Stanley Finds Livingstone by Lawrence Wilson- Summary

Stanley Finds Livingstone

Lawrence Wilson

David Livingstone is a Scottish medical missionary and explorer. He was interested more in exploring places. For an assignment he traveled to Africa to explore places in 1865. After some time no one knew the where about of Livingstone. New York Herald newspaper assigned Stanley to find Livingstone in Africa. The title of the prose piece tells the situation of the incident. This particular chapter is an extract from the book with same title.

In 1869, October James Gordon Bennett, a son of the owner of the New York Herald, met Stanley in Paris. He was there on a mission to collect information regarding civil war in Spain. Mr. Bennett assigned the task of finding Livingstone to Stanley. For nearly four years there was no communication from Livingstone and no white had reported of seeing him in Africa. Thus no one knew whether he was alive or dead. Mr. Bennett thought that the writing of the search for Livingstone would increase the circulation of his news paper. So he assigned the task to Stanley. He was ready to spent thousands of pounds for the assigned work.

Stanley was born in North Wales, U.K as an illegitimate son. He was seen as an unwanted child and suffered under his sadist employer. Later he escaped from there by sailing to New Orleans. He met an affectionate person named Henry Morton Stanley whose name he had adapted later. He considered himself as an American Citizen and fought for America in civil wars and later worked for New York Herald. As he wanted to prove himself with great achievement he immediately accepted the task to find Livingstone in Africa.

In January 1871 Stanley started his voyage. He decided to reach Ujiji, on the shore of Lake Tanganyika, which was 750 miles from the coast. It was from this place people received information about Livingstone finally. Mr. Bennett did not send money to Stanley as he promised. Yet through his persuasion he borrows money from the American consul. He decided his budget and bought supplies for two years. His luggage contained weapons, bullets, clothing, tent, medicines, utensils for cooking, food and native money. This luggage was around seventy pound.

Stanley employed 200 Zanzibaris as porters. Two white men were appointed to supervise them. They stared their sail from the mainland in the month of March. On the way, he hired some more porters. They joined with their family and cattle and started the journey cheerfully. Though various routes existed to reach Ujiji, out of ignorance Stanley selected a tougher route. The hot climate affected the sailor and due to the insects people suffered with fevers. Stanley started to face many problems. The native porters after getting money for the assigned work escaped from the place and some other stole the things that they were carrying. The next eight months were the tough period for Stanley as he kept the supporters either by force or by affection.

 

They reached a regular route used by the Arab traders. They travelled from one village to another and got food and necessary things from there. Later Stanley too suffered with high fever. Later he joined with the Arab traders for safety. When an African Chief Mirabo blocked his voyage his troop along with the Arabs’ fought with him.

Stanley by deciding to avoid battle, travelled through unknown countries. The sailors suffered with various diseases and when they tried to escape, Stanley chained them and put them under his control. When it was sixty miles for Ujiji, he received information from people that a white man was living there. Stanley was excited to receive such information by considering him as Livingstone. To reach Ujiji they had to cross Waha territory but the head of the Waha tribe was demanding huge amount to cross the area. He had to cross five such villages to reach Ujiji and each place demanded huge amount to cross the border. So he decided to take another route which was obviously a longer one. When they reached the destination, Stanley became nervous regarding Livingstone’s reaction. He dressed himself in a pleasant manner to meet Livingstone.

Ujiji people gathered to welcome Stanley. Livingstone’s servant welcomed him and directed him to the house. Stanley was uncertain about the reception of Livingstone. As Stanley suffered with inferiority complex about his birth and child hood life in U.K, he had doubts about Livingstone’s reaction. But his braveness and talent to cross many troubles in the voyage gave him confidence. Livingstone, a kind person invited him with love. Soon Stanley understood the greatness of Livingstone and started admiring him. This Voyage brought great fame for Stanley.

Albert Schweitzer by Norman Wymer- Summary

Albert Schweitzer

Norman Wymer

The prose piece “Albert Schweitzer” is an extract from the book The hospital in the Forest by Norman Wymer. As the title indicates the prose piece is about the life of Schweitzer. He is a 30 year old French citizen working as a principal of theological college at Strasbourg University. In the autumn of 1905, Schweitzer came across an article in the Journal of a French Missionary Society. It described the miserable condition of Africans in West Africa due to diseases and poverty. The article invited volunteers for the medical missionary to help people in West Africa. Due to poverty people hardly had something to eat; sometimes they stayed without eating for two or three days. Most of them suffered with leprosy and dysentery.  So there was an urgent need to help them.

