Maya Angelou's Great Influence and Success
analytical Essay
667 words
The inspiring African-American woman born in 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri has been one of the many influential voices of our time. Educating herself and having love for the arts helped mold her life into what she imagined becoming a poet, memoirist, novelist, educator, dramatist, producer, actress, historian, filmmaker, and even a civil rights activist. During her early years while still in High School Dr. Angelou experienced brutal racial discrimination directing her to the values of traditional African-Americans. In High School Dr. Angelou received a scholarship for a labor school in San Francisco but eventually dropping out. During the years of 1954 and 1955 Dr. Angelou toured Europe with a production named Porgey and Bess these would be her starting center for what changes her life. Learning from Martha Graham and Alvin Ailey to dance Dr. Angelou started different television shows; eventually recording her own album I 1957 and moving to New York as she became a part of the Harlem Writers Guild, leading her to Broadway where the production The Blacks was wrote and performed. Experiencing a little more for life Dr. Angelou moved to Egypt serving as a writer’s editor for the English Language weekly The Arab Observer. Still in Africa she traveled from Egypt to Ghana where Dr. Angelou taught at a University of Music and Dance, while she still wrote for The African Review and The Ghanaian Times. As Dr. Angelou went from country to country she learned languages such as English, Arabic, Italian, French, Spanish, and Fanti. In Ghana she meets Malcolm X which she help contribute to build the Organization of African American Unity, later moving back to the United States. The arrival of Dr. Angelou was devastating as she found Malcolm X... ... middle of paper ... ...he can embrace and see as an achievement in her lifetime creating something more of writing and how it’s seen over any part of the world in any culture as she evolved from the African American culture which was constantly followed and bothered by others. Maya Angelou behind part of the civil rights movement she knew what it was to be racially discriminated. Dr. Angelou celebrates her birthday every year in her home in Winston Salem located in North Carolina. Maya Angelou’s 82nd birthday was celebrated at this house in North Carolina which she was accompanied by singer Naomi Judd and Martina McBride, as well as director Lee Daniels. Dr. Angelou’s still lives in Salem where she gives lectures and speeches across the United States; although Dr. Angelou respects her times she appeared on the BET Honors 2012 in Washington D.C. at the Warner Theatre with Michelle Obama.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how dr. angelou, an inspiring african-american woman born in 1928 in st. louis, missouri, has been one of the many influential voices of our time.
- Narrates how dr. angelou dropped out of high school and toured europe with a production named porgey and bess. after learning from martha graham and alvin ailey to dance, she recorded her own album and moved to new york.
- Describes how dr. angelou traveled from egypt to ghana where she taught at a university of music and dance, while writing for the african review and the ghanaian times. she met malcolm x and helped build the organization of african american unity.
- Narrates how dr. angelou's arrival was devastating as she found malcolm x being assassinated and the organization they built falling, but later being called to help him as the northern coordinator for the southern christian leadership conference.
- Narrates dr. angelou's script, which was the first african-american woman to be filmed and got nominated for the pulitzer prize.
- Explains that dr. angelou served in the presidential committees and has earned more than 50 honorary degrees, including the presidential medal of arts and the lincoln medal.
- Analyzes how dr. angelo was delighted to receive a national book award for lifetime achievement, which she can embrace and see as an achievement in her lifetime creating something more of writing and how it’s seen over any part of the world.
- Explains that dr. angelou celebrates her birthday every year in her home in winston salem, north carolina, where she was accompanied by singer naomi judd and martina mcbride, as well as director lee daniels.
Related
- explanatory
- analytical
- Biography Of Maya Angelouexplanatory essayMaya Angelou is one of most well-known poets ever. Her work is a reflection of her hardships during her childhood and her life as an adult. She expressed many of her opinions through her poetry and other writing. Many of her poems revolve around equality and freedom because she grew up in the segregated era and worked with civil right activist. The poems she writes are to inspire the lives of others. Till this day, Maya Angelou is still continuing to write inspiring poetry.
In this essay, the author
- Describes maya angelou - biography, the official website.
- Describes moore's "a conversation with maya angelou at 75." smithsonian magazine.
- Explains gaines, malendie, maya angelou's influences, scribd.
- Explains that maya angelou's work is a reflection of her hardships during her childhood and her life as an adult.
829 wordsRead More - Maya Angelou's Literary Analysisanalytical essayIntroduction This term paper was written to shine a little light on one of America’s extraordinary women, Maya Angelou. Maya Angelou started out in humble beginnings she was born on April 4, 1928. Maya Angelou's birth name was Marguerite Ann Johnson. Her birth place was St. Louis, Missouri.
In this essay, the author
- Describes how ms. angelou called her "momma." she ran a general store in stamps, arkansas.
- Narrates how ms. angelou became a street car conductor while she went to the california labor school in san francisco.
