Adversity In I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

Each failure, each disaster, each adversity holds with it the seed of a greater benefit; it's simply up to us how to utilize them. When difficulties arise, it's completely up to us how we deal with them. We can either let them break us down, or we can build ourselves back up to our ideal form. When difficulties arise, they're obstacles put in our way not to stop us but to pull out our real colors, to make us endure the harsher paths in order to leave with newfound strengths. Throughout I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou portrays her experiences with adversity, as well as the experiences of many others, how she copes with them and how she rises above them. Growing up in Stamps, Arkansas, Maya feels that an enormous displacement from her peers and family while facing the cruelty of racism and sexism. Maya exposes the reality of adversity in all its forms and by the end of the novel, we learn not only what overcoming adversity means, but in a sense beyond words, we understand "why the caged bird sings".

We all deal with the worries of finances in order to secure the daily routine of our lives. However, we fail to realize that others are not so fortunate and many fall into the depths of poverty. When Maya makes a bold move and leaves her father's place, she sets out and finds herself in a cozy junkyard, only to find other kids call the junkyard their home. After the teens accept Maya into the "gang", Maya learns that the group functions efficiently and resourcefully together, despite their diversity in race, age, and gender. From her time in the junkyard, Maya also learns to value diversity and acceptance.

After her experience from the junkyard, Maya realizes that she evolves into a totally different person, a person with confidence, a person with assurance, and a person who feels that she is truly part of the human race, something she lacked as a child. With this newfound confidence, Maya sets her sights on a job, not just any job, but that of a conductorette. After talking with her mother Vivian, Maya discovers that the Railway Company does not hire colored people. Although the author admits that this news disappoints her, she explains that she "gradually ascended the emotional ladder to haughty indignation, and finally to that state of stubbornness where the mind is locked like the jaws of an enraged bulldog" (265). Simply put, her mind was set and she will would exhaust every possibility and opportunity until she achieves her heart's desire. With renewed determination and Vivian fully supporting her, Maya began the first steps in overcoming this domineering obstacle, not just for herself, but for all the people who were turned away because of the color of their skin. It's clear at this point that Maya's constant resolve will act as basis for how high she will rise above this barrier. But whenever Maya pictures