Free Essays on Phenomenal Woman

† (Shelton 20). Angelou is a very respected individual despite the fact that she was a black woman growing up when prejudice towards blacks was a major issue and women had little or no rights. In her poems, â€Å"In My Missouri,† â€Å"Equality,† and her novel I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings it is evident that Angelou has led a very rough, but outstanding life and her life experiences are truly reflected in her writings. Angelou’s parents were more fortunate than most black families. Her father, Bailey Johnson, was a navy cook, and her mother Vixian Baxter, was a nightclub performer as well as a owner of a large rooming house in San Francisco (Andrews 19). In the early 1930’s, sadly her parents were divorced and â€Å"...her father sent her and her brother, Bailey, by train, with name tags on their wrists, to live with his mother, Momma Henderson† (Andrews 19). When Angelou turned seven years old she wished to move back to her mothers house in Missouri. When Angelou was eight years old she was raped by her mother’s boyfriend. Angelou was so devastated by the rape that she refused to speak for approximately five years. Because she was so traumatized by her rape she began reading wildly which sparked her life long career (Andrews 19). Angelou says about her own rape experience, â€Å"The act of rape on a eight-year-old body is a matter of the needle giving because the camel can’t. The child gives, because the body can and the mind of the violator can’t†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Magill 216). Angelou also wrote a poem about her mother’s boyfriend who raped her. The poem is titled â€Å"In my Missouri.† This particular poem expresses her feelings towards him. In my Missouri I had known a mean man ... Free Essays on Phenomenal Woman Free Essays on Phenomenal Woman Maya Angelou, born, Marguerite Johnson, was sent along with her brother to live with their grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas, when her parents were divorced. Growing up, she learned what it was to be a black girl in a world whose boundaries were set by whites: â€Å"As a child she always dreamed of waking to find her ‘nappy black hair’ metamorphosed to a long blonde bob because she felt life was better for a white girl than for a black girl† (Rigney 45). Despite the odds, her grandmother instilled pride in young Marguerite, with religion as an important element in their home. After five years of being apart from their mother, Marguerite and her brother, Bailey, were sent back to Saint-Louis to be with their mother. This move would change Angelou's life dramatically. While living in Saint Louis, she was raped by her mothers’ boyfriend. After which she confided in her brother what had happened, and soon the person was found dead. Young Marguerite believed her voice had killed him this caused her to become mute for nearly five years. Her dysfunctional childhood spent moving back and forth between her mother and grandmother caused her to struggle with maturity. She became determined to prove she was a woman and began to rush toward maturity. Because of her past, Maya Angelou went on to be an inspiration to men and women across the nation. She has the unique ability to challenge the divisions of race and class throughout her books of poetry and her autobiographies. Angelou is probably the most widely recognized figure of a poet in contemporary U.S. culture. Her work is found on television, in the movies, on the radio, in print, on the Internet, and at the 1993 presidential inauguration. Given this extraordinary career, she also serves as an exemplary figure to women undergoing many difficulties related to domestic violence and sexual abuse. She has been through what they are encountering, and she offers an important message ... Free Essays on Phenomenal Woman Strengths of a Woman Through the Looking Glass with Maya Angelou’s Poem â€Å"Phenomenal Woman†. As we go through life, we have many experiences such as reading poetry. It may not be fun all the time, but it is one of those things that, whether we can admit it or not, is a good experience for all of us. To write good poetry authors try to write what they know. Some write about experiences they have had, some write about how they were brought up, and some write about what they like or dislike. Maya Angelou uses these things in â€Å"Phenomenal Woman†. The poem not only shows her upbringing but also comes from life experiences and her own likes and dislikes. Maya Angelou, born April 4, 1928 as Marguerite Johnson in St. Louis, was raised in segregated rural Arkansas. Angelou and her brother lived with their grandmother. She married an American freedom fighter and lived in Cairo, where she was editor of The Arab Observer, the only English-language news weekly in the Middle East (Schafer 1). Maya grew up during The Great Depression and she suffered the brunt of segregation. â€Å"She was the first black and first woman street car conductor in San Francisco (during WWII).† Maya took a big part in the civil rights movement because of what she suffered while growing up. â€Å"In 1960-1961, she was asked by Martin Luther King Jr. to be the northern coordinator of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference† (Donegal 1). These are a few of the things that she experienced in life that help her to write meaningful poetry such as â€Å"Phenomenal Woman†. She got strength from growing up during a racially segregated time and working with strong individuals. We can see this strength through what she has accomplished thus far in her life. Some of the poetry Angelou has written is â€Å"Still I Rise†, â€Å"Men†, â€Å"Remembrance†, â€Å"A Conceit†, â€Å"Touched by an Angel†, â€Å"Refusal†, and â€Å"The Lesson† (Al... Free Essays on Phenomenal Woman Phenomenal Woman Maya Angelou was born in St. Louis, MO, on April 4, 1928, and is still alive today. As a child, she faced many hardships and traumas. When Angelou writes she has the â€Å"phenomenal power of rhythm of words† (Shelton 20). Angelou is a very respected individual despite the fact that she was a black woman growing up when prejudice towards blacks was a major issue and women had little or no rights. In her poems, â€Å"In My Missouri,† â€Å"Equality,† and her novel I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings it is evident that Angelou has led a very rough, but outstanding life and her life experiences are truly reflected in her writings. Angelou’s parents were more fortunate than most black families. Her father, Bailey Johnson, was a navy cook, and her mother Vixian Baxter, was a nightclub performer as well as a owner of a large rooming house in San Francisco (Andrews 19). In the early 1930’s, sadly her parents were divorced and â€Å"...her father sent her and her brother, Bailey, by train, with name tags on their wrists, to live with his mother, Momma Henderson† (Andrews 19). When Angelou turned seven years old she wished to move back to her mothers house in Missouri. When Angelou was eight years old she was raped by her mother’s boyfriend. Angelou was so devastated by the rape that she refused to speak for approximately five years. Because she was so traumatized by her rape she began reading wildly which sparked her life long career (Andrews 19). Angelou says about her own rape experience, â€Å"The act of rape on a eight-year-old body is a matter of the needle giving because the camel can’t. The child gives, because the body can and the mind of the violator can’t†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Magill 216). Angelou also wrote a poem about her mother’s boyfriend who raped her. The poem is titled â€Å"In my Missouri.† This particular poem expresses her feelings towards him. In my Missouri I had known a mean man ...