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The Beauty of Words
Inspired by Maya Angelou

By Penny Walker
February 28,2012
English 1102

The Beauty of Words
Inspired by
Maya Angelou
• The works of Maya Angelo highlight the beauty that the printed word can convey. The

imagery I notice in her words and the way she uses them bring the story to life whether

in a poem or novel.

• “Dr. Maya Angelo is one of the most renowned and influential voices of our time. A

celebrated poet, memoirist, novelist, educator, dramatist, producer, actress, historian,

filmmaker, and civil rights activist.” (mayaangelou.com/biography) Dr. Angelo has taken

her humble beginnings and learned from every experience that has come her way. She

has chosen to share a lot of those experiences with us through her writings and poetry.

•

Oprah Winfrey and Maya
Angelou
• While reading her first novel I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, I felt as if I were

leaving with her and Bailey. Simply by the way she chose to use certain words. The

simplest word can say so much when used in the correct manner to convey what the

writer wishes to communicate. I grew up in the south and can remember most of the

ways that she describes so vividly. Oprah Winfrey in an interview in O Magazine has

said that “ Since the moment I opened I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, I’ve felt

deeply connected to Maya Angelo. With each page her life seemed to mirror mine: In

her early years she was raised by her grandmother in the south; as a young girl she

was raped; and like me she grew up reciting what church folk called little pieces-a few

lines from the Bible that were usually delivered amid shouts and amens from the

women fanning themselves in the front pews. Meeting Maya on those pages was like

meeting myself in full. For the first time, as a young black girl, my experience was

validated” (Winfrey, Oprah Winfrey)

The eloquence with which I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

is written so that you can relate it to your life at some point

no matter what race you maybe. In the book “Books Change

Lives” 1993-1994 Reading Promotion Campaign by Michael

Thompson in the section Winning Essay and Letters, there is

one written from an inmate enrolled in GED courses; “ I

know Why The Caged Bird Sings, inspired me. In her book,

there were three things that affected my life; these were

things such as growing up in the church, respecting one

another, experiencing racism and desiring a good education.

These things have made me a better person. I am not about

racism any more .I am inspired by Maya to further my

education and respect people. I believe in God and I pray.”

(Thompson)She inspired this young person to be a better

person. Words are all she used.

The words in that novel were put together like a fine painting and

have inspired most everyone to be better that they were before

reading. Could anyone have written the same novel and gotten the

same results? I don’t think so maybe a few but these were her

experiences so they meant enough to her to express them the best

way she knew how.

Not only did I find myself enthralled by her imagery in most

everything I have read by her, I find after completing that I have a

fresh awareness of just how wrongly people can treat each other

without realizing it. This has been I believe one of the biggest

reasons she is so popular this day and time. She makes us think

without preaching but with a down to earth wisdom that very few of

us take the time to nurture in ourselves. Dr. Angelo has done what

most do not want to do. Get to know ourselves well enough that we

can accept what we see flaws and all.

I like to think of her work as a written conscience. “ take a day to heal

from the lies that have been told to us, and the ones we’ve told

ourselves.” (Hutson)“These words of wisdom prompted the

Community Healing Network to issue a Call to Healing and Renewal,

to encourage people everywhere to put the work of healing at the top

of their agendas. “ (Hutson) These words are powerful enough and

so beautifully expressed that they breakthrough racial boundaries

that most everyone has in their mind a small bit, these words cause

a crack just big enough to make us aware of how wrong those

boundaries are.

Ms. Angelo is not the only author that can inspire

with words; she is just the

one I have chosen to do this research paper on.

Many people inspire with words and never get

into print such as religious leaders, teachers,

motivational speakers ,mentors really everyone

can inspire someone else but most of the time we

don’t take the time to think about what to say and

just use someone else’s thoughts.

“Perhaps Maya Angelou said it best in describing

how poetry works:

We Humans are at our best when we

enjoy poetry.... Sometimes all you need is to

reflect in your mind

one poem that says, ““I can make it

through."

(http://journeyofhearts.org/kirstimd/respoem.htm)

“Today, students at Wake Forest University aren't the only ones who

can hear Maya Angelou's inspiring words. One of Angelou's friends is

Oprah Winfrey. Oprah got her own radio channel in 2006. She invited

Angelou to have a show on the channel. Angelou said yes. Now

people can tune in every week to hear Angelou's thoughts and poetry.

Every year, Maya keeps on building roads to help lead others to a

better future. Her words and example will inspire people far into the

future.”

(http://www.eduplace.com/kids/socsci/nc/books/bkd/wklyrdr/article5.s

html)

I can only hope that by writing this paper it has inspired us to

think more about what we say and write or at least be more

aware of how words can harm or help.

Human Family
I note the obvious differences

in the human family.

Some of us are serious,

some thrive on comedy.

Some declare their lives are lived

as true profundity,

and others claim they really live

the real reality.

The variety of our skin tones

can confuse, bemuse, delight,

brown and pink and beige and purple,

tan and blue and white.

I’ve sailed upon the seven seas

and stopped in every land,

I’ve seen the wonders of the world,

not yet one common man.

I know ten thousand women

Called Jane and Mary Jane,

But I’ve not seen any two

who were really the same.

Mirror twins are different

although their features jibe,

and lovers think quite different thoughts

while lying side by side.

We love and lose in China,

we weep on England’s moors

and laugh and moan in Guinea,

and thrive on Spanish shores.

We seek success in Finland,

are born and die in Maine.

In minor ways we differ,

in major we’re the same.

I note the obvious differences

between each sort and type,

but we are more alike, my friends,

than we are unalike.

We are more alike, my friends,


We are more alike, my friends,


By Maya Angelou

I Shall Not Be Moved

1990

Works Cited Page

mayaangelo.com / biography

www.oprah.com/omagazine/oprah interviews

Books Change Lives by Michael Thompson; essay How Maya

Angelou’s Childhood and Hardships Affected My Life by Jimmie

Willoughby, Medium Security Facility, Lorton Virginia.

An evening with Dr. Maya Angelou…and friends By Tina Wynn/

Judy Hutson

http://journeyofhearsts.org/kirstimd/resopem.htm

http://www.eduplace.com/kids/socsci/nc/books/bkd/wklyrdr/article

5.shtml

Maya Angelou- I Shall Not Be Moved; 1990 Random House

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