1. The Beauty of Words
Inspired by Maya Angelou
By Penny Walker
February 28,2012
English 1102

2. 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.
•

3. 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)

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. “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)

9. “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.

10. 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

11. 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,

12. 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,
than we are unalike.
We are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.
By Maya Angelou
I Shall Not Be Moved
1990

13. 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