I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

In the beginning of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Marguerite, later

known as Maya begins to tell the story of her childhood. When her parents

divorced, they sent her & her brother, Bailey to live in Stamps, Arkansas

with their Grandmother (Momma) and their Uncle Willie. The kids go to

school in Stamps and work in the store that Momma and Uncle Willie own.

One year, while they were in Stamps, their father came to visit.

When he was getting ready to return to California, he asked the kids if they

wanted to come back with him to live. They agreed. Momma was also glad

to have them off her hands even though she enjoyed having them around.

While they were in the car, their father revealed that they were

going to St. Louis to see their mother. Maya and Bailey hadn’t seen her for

a very long time to they were happy about the side trip.

After three days in St. Louis, their father left again. They were there

to live with their mother. Maya felt that he was a stranger anyway so it

didn’t bother her at all.

Maya and Bailey’s mother had three brothers who had good jobs

with the city. Their family was respected in the area they lived in and

everyone knew who they were. The children were also introduced to Mr.

Freeman, their mother’s boyfriend. He didn’t interact with them much. He

often came home late at night and they didn’t talk to him very much.

One morning, after Maya’s mother had left, Mr. Freeman ca...