A Literary Analysis Of Maya By Maya Angelou

In the passage Maya is making her transition into adulthood with intense confidence, believing she is better than everyone else. In this section of the novel, Maya and her father are visiting Mexico. She struggles with the mission of driving 50 miles to the border, and believes she should be recognized for her accomplishment. Maya is not a majorly self-confident character, however in this section she is shown in that light. She talks highly of herself, as well as displays her superiority and ascendancy. This is developed through Maya Angelou’s use of tone and language choice.
Angelou utilizes diction and connotation to develop the central idea in this section. These language uses grow her character throughout the story, specifically in a section when Maya visits Mexico with her father. “I was superbly intelligent...Of course I could drive. Idiots and lunatics drove cars, why not the brilliant Marguerite,” (17-18). This quote represents how she sees herself showing negative connotation to represent everyone else compared to her, “Idiots and lunatics….” This provides a better background for how she thinks of herself, as if she is on a higher pedestal. Maya drove her father’s car giving enabling her to have gain confidence within herself to handle the situation, along with gaining a somewhat cocky personality. In this section of the story, Maya states,“...I was controlling Mexico,

In this excerpt alone, Maya’s overall growth was altered dramatically. In the story, Maya is constantly known to have little confidence in herself. She displays low self-esteem and finds that she was uncomfortable in her own skin. However, in an instant, Maya felt more than confident. By driving to the border, she takes control of not only the car, but of her life as a whole. Angelou’s prideful tone was evident throughout, and she felt like she was no longer inferior to everyone else. Maya’s character changed