Graduation By Maya Angelou Analysis

487 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Maya Angelou: “Graduation” (p. 10)

Lucas Mare Dunkle 6.14.16 Graduation Maya Angelou Summary In a small town called Stamps, located in Arkansas(the south) a group of 8th graders probably in middle school (junior high) are on their way to graduate. Many of the town's residents, all ages, are very excited to see the kids get their diplomas up on stage. The week before the graduation ceremony, there are many gifts and activities that are presented to the rising 9th graders. The author was given a copy of Edgar Allen Poe’s work by her brother before the ceremony. Everything was falling in place, everyone was excited especially the kids. The mood drastically changes when the principal orders the people to sit down instead of singing Negro National Anthem. Everyone is confused about …show more content…

Metaphor- “ A pyramid of flesh with the whitefolks on the bottom, as the broad base, then the indians with their silly tomohawks and teepees and wigwams and treaties, the Negroes with their mops and recipes and cotton sacks and spirituals sticking out of there mouths.”(22) This really shows the judgement and the hatred towards the blacks. Apposition- “... Henry Reed, the conservative, the proper, the A student…” (23) This shows the shock that he started singing. Simile- “ The man’s dead words fell like bricks around the auditorium…”(21) It exemplifies that what he said impacted the audience. Personification: “While echoes of the song shivered in the air…”(24) It shows that the song also impacted the audience. Discussion Questions Clarification: Why does Mr. Donleavy feel the need to say that? Writing Style: Why does the author use the stradegies to show the moods in the

Show More
Related

  • Characteristics And Imagery In Speak By Laurie Halse Anderson

    281 Words  | 1 Pages

    Throughout the passages, Laurie Halse Anderson establishes the Central Idea through the use of Characteristics and Imagery, revealing that the loudest words are the ones that aren’t spoken.

    Read More

  • The Duboisan Concept Of Double Deciousness In Graduation By Maya Angelou

    802 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Maya Angelou's, Graduation, the protagonist Marguerite gains awareness of herself and others through the Duboisan concept of double consciousness. She realizes that she must reconcile her own perception of herself with the unflattering perception society will also possess of her.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Kurt Vonnegut's Writing Style

    1082 Words  | 3 Pages

    Many times it is easy for a reader to identify the specific writing style of a piece, but people rarely analyze how the style is communicated. Style can be communicated through tactics such as juxtaposition. The use of this tactic propels the author’s writing style and many times reveals an underlying message that the writer is attempting to convey to their audience. In Harrison Bergeron Kurt Vonnegut concerns himself with the issue of the destruction of free speech rights by the equal rights movement in the 1950’s and early 1960’s and communicates his feelings toward the issue through a satirical writing style and juxtaposition.

    Read More

  • Language as a Tool in Maya Angelou's "graduation"

    679 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Maya Angelou's Essay `Graduation' the use of language as a navigational tool is very evident, as it leads from emotion to emotion on the occasion of the author's graduation from eighth grade. Over the course of the work, Angelou displays 3 major emotions simply based from the language she uses; excitement, disappointment and finally, redemption

    Read More

  • Transcendentalism Essay

    1717 Words  | 4 Pages

    Music is regarded as a method of passing a message. Though some songs do not intend to do that, the message in them is still perceived. The song, “Get up, ...

    Read More

  • Life Lessons in Maya Angelou's Graduation

    1703 Words  | 4 Pages

    Throughout life we go through many stepping stones, Maya Angelou's autobiographical essay "Graduation", was about more than just moving on to another grade. The unexpected events that occurred during the ceremony enabled her to graduate from the views of a child to the more experienced and sometimes disenchanting views of an adult. Upon reading the story there is an initial feeling of excitement and hope which was quickly tarnished with the abrupt awareness of human prejudices. The author vividly illustrates a rainbow of significant mood changes she undergoes throughout the story.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Maya Angelou's Eulogy For Coretta Scott King

    850 Words  | 2 Pages

    In her eulogy for Coretta Scott King, Maya Angelou uses figurative language and repetition to compel the audience to follow King’s example of peaceful yet strong advocacy of human rights.

