Positive Role Models In Maya Angelou's Life

Positive role models in Maya Angelou’s life

In the book “I know why the Caged Bird Sings,” Maya faces many unfortunate situations. While growing up she did not have a true role model until she and Bailey were sent to go live with Momma their grandmother. Throughout Maya’s life she meets many wonderful role models including Momma (grandmother), Vivian (mother), Bertha Flowers (friend).

To begin with, Maya lived in many different places but the majority of them was in Stamps Arkansas with her Grandmother Momma, and her Uncle Willie. When Maya was three, she and her brother Bailey were sent to live with their grandmother who they had never met before due to their parents getting a divorce. Even though Maya was young she was still affected by her parent’s abandonment. Growing up Maya had to learn everything from Momma and her Uncle Willie. Maya was taught the importance of work by helping in their store. Momma

For most of Maya’s life she lived with Momma but from the ages seven to eight she lived with her mother Vivian and her live-in boyfriend Mr. Freeman. Even though Vivian was not perfect she taught Maya to always be honest, to be brave, and to care about others. “I really saw clearly, and for first time, why a mother is really important. She feeds and loves and cuddles and even mollycoddles a child, but because in an interesting and maybe eerie and unworldly way, she stands in the gap. She stands between the unknown and the known.”-Maya Angelou. While living with Vivian and Mr. Freeman, Maya was raped by Mr. Freeman while Vivian was at work. This awful action started to become a regular occurrence, after a while Vivian and Mr. Freeman broke up and that’s when Bailey and Vivian realized what he had been doing to Maya. After they took Maya to the hospital Vivian filed a report and took Mr. Freeman to court and he was sentenced jail time. Soon after he was sentenced jail time he was