Maya Angelou's Ain T I A Woman

Stephen Covey once said, “Find your voice and inspire others to find theirs.” In this quotation, Covey explains that once you determine what you stand for, use your voice and express your thoughts to inspire others to do the same. A similar concept applies to “Ain’t I A Woman,” by Sojourner Truth and “Phenomenal Woman,” by Maya Angelou. Truth and Angelou center their works towards the idea of women using the strength of their voice to influence a change in society. Analyzing these two pieces reveals a message that a woman’s voice is powerful enough to raise the moral standards of how society treats and views women. However, “Phenomenal Woman,” by Maya Angelou, emphasizes the idea of self-confidence and beauty while “Ain’t I A Woman,” by Sojourner

In her speech, Truth states “I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain’t I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man…” (Truth Paragraph 2) This shows how Truth is expressing the underappreciated emotion most woman feel when they are treated unequally against men. They have done as much work as men have, so she argues, why should men have more rights? In addition, Truth also says, “If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back, and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.” (Truth Paragraph 5) In this quotation, she compares the power of women to Eve, the first woman God created. She then argues that if Eve could turn the whole world upside down because of her actions that lead to the committed original sin; all women are strong enough to stand up for their rights and equality between all men and women. She proves that women’s voices are capable of changing society and gaining their rights because she argues that all men and women should be treated equally. In conclusion, in her speech “Ain’t I A Woman,” Sojourner Truth justifies her claim that men and women should be treated equally with equal