I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings | Teaching Key Figures

Character Descriptions

This section provides a short description of all the major characters in the book. This can be printed out as a study guide for students, used as a "key" for leading a class discussion, or you can jump to the quiz/homework section to find worksheets that incorporate these descriptions into a variety of question formats.

Characters

Vivian Baxter Bailey - Maya's mother is a beautiful, sexy, vibrant, smart woman with more than a little common sense.

Grandmother Baxter - She was an octoroon-a person with one eighth African American blood-which means that her skin was white.

Mr. Clidell - Mother's second husband, is "the first father I would know." A successful businessman, he adds stability to Maya's life.

George Taylor - A self-pitying Stamps widower who uses his grief as a way to win the sympathy of others.

Mrs. Flowers - An elegant black lady who lives in...
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