During the final two chapters of Caged Bird, Marguerite overcomes her self-indicted struggle with her physical appearance, and in doing so learns a lifelong lesson of perseverance and optimism that in the end shapes her character as a young woman.
Throughout the book, Marguerite’s body image has been a perpetual obstacle in her path; causing her to struggle with self love and acceptance. Surrounded by beautiful, strong women her entire childhood, her insecurities oftentimes hinder the way she regards herself as a person. Rather than choosing the path of intellect to remind herself of the strength she possesses, Marguerite is so revolted by her appearance that it distracts her from her true purpose in life. As she grows …show more content…
At first shocked and frightened by the idea of pregnancy, she is plagued with the fear of revealing this shame to her mother. Yet, for the first time, she is able to think objectively about her actions and be truthful to herself. As she writes, “For eons, it seemed, I had accepted my plight as the hapless, put-upon victim of fate and the Furies, but this time I had to face the fact that I had brought my new catastrophe upon myself.” This recognition of change in destiny as a result of mistakes caused only by the hatred of herself demonstrates the vast evolution of her character.Left unresolved, the body image that plagued her childhood had turned against her and caused an unimaginable impact upon her life. Yet, at only 16, Marguerite does not let this unforeseen event bring her down. As her mother had taught her, “life has a conveyor belt quality.” With grace and dignity, she let her baby enter into her life as a gift to treasure rather than an obstacle in her path. All the affection she has so desired growing up comes to her in the beautiful form of her very own child. It is only then that she is able to realize that her solution to her insecurities brought her the greatest gift of all-