Summary:
A biography of Maya Angelou, a poet and author who has shown through her life experience her ability to live up to the words of her famous poem, "And Still I Rise."
Maya Angelou: She Still Rises
"You may write me down in history with your bitter, twisted lies; you may trod me in the very dirt, But still like dust, I'll rise" (Angelou). Those are just a few words written by Maya Angelou in her famous poem, "And Still I Rise." Many people consider that such poem, her anthem, her everyday words in which she experienced. Although she has a very successful adult life as a poet, historian, author, actress, civil-right activist, cook (Butzin-H2), director, dancer and so much more, her childhood was filled with its share of hardships and struggles. Throughout the years, Angelou has touched the lives of many people with her talents, abilities and desires to better mankind, all because she still rises.
On April 4, 1929, in a segregated area in St. Louis, Missouri, Marguerite Johnson was born to Vivian and Bailey Johnson. Life in St. Louis with her parents was not considered the finest, so Marguerite and her brother, Bailey Jr., were sent to live with their grandmother, Annie, whom they called "Momma", in Stamps, Arkansas. After the years, Marguerite and Bailey's relationship became much closer; she even received the name "Maya" from Bailey. In 1931, Angelou's parents filed for divorce and her mother later began to date a man by the name of Mr. Freeman.
On a visit home in 1936, Angelou was raped by Mr. Freeman (Cecil-G2). She was so ashamed of her incident and rarely spoke a word of it. Eventually, one of Angelou's uncles found out about the incident and killed Mr. Freeman. "Like every black women's life, is one of insults... privileged while men can assume moving somewhere else will cure problems" (Randall-2B). Angelou overcame her experience and wrote these words in her famous poem, "And Still I Rise"
Did you want to see me broken"
Bowed head and lowered eyes"
Shoulders falling down like teardrops
Weakened by my soulful cries (13-16)
Angelou's words "contain hopeful determination to rise above discouraging defeat" (Neubauer-2D).
Angelou had many talents and abilities and she used them to the fullest. Later in Angelou's life, she enjoyed reading works by William Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe, and Paul Lawrence Dunbar. In Angelou's High School years, she won a scholarship in dance and drama to California Labor School. At the age of sixteen, while still in high school, Angelou gave birth to her son, Guy Johnson. Having to support her child alone, Angelou tried as many jobs as possible. At first, she began dancing in night clubs, conducting cable cars, cooking in Creole cafes, and removing paint from cars at a body shop. Eventually, as she strived to make more money to support Guy, Angelou became a madam and a prostitute.
At the age of twenty-two, Angelou married a Greek-American sailor named Tosh Angelos. The marriage lasted only a few short years, from 1949-1952.
After her divorce to Tosh Angelos, Angelou wanted to further her writing interests; she decided to move to New York and join the Harlem Writers' Guild, in which women were rarely accepted (DeMetz-J2). Angelou's life and career began to soar after writing award-winning poems and books. In Angelou's writing period, she published ten best selling books including, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Angelou also earned The Pulitzer Prize and many National Book Award Nominations. Angelou's works are considered to "reach out to touch the lives of others and offer them hope and confidence in place of humiliation and despair." (Neubauer-3D)
In 1978, Angelou wrote "And Still I Rise," one of the most encouraging, yet well-known poems ever written. In "And Still I Rise," Angelou "promises not to surrender in the face of bitter, twisted lies, hatefulness, and history's shame." (Neubauer-2D) As "she speaks with all her heart and soul (DeMetz-J2)," readers can view Angelou as a hard-working, strong, dominant woman. Through all the hardships and obstacles, Angelou shows she is determined and willing to conquer life one step at a time. Throughout the years, Angelou touched the lives of many people with her talents, abilities and desires to better mankind, all because she still rises!
This is the complete article, containing 676 words
(approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page).
