Liberation Through Words Maya Angelou’s Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Title: Liberation Through Words: Maya Angelou’s “Know Why the Caged Bird Sings“ In “Know Why the Caged Bird Sings“ by Maya Angelou, readers are invited into the poignant and powerful journey of the author’s early life. The memoir begins with Angelou’s childhood in the segregated South during the 1930s, where she faces the harsh realities of racism, poverty, and trauma. Raised by her grandmother in the small town of Stamps, Arkansas, Angelou grapples with the challenges of growing up black in a society that denies her basic rights and dignity. She experiences firsthand the brutality of racism, including witnessing the lynching of a black man and enduring humiliating encounters with white authority figures. Despite the adversity she faces, Angelou finds solace and strength in the power of language and storytelling. Through her love of literature and poetry, she discovers her own voice and begins to articulate her experiences, finding catharsis and empowerment