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
In I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the speaker felt that the prejudice against her race was keeping her from being the master of her fate.
In "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," the speaker, Maya Angelou, felt like crying when she heard the lines "I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul" because she felt that being a young African American woman growing up in the South and facing prejudice against her race were the factors that kept her from being the master of her fate. The other options provided, such as being outperformed by Henry Reed and dropping out of school in the eighth grade, may have been challenging experiences for Maya Angelou but do not directly address the specific reason she felt she was not the master of her fate.
In order to understand what the speaker in "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" felt was keeping her from being the master of her fate, we need to analyze the context of the book and the experiences of the speaker.
Firstly, the book is set in the 1930s and 1940s in the Southern United States, a time and place characterized by racial discrimination, segregation, and deep-rooted prejudice. The speaker, Maya Angelou, is an African American girl growing up in this oppressive environment.
Now, let's consider the given options:
1. Growing up in the South: This is indeed a significant factor contributing to the speaker's feeling of being held back. The pervasive racism and limited opportunities for African Americans during that time made it challenging for anyone, especially a person of color, to have control over their own destiny.
2. The prejudice against her race: This is directly related to the first option. The speaker's race subjected her to systemic racism and discrimination, resulting in restricted opportunities and freedoms. The societal prejudices against African Americans were profoundly unjust and prevented them from having full control over their lives and futures.
3. Being outperformed by Henry Reed: While competition with Henry Reed may have posed challenges for the speaker, it is not the primary reason she felt hindered in being the master of her fate. The focus of the novel is more on the broader societal forces of racism and discrimination and their impact on the speaker's life.
4. Dropping out of school in the eighth grade: Although dropping out of school may have limited the speaker's opportunities for education and personal growth, it is still not the central factor that made her feel kept from being the master of her fate. The broader social context of racial discrimination is more influential in shaping her experiences and perspectives.
In conclusion, the speaker in "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" feels that the prejudice against her race, as a result of growing up in the South, is what is keeping her from being the master of her fate.