Laurence Dunbar by English 102 August 4, 1995 Outline Thesis: The major accomplishments of Paul Laurence Dunbars life during 1872 to 1938 label him as being an American poet, short story writer, and novelist. I. Introduction II. American poet A. Literary English B. Dialect poet 1. Oak and Ivy 2. Majors and Minors 3. Lyrics of Lowly Life 4. Lyrics of the Hearthside 5. Sympathy III. Short story writer A. Folks from Dixie (1898) B. The Strength of GideonRead More Maya Angelou as a Caged Bird Essay1153 Words   |  5 PagesMaya Angelou as a Caged Bird    The graduation scene from I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings illustrates how, living in the midst of racism and unequal access to opportunity, Maya Angelou was able to surmount the obstacles that stood in her way of intellectual develop and find higher ground.   One of the largest factors responsible for Angelous academic success was her dedication to and capacity for hard work, My work alone has awarded me a top place...No absences, no tardinesses, and my academicRead MoreI Know Why The Caged Bird Sings1482 Words   |  6 Pages Maya Angelou tells of her life experiences and struggles in her book â€Å"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings† that gives us insight about Maya’s life as a young black girl growing up in a time of racism. The novel discusses various forms of oppression that she had to face as well cope with them. Robert A. Gross wrote an analysis for Newsweek about the book and claimed that Angelou’s book is not only an interesting story of her ow n experience, but also a portrayal of a Southern black communityRead MoreMaya Angelou: the Lyrical Genius979 Words   |  4 PagesAmericans that she was invited to read one of her poems at the million man march on October 16, 1995(Litz 1). Maya Angelou was so with the the black power movement that she decided to stand before 250,000 people on the steps of the capital building (Bloom 40). Angelous reputation grew to the point where her books did the same; I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings sales went up 500 percent, hardcover sales increased extremely by 1,500 percent (Bloom 42) I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is a self- portraitRead MoreCaged Bird By Maya Angelou1341 Words   |  6 Pageswrote a lot about social and racial issues. In one of Angelou’s famous poems â€Å"Caged Bird† , she uses contrasting birds to express her emotions towards oppression and freedom. Angelou uses diction, imagery, and metaphor in the poem within the birds opposition to realize the perception of silence and lack of power in African American slavery. Angelou conveys her emotions of oppression and freedom through diction in â€Å"Caged Bird† in order to grasp the silence and lack of power in African American slaveryRead MoreEssay about Critique on I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read946 Words   |  4 PagesIn Francine Prose’s â€Å"I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read: How American High School Students Learn to Loathe Literature†, the author is trying to explain why high school students are not asked to read more quality pieces of literature now a days. In my opinion I agree with Prose because I think the texts we read in high school are not challenging and not a lot of students enjoy the readings because they cannot relate. Prose uses the rhetorical strategy of degrading the books high school studentsRead More Maya Angelou: A Source of Humanity Essay1329 Words   |  6 PagesMaya Angelou: A Source of Humanity I am human, Angelou said, and nothing human can be alien to me (Shafer). Maya Angelou just may be the most human person in the world. Indeed, with all of the struggles she went through in her early life, her humanness increasingly deepened. Her life was characterized by the instability of her childhood and her family, along with the challenge of being a black woman growing up in 19th century America. The deepness of her humanness is evident in all