Maya Angelou Flashcards

Question

California Prodigal summary

Answer 1

Describes a return to California and the landscape is shown as both timeless and evolving

Answer 2

Maya Angelou lived in California for a period of time

Answer 3

- Renewal and transformation - Tradition vs innovation - Time and memory

Answer 4

Maya Angelou’s Through the Inner City to the Suburbs explores the stark contrast between urban poverty and suburban privilege. The poem follows a journey from the inner city, often associated with struggle, crime, and economic hardship, to the suburbs, a symbol of affluence, security, and comfort.

Answer 5

The inner city is where poverty is but the speaker is taking a train to the rich neighbourhood of the suburbs

Answer 6

Lady Luncheon Club

Answer 7

Maya Angelou’s One More Round is a powerful poem about perseverance, resilience, and the struggles of Black people, particularly in the context of slavery and oppression. The poem draws from the spirit of work songs and rhythmic chants, reflecting the endurance of those forced into labor but who continue to push forward despite hardship.

Answer 8

Woman desiring freedom from household chores and life through nature

Answer 9

Maya Angelou’s Momma Welfare Roll is a poignant and critical portrayal of a woman trapped in the cycle of poverty and government dependence. The poem presents the struggles of a Black mother who relies on welfare assistance to survive, highlighting both the economic hardships and the societal judgment she faces.

Answer 10

The U.S. welfare system, particularly in the mid-20th century, was designed to provide financial aid to struggling families, but it often created a cycle of dependency rather than offering real solutions for escaping poverty. Many Black women, especially single mothers, were forced onto welfare due to systemic racism, job discrimination, and economic barriers. Welfare recipients were frequently stigmatized as lazy or undeserving, despite working hard to support their families.

Answer 11

Maya Angelou’s Junkie Monkey Reel explores themes of addiction, self-destruction, and entrapment in a repetitive cycle of dependency. The poem likely follows the life of a person struggling with drug addiction

Answer 12

Angelou worked in a night club where substance abuse was likely rampant. Maya Angelou’s Junkie Monkey Reel is rooted in the harsh realities of addiction, particularly within marginalized communities. The poem reflects social struggles, personal battles, and the cyclical nature of substance abuse,

Answer 13

"Don't bring me no rocking chair" "But ain't I lucky I can still breathe in" "I'm the same person I was back then," "Hold! Stop your sympathy!/Understanding if you got it,/Otherwise I'll do without it"

Answer 14

"Storm blow me from here/ With your fiercest wind" "Fall gently, snowflakes.../Let me rest tonight" "I've got the clothes to tend/ The clothes to mend" whole stanza A B rhyme scheme

Answer 15

"Her arms semaphore fat triangles" "Too fat to whore/ Too mad to work" "walks barehanded/ Into a den of bureaucrats for/ Her portion." "'They don't give me welfare I take it'"

Answer 16

"Her counsel was accepted: the times are grave" "pay him from the petty cash account" "He summons up/ Sincerity as one might call a favoured/ Pet" "(Next time the speaker must be brief)"

Answer 17

"I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size" "The span of my hips,/The stride of my step" "Phenomenal woman,/ Thats me" "Now you understand why my head's not bowed"