    Read More

  • Brent Staples Maya Angelou Analysis

    775 Words  | 2 Pages

    In her autobiography, Maya Angelou tells the story of her coming into womanhood in the American South during the 1930s. She begins with the story of an incident she had on Easter Sunday in which she’s in church reciting a poem in front of everyone; however, she messes up leaving her unable to finish the poem, so she runs out of the church crying and wets herself. Growing up her parents had a rough marriage, and eventually they got a divorce when Maya was only 3 years old. Their parents send her and her older brother Bailey to live with their grandmother Mrs. Annie Henderson in Staples, Arkansas. Staples is a very rural area and their grandmother owns the only store in the black section of the town, so she is very respected amongst the people

    Read More

  • Maya Angelou’s The Graduation

    518 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout life graduation, or the advancement to the next distinct level of growth, is sometimes acknowledged with the pomp and circumstance of the grand commencement ceremony, but many times the graduation is as whisper soft and natural as taking a breath. In the moving autobiographical essay, "The Graduation," Maya Angelou effectively applies three rhetorical strategies - an expressive voice, illustrative comparison and contrast, and flowing sentences bursting with vivid simile and delightful imagery - to examine the personal growth of humans caught in the adversity of racial discrimination.

    Read More

  • The Struggles in Maya Angelou's Life

    924 Words  | 2 Pages

    The early 1930’s a time where segregation was still an issue in the United States it was especially hard for a young African American girl who is trying to grow and become an independent woman. At this time, many young girls like Maya Angelou grew up wishing they were a white woman with blond hair and blue eyes. That was just the start of Angelou's problems though. In the autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou goes into great depth about her tragic childhood, from moving around to different houses, and running away and having a child at the age of 16. This shows how Maya overcame many struggles as a young girl.

    Read More

  • Maya Angelou's Graduation into Maturity

    522 Words  | 2 Pages

    In her first autobiography, Maya Angelou tells about her childhood through her graduation through, “Graduation”, from “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” when she is about to graduate. She starts as an excited graduate because she was finally going to receive her diploma, a reward for all her academic accomplishments. On the day of her graduation finally comes, that happiness turns into doubt about her future as she believes that black people will be nothing more than potential athletes or servants to white people. It wasn’t until Henry Reed started to sing the Negro National Anthem that she felt on top of the world again. Throughout her graduation she felt excited to disappointed, until Henry Reed sang and made her feel better.

    Read More

  • The Boys By Maya Angelou Analysis Essay

    427 Words  | 1 Pages

    In “The Boys,” Maya Angelou depicts the stark contrast between the peaceful, safe world of her grandmother’s store and the brutal reality of the cruel racist society. Angelou describes having a sense of peacefulness in her grandmother’s store as if opening an unexpected present. She explains when the “used-to-be sheriff” rides up on his horse in a manner she feels a sense of tension. Her observation of “the boys” is they are “ugly, disrespectful, and ungrateful men who would harm any colored person for something he or she never did.”

    Read More

  • Emancipation of a Woman in "Phenomenal Woman" by Maya Angelou

    565 Words  | 2 Pages

    Any girl could say she is a woman. It takes a strong woman to be a phenomenal woman. A phenomenal woman does not rely on others for financial, mental and social needs. A woman like this takes pride in her-self and doesn’t let anyone put her down. Throughout the times a woman strives for her independence to become her own individual in life.

    Read More

  • Critical Analysis Of Maya Angelou's Phenomenal Woman

    1436 Words  | 3 Pages

    It is said that when we look in the mirror, we see our reflection; but what is it that we really see? Some people look through the glass and see a totally different person. All across the world identity is an issue that many women have. Woman today must be skinny, tall, thick, fair skinned and have long hair in order to be considered beautiful. Maya Angelou feels otherwise, as she gives women another way to look at themselves through her poem "Phenomenal Woman".

    Read More

  • Summary Of Phenomenal Woman By Maya Angelou

    1215 Words  | 3 Pages

    Women’s beauty has been one of the favorite subjects of many literary works since centuries. Many genius authors have admired women’s physical beauty as per their imaginations. However, their literary works, the male dominated society and the female community have also served as accomplices in creating notion about the beauty of women. In our society, it is believed that a woman should have fair-skin, hourglass figure and long hair to attain the title of ‘a beautiful woman’. This notion has degraded the stature of the entire female community instead of elevating it. The revolutionary poet, Maya Angelou, tried to break this notion by writing a poem to give tribute to ‘an average-looking woman’ who can become cynosure despite of not having fair-skin and the hourglass figure. In the poem “Phenomenal Woman”, the author urges women to celebrate the womanhood instead of being ashamed of it. Every woman has a mystic beauty which can be emanated by being self-confident, by believing in her, and by accepting herself the way God has created them. In the poem, Maya Angelou tries to redefine the beauty of a woman which is unheard of in

    Read More

More about Graduation By Maya Angelou Analysis

Open Document