- Describes how ms. angelou started working a number of different jobs to make ends meet. in alex haley's book entitled roots, she played the role of the grandmother of kunta kinte.
- Explains that the term paper was written to shine a little light on one of america's extraordinary women, maya angelou.
- Opines that vivian baxter was an involuntary participant in an early, shaping of ms. angelou's life.
- Narrates how angelou refused to speak for several years, believing she had caused the killing because she told of the rape. only her beloved older brother, bailey, could persuade her to talk.
- Analyzes how angelou felt that she might die and that thought brought her to a place of fear.
- Analyzes how ms. angelou stated that nothing is going to keep her down because no matter what she has and will "rise." she won a grammy award for best spoken word album for the audio version of this poem.
- Opines that ms. angelou's message is echoed throughout her life as evidence of a life well lived.
- Concludes that maya angelou's life has impacted the up-and-coming female generation through poetry, autobiographies, and mentoring.
1463 wordsRead More - Biography Of Maya Angelouanalytical essayMaya Angelou is one of the most known African American poets."Dr. Angelou’s words and actions continue to stir our souls, energize our bodies, liberate our minds, and heal our hearts." (http://mayaangelou.com/bio/) She was born on April 4th 1928, in the South St. Louis, Missouri. This period was when the most racism was going on. It was quite over with yet, segregation was still a huge series going on. Maya Angelou was greatly influenced by the Civil Rights Movement. The Civil Rights Movement was a movements in the United States which they has a goal was to end segregation and discrimination against African Americans, or Blacks and give them their voting rights. I believe that Maya Angelou's writing has became more positive after the Civil Right Movement had taken place, it had inspiration and was hoping for the blacks to succeed the goal trying to get reached of them to became more civilized.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that maya angelou's words and actions continue to stir our souls, energize our bodies, liberate our minds, and heal our hearts.
- Analyzes how maya angelou's famous poem, i know why the cage birds sing, refers to the african americans/blacks who have no freedom.
- Analyzes how maya angelou's poem, still i rise, is a positive one, where she expresses her pride to be an african-american.
- Analyzes how maya angelou is telling the white people that she respects the blacks who have served as a slave and hopes that they will achieve the american dream.
- Analyzes how maya angelou's poems became more inspirational as the years went on and the african americans got the rights they deserved.
803 wordsRead More - Maya Angelou Themesanalytical essayMarguerite Anne Johnson, better known as Maya Angelou, was born on April 4, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri. She was born and raised in an era that involved the Great Depression and World War I. When her parents divorced at a young age, she and her brother were sent to live with her grandmother in a heavily racially segregated Stamps , Arkansas. She found solace in her brother, Bailey, in the hard times produced by the South. This segregation was severe in this era, especially for shy young Marguerite. Throughout her childhood, she was sent from her grandmother to her father and mother. All these different environments exposed Angelou to a series of experiences including: racism, segregation, music, and politics. These experiences were most likely what prompted her to chronicle her life through autobiographical works as well as poems. In these works, Angelou utilizes elements such as literary devices, poetic devices, allusions, recurring themes and symbols to portray
In this essay, the author
- Explains that marguerite anne johnson, better known as maya angelou, was born and raised in an era that involved the great depression and world war i.
- Analyzes how maya's experiences in stamps, arkansas, and st. louis missouri contributed to her identity, displacement and motivation to write about it.
- Analyzes how maya's autobiography, i know why the caged bird sings, was influenced by literary and religious allusions.
- Analyzes how angelou views religion as an escape from the harsh realities and injustices that took place daily.
- Analyzes how maya angelou employs various literary devices throughout i know why the caged bird sings in order to describe various characters appearance, actions, surroundings, and the setting.
- Analyzes how angelou uses characterization in i know the caged bird sings to portray distinctive people in the south.
1540 wordsRead More - A Biography: A Biographical Biography Of Maya Angelouanalytical essayTevin Hudson ENC1102 Tuesday and Thursday 7:00am-8:15am April 16, 2014 Writing Assignment 3 Biographical Synopsis Dr. Maya Angelou was born on April 4, 1928 in St. Louis Missouri. Angelou was raised in St. Louis and Stamps, Arkansas. In Stamps she was faced with the brutality of racial discrimination, and a very traumatic incident where she, she was raped by her mother's boyfriend when she was eight, but because of this she also developed an unshakable faith and values of traditional African-American family. (Angelou)This shaped her poetry and her involvement in the arts. Where she began to sing and dance and planned to audition in professional theater but that didn’t work out well because she began working as a nightclub waitress, tangled with drugs and prostitution and danced in a strip club.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that dr. maya angelou was born on april 4, 1928 in st. louis, missouri, and raised in stamps, arkansas. she was raped by her mother's boyfriend when she was eight, which shaped her poetry and involvement in the arts.
