Choose the correct response for the question about the novel excerpt you read.

In I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the speaker states she felt like crying when she heard the lines "I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." What did she feel was keeping her from being the master of her fate?*

growing up in the South.

the prejudice against her race.

being outperformed by Henry Reed.

dropping out of school in the eighth grade.

the prejudice against her race.

The correct response is:

the prejudice against her race.

The correct answer for this question is "the prejudice against her race." In I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the speaker reflects on how she felt like crying when she heard the lines "I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." These lines from the poem "Invictus" by William Ernest Henley convey a sense of empowerment and self-determination. However, the speaker feels that the prejudice against her race is what is keeping her from being the master of her own fate. This understanding is crucial as it helps to reveal the challenges and barriers that the speaker faced due to racial discrimination. Understanding the historical and social context of the novel and the experiences of the speaker allows us to correctly identify the factor that impedes her from being the master of her fate.