Maya AngelouMaya Angelou“The Woman and The “The Woman and The

Writings”Writings”By: La Teasha DyerBy: La Teasha Dyer

Who is Maya Angelou?Who is Maya Angelou?

Born Marguerite Ann Johnson, April 4, Born Marguerite Ann Johnson, April 4, 1928.1928.

PoetPoet AutobiographerAutobiographer ActivistActivist WriterWriter

““I Know Why The Caged Bird I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings”Sings”

Her InspirationHer Inspiration Her life story Her life story

growing up as a growing up as a child.child.

This story tells us This story tells us who Maya Angelou is who Maya Angelou is in her own words-the in her own words-the autobiography.autobiography.

What’s The Story?What’s The Story? ““I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings”, tells mostly the story I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings”, tells mostly the story

of Maya Angelou being raped by her mother’s boyfriend of Maya Angelou being raped by her mother’s boyfriend causing her to be mute for almost five years.causing her to be mute for almost five years.

This book also tells of her and her brother moving and the This book also tells of her and her brother moving and the divorce of their parents.divorce of their parents.

The ControversyThe Controversy

Although “I Know Why The Caged Although “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings” won Maya Angelou many Bird Sings” won Maya Angelou many awards it was still banned in most awards it was still banned in most schools because of its bold and schools because of its bold and daring stories.daring stories.

The PoetThe Poet

Maya Angelou is Maya Angelou is most known for her most known for her poem “Phenomenal poem “Phenomenal Woman” and “And Woman” and “And Still I Rise”Still I Rise”

What It MeansWhat It Means““And Still I Rise”And Still I Rise”

““You may shoot me with You may shoot me with your words, your words,

You may cut me with You may cut me with your eyes, your eyes,

You may kill me with You may kill me with your hatefulness, your hatefulness, But still, like air, I'll But still, like air, I'll

rise…” rise…”

This poem encourages not This poem encourages not only women, but all people only women, but all people to keep their heads highto keep their heads high

These lines mean These lines mean that no matter that no matter what anyone does what anyone does or says they cannot or says they cannot bring Maya’s spirit bring Maya’s spirit down and she will down and she will always be happy always be happy and move upward and move upward in life.in life.

““Phenomenal Woman”Phenomenal Woman”

The Meaning of it AllThe Meaning of it All ““Pretty women wonder where my Pretty women wonder where my

secret lies.secret lies.I'm not cute or built to suit a I'm not cute or built to suit a

fashion model's sizefashion model's sizeBut when I start to tell them,But when I start to tell them,

They think I'm telling lies.They think I'm telling lies.I say,I say,

It's in the reach of my armsIt's in the reach of my armsThe span of my hips,The span of my hips,The stride of my step,The stride of my step,

The curl of my lips.The curl of my lips.I'm a womanI'm a woman

Phenomenally.Phenomenally.Phenomenal woman,Phenomenal woman,

That's me…”That's me…”

““Phenomenal Woman” is a poem Phenomenal Woman” is a poem written by Maya Angelou that written by Maya Angelou that encourages woman.encourages woman.

These line iterate the words of a These line iterate the words of a young lady who finds herself to be young lady who finds herself to be phenomenal even though her phenomenal even though her body isn’t what society thinks her body isn’t what society thinks her body should be.body should be.

It also tells of how this It also tells of how this women makes even the women makes even the prettiest of woman jealous prettiest of woman jealous because they don’t because they don’t understand where she understand where she gets her beauty from.gets her beauty from.

ConclusionConclusion Among many other things Maya Angelou is Among many other things Maya Angelou is

a poet and an autobiographer whose a poet and an autobiographer whose words bring true meaning and wisdom to words bring true meaning and wisdom to all it’s readers and listeners around the all it’s readers and listeners around the world. Her expression of true beauty, world. Her expression of true beauty, perseverance, pain, and joy is what makes perseverance, pain, and joy is what makes Maya Angelou truly unique to her own Maya Angelou truly unique to her own rights.rights.

Maya’s QuotesMaya’s Quotes ““A bird doesn't sing because it has an A bird doesn't sing because it has an

answer, it sings because it has a song.”answer, it sings because it has a song.” ““The main thing in one's own private world is The main thing in one's own private world is

to try to laugh as much as you cry.”to try to laugh as much as you cry.”

Works CitedWorks Cited

Angelou, Maya. ”The Poetry Angelou, Maya. ”The Poetry of.”web.18July2009.<http://www.empirezine.com/of.”web.18July2009.<http://www.empirezine.com/spotlight/maya/maya-p1.htm>.spotlight/maya/maya-p1.htm>.

Galiano, Amanda. “Extraordinary Human Galiano, Amanda. “Extraordinary Human Being.”web.18July2009.<http://littlerock.about.coBeing.”web.18July2009.<http://littlerock.about.com/cs/musicbooks/a/mayaangelou.htm>.m/cs/musicbooks/a/mayaangelou.htm>.

Johnson Lewis, Jone. “Maya Angelou Johnson Lewis, Jone. “Maya Angelou Quotes.”web.18July2009.<http://womenshistory.aQuotes.”web.18July2009.<http://womenshistory.about.com/cs/quotes/a/qu_maya_angelou.htm>.bout.com/cs/quotes/a/qu_maya_angelou.htm>.