- Analyzes how the feminist movement was inspired by malcolm x and dr martin luther king. the poem "still i rise" is written specifically with a feminine voice.
- Analyzes how maya angelou's poem, still i rise, tells people that no matter what someone may do to them, they will continue to rise.
- Introduces maya angelou's official site, which is available at http://mayaangelou.com.
- Explains that chow, balance, "the poetry of angelou." masterplots ii: african american literature, revised edition (2008): 1-5.
639 wordsRead More - Life in the Artsexplanatory essayA hard childhood experience spurred Maya Angelou to be a writer and civil rights activist. She became the first in a wide variety of fields because she was the first African American or woman to do something which showed how the civil rights movement was progressing. Maya Angelou born with the name Marguerite Johnson took her professional pseudonym from her childhood nickname given by her brother and her first husband’s last name. She was poet, novelist, songwriter, play writer, dancer, stage and screen producer, director, performer, singer, and civil rights activists (“Maya Angelou” Poests.org 1). She is best known for her autobiographies.
In this essay, the author
- Describes maya angelou as a writer and civil rights activist. she was born marguerite johnson and is best known for her autobiographies.
- Explains that maya angelou's parents divorced when she was three, which led to her and her brother moving to stamps, arkansas to live with their grandmother, annie henderson.
- Describes how maya angelou began her singing career at a nightclub and recorded her first album, calypso lady.
- Narrates how maya angelou began writing poetry and autobiographies, including i know why the caged bird sings.
- Explains holberg, dale h., and theodore pappas, eds. "angelou, maya." the new encyclopedia britannica.
- Describes maya angelou's work as a civil rights activist. she worked with malcolm x and dr. martin luther king jr.
826 wordsRead More - The Freedom of Maya Angelouanalytical essayMaya Angelou was a highly skilled poet who used her writer’s voice to strengthen and guide civil rights. Angelou was born in St. Louis on the 4th of April, 1928 and is still currently writing (bio.com). A victim of sexual assault, Angelou spent years after as a virtual mute (poetryfoundation.org). Facing racial prejudice and discrimination through all her youth, a lot of her works were centred around prejudice and civil rights (poetryfoundation.org). Angelou is a strong civil rights activist and her writings such as I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings certainly reflect that. Angelou was an influential and passionate person with strong motives . Angelou was the first African-American woman to have a non-fiction bestseller, impacting the literature world (bio.com). Angelou was a coordinator of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and worked with Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X to bolster civil rights (poetryfoundation.com). Overall, Angelou’s works have affected not only poetry but fr...
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how maya angelou, an african-american woman growing up in the early-mid 1900's, learned to "throw things back" at ridiculers.
- Explains that maya angelou was a highly skilled poet who used her writer’s voice to strengthen and guide civil rights.
- Explains that angelou is an essence of freedom in writing, being a subject of racial prejudice in early life, most of her works center around liberty.
- Analyzes how angelou's love of freedom and humankind is shown when she recited "on the pulse of morning" at president bill clinton’s inaugural speech.
- Concludes that angelou is a passionate and ardent writer. her works are remembered and recognized across the world.
- Describes the works of the poetry foundation, including "a look at maya angelou's on the pulse of morning."
656 wordsRead More - Annotated Bibliography Of Maya Angelouanalytical essayReid Karp AP Lit. & Comp. Ms. Lehn, Per. 7 Annotated Bibliography "Angelou, Maya (née Marguerite Annie Johnson). " Encyclopedia of African-american Writing. Amenia:
In this essay, the author
- Opines that angelou, maya (née marguerite annie johnson) is of the encyclopedia of african-american writing.
- Analyzes how maya's sense of story and her passionate desire to overcome obstacles and strive for greatness and self-appreciation is what makes her an outlier.
- Analyzes how maya angelou's second memoir picked up right where i know why the caged bird sings left off.
- Analyzes how maya angelou's memoir, i know why the caged bird sings, is a powerful, painful, and brutally honest account of her childhood.
- Opines that egan, jill, maya angelou, a creative and courageous voice, pleasantville, ny, gareth stevens publishing, 2009.
- Opines that the book cited about is yet another biography of maya angelou. it doesn't include as much substance as the other biography, as it mostly talks about her life and the world around her.
- States that holst, wayne a., "a song flung up to heaven." the christian century 119.13 (2002): 35+. academic onefile.
- Analyzes how maya's everlasting theme of tragedy and triumph is mighty prevalent in the testament that took place during the 1960’s.
- Cites lisandrelli, elaine silvinski, and maya angelou in more than a poet.
- Explains that the book sited above was a biography on the life of maya angelou. it included photos, quotes, and information about her life and the world around her.
- Analyzes how maya incorporates themes of self-acceptance, sexuality, motherhood, men, and race into her poems and personal narratives.
