Merry Pranksters

Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Annie Johnson on April 4, 1928. Maya grew up in St. Louis and Stamps, Arkansas. Maya Angelou is a female that is a black American American that liked to experience. At a very young age Maya parents had split up. At the age of 7, during a visit with her mother, Maya was raped by her mother’s boyfriend. Growing up as a teenager Maya had a baby at the age of 16 as a teenage mom that also dropped out of high school. She had a son name Guy Johnson. Maya Angelou…

People are born into the world with a purpose; each passing moment is another step in that direction. Marguerite Annie Johnson, more commonly known as Maya Angelou, was born to inspire the world and leave behind a legacy so great it will never be forgotten. She was a scholar, reading the works of great writers such as “Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Langston Hughes, James Weldon Johnson and W.E.B. Du Bois” (Angelou, I Know Why 15-16). Maya Angelou was a teacher, as stated by Oprah Winfrey, “The world…

Many authors write about the people in their lives; they write about their built relationships, and their fallen ones; authors write of inspirational topics such as freedom, death, heaven, slavery. Like such authors, Maya Angelou does so as well, in poem “Alone” she answers the trivial question of where one's soul resides. Maya Angelou’s poem “Alone” embodies the concept of being discontent, pretense and need. This poem demonstrates that those who lack friendships and love tend to feel lonely…

Maya Angelou was one of the most influential authors of her time. Through her autobiographies, she told a story of growing up as a black woman in a time of prominent racism and sexism. Angelou combined the worlds of activism and literature to stand up for what she believed in. She was the victim of abuse and was able to overcome the adversity. Because of the challenges she faced, she became an active advocate of civil rights. She was known for her outspokenness and her ability to make the…

A renowned writer, poet, dancer, singer, actor, friend, and Civil Rights activist, Maya Angelou was a prominent and undoubtedly successful figure throughout the second half of the twentieth century. With many successes throughout her lifetime, Angelou is known for her poem I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings as well as her contributions to the Civil Rights movement. However, many events and people contributed to Angelou’s works and art style. Commonly labeled as a “Renaissance Woman,” Maya Angelou…

American business man, Howard Schultz, once said, “In times of adversity and change, we discover who we are and what we’re made of.” In the novel, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, Maya experiences many different forms of adversity. Maya was a very troubled as a child due to her abandonment problems, being placed in unsafe environments, and a problem of reliance on her older brother, Bailey. In the novel, Maya and Bailey are sent from their parents to live with their grandmother…

“Angelou becomes a voluntary mute and lives in a world of silence for nearly five years” (Hanford). That 5 years of silence comes to an end when Maya meets Mrs.Flowers. Mrs.Flowers introduces poetry to Maya, poetry catches Maya’s attention and she instantly falls in love with how powerful the words sound and how they flow together. “‘How do you like that?’ It occurred to me that she expected a response. The sweet vanilla flavor was still on my tongue and her reading was a wonder in my ears. I…

Maya Angelou once said, “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” In her poem called “Alone”, she gives an extended example of a reason as to why some people are unable to thrive in life and why others do. “Alone” is about the fact that no one can survive in this rough, cruel world alone, and Maya Angelou depicts this through mood, figurative language, and symbolism. First of all, stanza one of…

“By cutting off the damage you make it possible for the tree to grow again. You watch-by the end of summer, this tree will be the strongest on the block” (Anderson 187). A person’s will to continue despite their past problems is what helps them move forward. After experiencing rape, Melinda begins her freshman year being shunned by her friends and detested by the majority of the students at her high school. She faces both inner and outer problems, but continues to grow despite them. Anderson’s…

Prologue Maya Angelou was a “phenomenal woman”. In fact, that is one of the titles of her poems. She has been awarded many awards that she deserves. She was a poet, playwright, singer, dancer, and actress. She has helped our world today in so many ways. She was also a civil rights activist. She has told our world what we are, and have been though her poems and books. Awe owe Maya Angelou a big thank you. The Little girl who Always wrote Marguerite Ann Johnson, also known as Maya Angelou…