I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings: Finals
Why did San Francisco change so much at the beginning of World War II?
-Asian population dwindled/ decreased, became very segregated, prepared for war.
What incident prompts Momma to get the children out of Stamps?
-Bailey helping get rid of a black man's body; momma and uncle willie getting old.
Who was Joyce?
-Bailey's first love, who he plays house with and it is inferred he gets her pregnant
What is the guiding force in Momma's life?
-God
Why did Bailey stay in town so late? Why was he depressed?
-He misses his parents; bailey completely silent during his punishment; he thought he saw mother in a movie, but it was a movie; stayed late to watch the movie again, Kay Francis; he tries to dodge the train; momma was scared the white men would hurt bailey.
Why is Marguerite so upset by Edward Donnelley's speech?
-He was white & he talked about all the new stuff the school is offering for white; she hated being black; very rascists; how great white schools are
Why did it take so long for the Depression to affect the African-American population of Stamps?
-Hit the white community hard; difference wasn't as obvious; already poor; momma kept store open by trade
Why does Bailey decide to move out?
-Mother doesn't approve of his actions and he disobeys her; he gets mad and decides to leave; Clidell is the only man of the house
How did Marguerite find herself in an abusive situation? Was her mother irresponsible in trusting Mr. Freeman to sleep in the same bed as her daughter?
-Mr. Freeman took advantage of her and raped her and no she trusted Mr. Freeman. She could have woken Maya up to inform her for leaving.
Why didn't Marguerite tell her mother the truth about mr. freeman
-Mr.Freeman threatens to kill Bailey if she tells.
With what illegal activities is Grandmother Baxter involved? What do you think Momma would say about this situation?
-Prohibition, gambling & Grandma Baxter makes and sells achol; she gets people to help her sell her achol; momma wouldn't approve.
How do you think Marguerite feels about being an African-American?
-She doesn't feel proud of her race, or she feels the white girls are prettier and more popular. She feels ugly and self-conscience.
How does Marguerite describe the cotton-pickers' lives?
-She feels that they are very poor; paid very little; in major debt
Why was Marguerite sent to work at Mrs. Cullinan's?
-She is a rich white women and she was sent there to learn how to be proper
Why does Marguerite wait so long to tell her mother about the pregnancy?
-She is scared that her mom would take her out of school.
How does Mrs. Flowers come to Marguerite's rescue emotionally?
-She relates to her very well and gives her good advice; she makes her be proud to be a black woman
What is Marguerite's reaction to her father?
-She thinks he is very very handsome+excited to see him; white man disguised as a black man; she is afraid and nervous.
Why did Marguerite feel so guilty after Mr. Freeman's death?
-She thought it was her fault someone beat him up and killed him; since she lied he died, if she told the truth he would be in prison and wouldn't have been murdered; since he was released from prison someone beat him up
Why is Marguerite so pleased when her father invites her to go to Mexico with him?
-So she could get away from Dolores and they can bond;
Why did Uncle Willie hide in the vegetable bin?
-The KKK was looking for a black man to hang.
Why did the children's parents send them to Stamps, Arkansas?
-The parents were getting a divorce; to move in with the grandma; their parents couldn't care for them
How is the white school different from the Lafayette County Training School? How are the black graduates different from the whites?
-The white school is much nicer, more money, better equipment; black grads have scholarships for sports and white grades have scholarships for education.
How do Vivian Baxter and Daddy Clidell react to Marguerite's news?
-They support and encourage her; teaches her about maternal instincts
What are Momma's two most important rules?
-Thou shall not be dirty & Thou shall not be impudent
What are the children's uncles like?
-Well-known for city jobs and loyalty to each other; very mean & not always appropriate; infamous;
What did Marguerite hope the made-over lavender dress would do for her?
-White, Famous, Pretty, Popular
What is the settings of the book?
All of it takes place in the Early 1900s in San Fran., stamps Arkansas, Oakland Cali., St. Louis, and LA
Had she really understood what Mr. Freeman had done? Why did she feel lonely "for the encasement of his big arms"?
And she doesn't understand what Mr. Freeman did and feels bad for him. He misses mother.
what is the reason that Maya beliefs is the reason they have to go to California ?
Bailey seeing the dead body
why does Dolores stab Maya?
Because Maya defended her family when Dolores insulted them
What does Momma tell dr. Lincoln to do after he tells her no?
Close his store and get out of town
Why is Daddy Clidell important to Marguerite?
