In the essay “Graduation,” Maya Angelou narrates her 1940, eighth grade graduation from the persona of her younger self, Marguerite Johnson, illustrating the impact of racism towards African-Americans in society. Angelou provides readers at large, the depiction of her own graduation, as well as educational and societal issues through the use of juxtaposition, imagery and various rhetorical questions. In doing so, Angelou is able to convey her younger self’s developing epiphany in the essay.
Initially, Angelou juxtaposes the schools of the white and African-American people to depict the harsh reality of education and society, as well as display the initial development of Angelou’s epiphanic views. Foremost, at the beginning of this essay, it is evident that Angelou implies the subordination and racial discrimination of the African-American race. She underscores the inferiority of the “negro” school by expressing that “unlike the white high school,” they distinguished themselves by “having neither lawn, nor hedges, nor tennis courts.” By defining Lafayette County Training School by what it lacks, Angelou indicates a feeling of desire for change and convey the subordination of the African-American people to the privileging whites. This overall comparison conveys a melancholic mood as she subsequently explains that the …show more content…
Such devices such as juxtaposition, rhetorical questions, and imagery provokes and conveys the development of her epiphany in her essay. Angelou uses these as she tells her story of the conflicts and problems of the society in the 1940’s, while representing the power and unification of the subordinate people of the Black race. Throughout the essay, she has enabled to show her struggles and conflicts, along with her proudest moments of her graduation - being unified, possessing more maturity and graduating into and with her African-American
Initially, Angelou juxtaposes the schools of the white and African-American people to depict the harsh reality of education and society, as well as display the initial development of Angelou’s epiphanic views. Foremost, at the beginning of this essay, it is evident that Angelou implies the subordination and racial discrimination of the African-American race. She underscores the inferiority of the “negro” school by expressing that “unlike the white high school,” they distinguished themselves by “having neither lawn, nor hedges, nor tennis courts.” By defining Lafayette County Training School by what it lacks, Angelou indicates a feeling of desire for change and convey the subordination of the African-American people to the privileging whites. This overall comparison conveys a melancholic mood as she subsequently explains that the …show more content…
Such devices such as juxtaposition, rhetorical questions, and imagery provokes and conveys the development of her epiphany in her essay. Angelou uses these as she tells her story of the conflicts and problems of the society in the 1940’s, while representing the power and unification of the subordinate people of the Black race. Throughout the essay, she has enabled to show her struggles and conflicts, along with her proudest moments of her graduation - being unified, possessing more maturity and graduating into and with her African-American