Iunderstand Why the Caged Bird Sings

Introduction

"Graduation" is an excerpt of the autobiographical publication, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, in writing by Maya Angelou. While the publication is autobiographical in nature, this particular excerpt is much discussed amongst literary circles because of Angelou's use of both target and subjective narration. (Tate, 45)

Objective narration describes the heritage of Angelou's local community, Stamps Arkansas. The passage depicts the whole community of Stamps preparing for, and experiencing, graduation ceremonies at the local black schools. Children are described as trembling "with visible anticipation" and the teachers have now become "respectful of the now calm and aging seniors." Wealthy families will purchase new, custom made garments and poor families will choose out their best and ensure that the clothes are freshly scrubbed and pressed.

Southern publications were not the course of study neither in my high school neither in my school English classes. I was very satisfied when I discovered this anthology which comprised up to date stories about increasing up in the south. As the south experiences an influx of northerners and other groups from round the world it will step-by-step lose its exclusive taste which makes it the south. Growing up in the South captures the voices of those who increased up in the district and skilled all the ups and downs that this exclusive district of the homeland had to offer.(Tate, 45) Jones brings simultaneously the very broad cross section of southern writers from across the region. Unlike other anthologies she is inclusive of both Black and White writers who dwelled in the same district but whose experiences were vastly distinct but in numerous cases overlapped. The focus of this capacity is on increasing up as the progeny in the south as well as the investigation of local themes that permeate through all of the fictional and autobiographical selections. All anthologies run the risk of being dull or incomplete.(Braxton,114) Jones avoids this and gives one the balanced image of southern childhood as skilled by the authors. Just the sampling of each story will boost you to seek out the full works of the authors. Southern publications can said to be the soul of America's scholarly heritage. This capacity really speaks to us from the souls of its southern authors. Share their stories and discover how they increased and matured in the district full of aggression, racism, and misunderstandings but still contain the deep sense of space and location in their lives.

As an English instructor in the South Carolina high school, I have discovered this assemblage rather useful as the device to illustrate the large diversity of characters who reside out the Southern experience. The themes of approaching of age, rush, aggression, and the unredeemed sins of past generations are flushed out with intensity and fury. The strongest pieces encompassed are Moody's "Coming of Age in Mississippi," O'Connor's "Everything that Rises Must Converge," and Faulkner's "An Odor of Verbena." If you educate English in the South, you must encompass this collection.

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