He is like the first father figure she has ever had and she really enjoys him; Daddy Clidell wants her to avoid conmen, they teach her tricks to avoid conmen.
What excuse does Daddy Bailey make for his frequent trips to Mexico?
He is making shopping trips. He is a cook.
Why does Marguerite end up driving the car?
Her dad comes back drunk; He had been with another woman.
Who is bailey Jr.
Her father who is sort of irresponsible, he is also handsome, tall, talks funny, Maya also thinks he is all these things when he is really not
What does Marguerite gain from living in the junkyard?
How to drive; to curse & dance & tolerance
Why were the exhausted cotton-pickers anxious to attend the revival meetings?
It's their getaway from their pain and rough lives; God plan; Maya doesn't like how the cotton pickers are treated she feels bad for them.
Why is it so important to the people at the Store that Joe Louis win the fight they are listening to on the radio?
Joe Louis is proving to the white that they are stronger than all the white race, they may put them down in society but they are still stronger.
Who is the author of the book?
Maya Angelou
What task is Maya really good at doing in the store?
Measuring the flour and she would reward herself with chocolate
Who is Mr. Freeman?
Mr. Freeman is Mothers boyfriend and he watches over Bailey & Maya.
Does the conflict between Dolores and Marguerite become resolved in a satisfactory way?
No, Dolores ends up stabbing her; When they come home Dolores Gets mad about Maya is wearing her father's jacket;
Why doesn't Marguerite simply go back to her mother's?
She doesn't want conflict between her and big bailey, she already feels so much guilt from Mr. Freeman
Why did she break Mrs. Cullinan's favorite china?
She hated being called Mary by Mrs. Cullinan and she didn't feel respected in the house
Why is Marguerite, at 16, worried about her sexual orientation?
She read a book about lesbians and she thinks her body is growing not normally.
what does Maya do after she lies at the trial?
She starts to not start and just walks around all mopey, so she doesn't lie, sort of depressed
What feelings does Marguerite have when her son is born?
She thinks he is beautiful but she is scared of raising him and doing the wrong thing, Vivian helps her to not be nervous around her own son. Maya truly loves her son.
What prompts Marguerite to invite one of the handsome brothers to be intimate with her? What is the result?
She was scared she was lesbian
How is Marguerite treated when she goes to the Market Street Railway Company to apply for a job?
She wasn't treated very well. All the people were racist towards here and she later becomes the first black women to work a streetcar in San Francisco
What is Vivian's job?
She works at different casinos and bars and deals out pokers games and card games, but never cheats anyone, she later works as a nurse
Who said preach it
Sister Monroe
Who is Vivian?
The children's mother who helps raise them for parts of their lives, has a major temper, is really pretty and is known around town for being gorgeous
Who is Dr. Lincoln
The racist doctor who wouldn't treat Maya because of her race
Who was Mrs kirwin
The teacher who Maya loved and wasn't prejudiced at all
Who was Dr. Donleavy
The white speaker at the graduation who was prejudiced in a different way
Why do the children have such negative reactions to receiving Christmas presents from their parents?
They thought their parents were dead
who does maya love most in the world?
bailey
What does maya is the reason for African American people hating nicknames?
because in their history all their nicknames were very offensive and Maya didn't want that
why did Maya quit her job?
because mrs. culling started calling her mary and she broke the glass thing to get fired
what are the three things that Maya over most in the world
books, Bailey and Pineapple upside down cakes
How did Henry Reed bring a feeling of redemption to the graduates and the members of the audience?
he started to sing the African American anthem and they all joined in, afterwards she felt happy about her race
Who was Maya first best friend besides Bailey?
louise
who is Bailey?
maya's brother, year older, Maya thinks he is perfect, always hangs with Maya, does weird things to women/girls
Margerite Johnson
maya, mary, ritie, narrator of the story, autobiography tells of her life while living and moving all other the country
Who is the man who raped Maya?
mr. freeman
why happens when Maya does stuff with the brother
she gets pregnant with a son
how does maya feel about Bailey appearance?
she thinks he is perfect having velvet dark skin and that he is skinny and small
how did maya get her nickname?
she was working at Mrs. cullinan and one of Mrs. friends said why don't you just call her Mary because its shorter
Describe Daddy Bailey's girlfriend:
short, not nice to Maya at all, very rude, insults Vivian, not very pretty at all, she wasn't expected to look the way she did by Maya
who is momma?
the children's grandmother, who raises them until their early teen years, has a general store in stamps, very catholic
what is Mrs. flowers tell Maya to do with books and Poems
to listen to the music in them
