I Know Why the Caged Bird SingsHere is a book as joyous and painful, as mysterious and memorable, as childhood itself. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings captures the longing of lonely children, the brute insult of bigotry, and the wonder of words that can make the world right. Maya Angelou’s debut memoir is a modern American classic beloved worldwide. Sent by their mother to live with their devout, self-sufficient grandmother in a small Southern town, Maya and her brother, Bailey, endure the ache of abandonment and the prejudice of the local “powhitetrash.” At eight years old and back at her mother’s side in St. Louis, Maya is attacked by a man many times her age—and has to live with the consequences for a lifetime. Years later, in San Francisco, Maya learns that love for herself, the kindness of others, her own strong spirit, and the ideas of great authors (“I met and fell in love with William Shakespeare”) will allow her to be free instead of imprisoned. Poetic and powerful, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings will touch hearts and change minds for as long as people read. “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings liberates the reader into life simply because Maya Angelou confronts her own life with such a moving wonder, such a luminous dignity.”—James Baldwin From the Paperback edition. |
Contents
Section 1 | 3 |
Section 2 | 5 |
Section 3 | 6 |
Section 4 | 7 |
Section 5 | 8 |
Section 6 | 9 |
Section 7 | 15 |
Section 8 | 19 |
Section 20 | 101 |
Section 21 | 108 |
Section 22 | 116 |
Section 23 | 129 |
Section 24 | 133 |
Section 25 | 139 |
Section 26 | 148 |
Section 27 | 164 |
Section 9 | 26 |
Section 10 | 33 |
Section 11 | 42 |
Section 12 | 44 |
Section 13 | 45 |
Section 14 | 50 |
Section 15 | 59 |
Section 16 | 68 |
Section 17 | 75 |
Section 18 | 86 |
Section 19 | 90 |
Section 28 | 180 |
Section 29 | 189 |
Section 30 | 195 |
Section 31 | 208 |
Section 32 | 219 |
Section 33 | 244 |
Section 34 | 250 |
Section 35 | 276 |
Section 36 | 277 |
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Common terms and phrases
able answer arms asked baby Bailey believe Black body boys brother brought called church close clothes colored couldn't dark didn't door dress eyes face fact father fear feet felt Flowers Freeman friends front gave girl give going gone Grandmother hand head hear heard hold knew ladies Lafayette County later laughed light lived looked Lord Louis mean mind Miss Momma months morning Mother mouth move Negro never night person play pulled question reached seemed side Sister sounds speak Stamps stand stay stood stopped Store street sure talk Taylor tell thing thought told took town tried turned Uncle Willie voice waited walked weeks woman women