Eileen Howard

Eileen Howard
I know why the Caged Bird Sings
Maya Angelou
Autobiography
Just Right
Page 21

1. Right now in my book Maya is introducing Uncle Willie. when her uncle was three, his babysitter dropped him and has been lame since. Maya's Momma makes sure that everyone knows that he wasn't born this. One day Maya was walking back to the Store she saw two school teachers talking to Uncle Willie. Her uncle was standing as straight as he could talking to the two teachers. While he was talking to the teachers he was trying to convince the two people that he wasn't lame. This was the only time that Maya had ever seen Uncle Willie try to seem like he wasn't lame.

2. I'm not that far into the book but, I do like it. I really like the way Angelou describes all of the situations in great detail by using lots of different types of literary terms, which keeps it from becoming boring. Also the way she describes "waking up out of her black, ugly dream" makes you feel really bad for her.

3. A theme I have noticed so far is racism. Maya is always talking about one day getting out of this "black, ugly, dream". She wishes that she would have beautiful blond hair, bright blue eyes, and has internalized the idea that she is ugly. She also talks about how the town she lives in, Stamps, has a well-known line between the white and black part of town.

4. My favorite character so far is Bailey Johnson, Jr., Maya's older brother. Bailey is an energetic kid, that takes part in all the sports and is friends with everyone. He also is always looking out for Maya and helps her deal with racism that they face everyday.

5. My Least favorite character is Uncle Willie. He is always at the butt of jokes because he was disabled when he was a child. He takes out his anger from being the butt of jokes on Bailey, and Maya, which doesn't seem fair to me.

6. I think that Maya will do something that angers a white. Then Uncle Willie will get in a fight with someone from the white part of town so that they are forced to move out of Stamps.