Maya Angelou Metaphor

In her autobiography, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou presents her personal story of self discovery in the early to mid 1900’s in spite of oppression with an underlying metaphor of caged, black birds. Maya Angelou tells her story of coming to age from her perspective as a child until the age of 17, when she gave birth to her son. In the title and dedication of Angelou’s autobiography, Angelou relates her story to the metaphor of a caged bird as she encountered racism and oppression throughout her adolescent years and further relates it to a specific audience as she dedicates it to her son “and all the strong black birds of promise.” She uses this metaphor to illustrate her message of hope, that despite any situation, Black children can become strong, independent individuals and strive for success. Angelou provides detailed accounts of specific instances in her life where she overcame cruelty, and relates it to the metaphor of “strong black birds of promise.”

After arriving to Mexico and a night of partying, Angelou’s father is incapable of driving home, so she takes matters into her own hands and drives her and her father to safety. Though young and inexperienced with driving, Angelou thinks, “Of course I could drive … the brilliant Marguerite Johnson” (237). She makes her way home after a crash that awoke her father and prompted him to drive the rest of the way. At the house, Angelou’s father’s girlfriend, Dolores argues and eventually fights with Angelou. Angelou realizes, “I was cut … [and] Dolores opened the door … [with] a hammer in her hand” (246). Although the odds were against Angelou in both instances, she defies all odds and provides an example of a strong black bird of promise for her