Joyce A
sexually precocious fourteen year old who seduces ten-year
-old Bailey, instigating his petty thievery of sardines, Polish sausage, cheese, and canned salmon from the store, then runs away to Dallas, Texas, to marry a railroad porter, one of a group of Elks that she met in Momma's store.
What does Joyce do that confuses Bailey?
As long as Bailey provides her with stolen spoils from the Store, Joyce gives
him the affection he craves
. She turns Bailey's innocent, curious games into sexual intercourse, taking his virginity, and then leaves him in the dust.
Who is Grandmother Baxter?
“[N]early white” (10.1), and with a thick German accent, Grandmother Baxter is
the police precinct captain of San Francisco
. She makes illicit deals with the thugs and the prostitutes of the city in return for their votes to keep her in office.
Who is Bertha Flowers?
Bertha Flowers was
the aristocrat of Black Stamps
. She had the grace of control to appear warm in the coldest weather, and on the Arkansas summer days it seemed she had a private breeze which swirled around, cooling her.
Who is the most important person in Maya's life?
Characters
Bailey Johnson Jr.
Maya's older brother by one year, Bailey is the most important person in Maya's life throughout her childhood.
Who is the most important person in Maya's growth toward being a strong and independent woman?
Annie Henderson (“Momma”)
She is the most important influence in Maya's life. Momma deals with racism by submitting to it without a struggle and by developing “a strategy of obedience”, believing that to do any differently would be unsafe. Momma is tall, over six feet, and is very strong physically.
Why did Uncle Willie hide?
Uncle Willie hid in the
vegetable bin to protect himself from the “boys”
in the Ku Klux Klan. Maya describes him “like a casserole,” covered with onions and potatoes. Seeking God's protection for Willie and the family, Momma prayed in the darkened store.
Who is Daddy Clidell?
Daddy Clidell
Vivian's second husband
, whom she marries after her children join her in California. Although Maya initially tries to dismiss him, Daddy Clidell becomes the only real “father” Maya knows. He combines the virtues of strength and tenderness and enjoys thinking of himself as Maya's father.
Why did Maya stop talking?
16, 1996. When she was 8 years old, Maya Angelou stopped speaking. She silenced her voice
because she thought her voice had killed a man
. … Angelou, who died Wednesday, told this story in her first book, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” her groundbreaking memoir about her childhood in the Jim Crow South.
Why is Mrs. Flowers so wonderful?
Flowers
helps give Marguerite a sense of rebirth and a connection to a better world after the trauma she
has experienced. mwestwood, M.A. Marguerite describes Mrs. Flowers as an aristocrat, someone to be admired, the “measure of what a human being could be.” To Marguerite, the most wonderful quality of Mrs.
How did Marguerite know that Mrs Flower liked her?
She had made them “expressly” for Marguerite. (P. 37) In other words,when
Marguerite received the cookies
, she realized that Mrs. Flowers was someone that cared enough about her to go to the trouble of baking something special for her.
Who did Mrs. Flowers want to carry her bags back to her house?
Mrs. Flowers requests that
Marguerite
carry her groceries home.
Who is the most important person in my life?
Many people answer that the most important person is
their child
, their parent, their spouse or some other loved one. But the real answer is YOU! You are the most important person in your life! Most of us were raised to believe that putting ourselves first is selfish.
What did Marguerite hope the dress would do for her?
What did Marguerite hope the made-over lavender dress would do for her?
She wanted it to make her look like a movie star.
Is I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings a true story?
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the
first of seven autobiographical works
by American writer Maya Angelou, published in 1969. The book chronicles her life from age 3 through age 16, recounting an unsettled and sometimes traumatic childhood that included rape and racism.