- Opines that lott, deshae e., "maya angelou 1928-." encyclopedia of american poetry: the twentieth century.
- Argues that maya's poetry tells as much of a story about angelou’s life and endeavors, as her autobiographical books.
- Explains that the article cited about was a biographical article about maya's childhood and life and experiences.
- Describes pearce, susan's "angelou, maya." culture wars: an encyclopedia of issues, viewpoints and voices. armonk: m.e. sharpe.
- Analyzes how this literary critique of maya focuses more on her accomplishments as well as her literary works.
- Explains that the article cited above was from the abc-clio database. it concerned the time period that author, maya angelou, lived through.
- Cites the article cited above from the abc-clio database. it was useful as a reference to the time period in which maya angelou grew up.
- Analyzes yarri, donna, "as seen through these eyes." film & history 41.2 (2011): 91+. academic onefile.
- Analyzes how maya angelou narrates as seen through these eyes, a documentary about the gruesome and tragic holocaust.
2111 wordsRead More - Maya Angelouanalytical essayMaya Angelou was one of America’s greatest writers in history. She was known for her many writings and for her part in Civil Rights Movements. Maya Angelou went through many hardships during her childhood, the most prevalent of those, racism over her skin color. This racism affected where she grew up, where she went to school, even where she got a job. “My education and that of my Black associates were quite different from the education of our white schoolmates. In the classroom we all learned past participles, but in the streets and in our homes the Blacks learned to drops s’s from plurals and suffixes from past tense verbs.” (Angelou 221) Maya Angelou was a strong believer in a good education and many of those beliefs were described in her
In this essay, the author
- Explains that maya angelou was one of america's greatest writers in history. she was known for her writings and her part in the civil rights movements.
- Explains that maya angelou inspired education in many ways. she wrote for everyone, and her book, i know why the caged bird sings, is one of the most taught and reviewed books.
- Explains that maya angelou was always learning something from the news, her brother, mom, friends, the many books she read, studying drama, and taking dance classes. she started teaching when she could not learn anymore.
- Explains that angelou always made her opinions known on education. she held seminars and spoke about the issues facing education at the time such as standardized testing.
- Analyzes how maya angelou's teacher taught not because of her liking of the students, but because she hoped her teachings would find new repositories so that they may be taught once again.
- Explains maya angelou's belief in understanding the difference between ignorance and illiteracy in i know why the caged bird sings.
- Analyzes how maya angelou's brother once told her, "all knowledge is spendable currency, depending on the market." even in everyday jobs, people trade knowledge for a service.
- Explains that maya angelou had many views on education and used many ways to learn and teach throughout her life. she had a love for education that was shown through her many books, speeches, and teachings.
984 wordsRead More - leahanalytical essayMaya Angelou was born as Marguerite Johnson in St. Louis, Missouri. After her parents’ divorce, Maya Angelou and her brother were sent to live with their grandmother, in Stamps, a poor section of Arkansas (Handford). Her grandmother was very religious; she made sure they went to church. According to Salem Press, Angelou loved her close relationship with her brother Bailey, who gave her the name “Maya.” At a young age Angelou was a victim of violence. Angelou was raped by a friend of her mother during one of her visits in St. Louis. Later after her mother’s brothers found out about the rape, they killed the man(Poets.org). Angelou felt that she had caused the man’s death by telling her mother what happened, so she refused to speak for five years about her rape. With the encouragement from a well-educated black woman from Stamps, Mrs. Flowers, she regained her voice. With the help of Mrs. Flowers Angelou began to read the works of, Edgar Allan Poe, William Shakespeare and also Paul Laurence Dunbar.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that maya angelou is well known today for her poetry. she is an inspirational woman that poems speak to many young women still today.
- Explains that maya angelou was born marguerite johnson in st. louis, missouri. after her parents' divorce, she and her brother were sent to live with their grandmother in stamps, a poor section of arkansas.
- Explains that maya angelou graduated at the top of her eighth grade class in stamps and continued her education in california. she worked as a waitress, cook, and nightclub singer to provide for her son.
- Explains that maya angelou lived through tough times of racial discrimination and hardship. she returned to america in 1964 to help malcolm x build his new organization of african american unity.
- Analyzes how some critics have argued that angelou's prose is superior to her poetry. sylvester of contemporary poets called it "serious critical attention."
- Argues that angelou's poems are thin in substance, lacking in poetic invention, and in language. others argue that her poems belong to a neglected tradition, containing elements of african-american slave songs and work songs.
- Analyzes how maya's poem is about a woman that is phenomenal. she uses alliteration to portray her self-confidence in every aspect of herself.
- Opines that maya angelou is an inspiration to many. her poetry has touched so many, and will forever be admired. she has overcome so much which has made her a wise individual.
813 wordsRead More