          Schweitzer was affected by the news and decided to do something for the poor Africans. As he studied in a village school where many poor students studied, he understood the pain of poverty. He already had a desire to do something for the needy people. When he got this opportunity he decided to render his service to the Africans. Thus he decided to join the medical missionary. He shared his decision to Helen Breslau, a nurse, with whom he was in love. He expressed his desire to go to West Africa and to build a hospital with his own expenditure at Lambarene in Congo. Shocked Helen replied that a qualified doctor only could join medical missionary. Though Schweitzer already had three degrees, in Philosophy, theology and music he energetically replied that he was planning to do medicine. Helen explained about the difficulty of studying at that age, but he was ready to face everything. By understanding his interest Helen supported him by stating that she too would accompany him to West Africa.

          Soon Schweitzer started his medical training. Mean while he faced depression and pain but due to his hard work he got his medical degree in six years. Then he planned for expenditure for the construction of the hospital. His friends and relatives after knowing his plan tried to stop him but later understood his desire in it. They too helped him with gifts of money. When everything was ready he married Helen in 1913.

          After marriage, they both sailed to West Africa with medical supplies and gold. They reached Port Gentil after travelling for two months. From there they travelled towards Lambarene in streamer in the dirty yellow river around the tangled forest for two hundred miles. The missionaries welcomed them and arranged them to stay in a broken bungalow. Schweitzer and Helen cleaned the bungalow and converted a part of it as dispensary. They changed the boat house as a sick bay and chicken house as consulting room. Due to space constrain operations were done in the open space. The news about the arrival of the doctor reached the Africans. They called him as Oganga- African name for witch doctor. Many people with hope of getting cured with various diesess visited him.

The problem of place for treatment was sorted out. Later he had problem with the language. As he did not know the African dialect he could not talk to the patients. The ignorant people without understanding the treatment brought complications to him. Often they drank the ointments which were meant to apply and applied the powders which were to swallow. That problem also was sorted out by Joseph, an African who spoke both French and the African dialect. He joined as an interpreter. The doctor used to write the complaints of the patients on a cardboard and hung around the patient’s neck. Joseph explained the instruction to the patients. Joseph’s efficiency enabled him to learn elementary training in first aid and medicine and later worked as a male nurse. Later he acted as an assistant at operations.

 The Africans were ignorant about anesthesia and they thought it as a miracle. Once an African girl amazed about anesthesia and considered Schweitzer as a magician or a god. She explained the process of using anesthesia and operation as first the patients were killed and cured them and later gave life to them. As he became very famous people started coming from faraway places. He used to treat several hundred patients every day. Due to it he worked from early morning till midnight. Meanwhile he was working on the construction of hospital. He did not receive anything as fee from the sick people. Regarding fees he said that when they get cured, they could help him later.

Schweitzer and Joseph toiled hard with treating patients and with the construction of hospital. Later the cured patients helped him with the construction of the hospital. By the end of his first year in Lambarene, the hospital was ready with ward for in-patients, a dispensary, surgery, waiting-room, a room for Joseph and an operation theatre. He trained many Africans and employed them as his assistants. As the hospital space was huge, more number of patients started coming. He continued his service for the poor. After his stay in Africa for three years, he received an order from the French Government to serve in the First World War in 1917. Though he decided to return soon, his stay was prolonged due to various reasons. Finally he reached Africa after five years to find his hospital in a ruined condition. The Africans recognised him and shouted happily about his return. Soon all the sick people came in search of him. Once again he restored the damaged buildings and soon he constructed a larger hospital in a different place. Schweitzer received noble prize for peace for his service to people in 1952. He continued to serve the people till his death that was till 1965. The prose projects the humanitarian concern of a person named Schweitzer, who dedicated his life for the welfare of the people.     

Martin Luther King, by Jr. Coretta S. King- Summary

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Coretta S. King

The prose piece “Martin Luther King, Jr.” is an extract from My Life with Martin Luther King Junior by his wife Coretta S. King. The prose piece presents the segregation the black community experienced in the American society. It also shows the emergence of MIA (Montgomery Improvement Association) and the leadership of Martin Luther King as its president.

          The locale of the prose is Montgomery, Alabama and the year is 1955. All over America the blacks were discriminated by the white. Everywhere segregation was followed, that is the blacks and the whites were separated. They had different parks, schools, public place, etc.

          The prose talks about the segregation followed by the Montgomery government in bus services. It is mentioned that segregation followed in bus was the worst.  Most of the blacks that is about 70% of them used the bus services. Even then they were treated worse than cattle. The first seats of the buses were reserved for the whites and the blacks should not occupy those seats even if the seats were free. On the other hand if the white seats were full and some white boarded the bus the blacks had to give their seats for the white. They had to sit from the last that is from backwards. Worst of this was they were ill treated by the drivers. The drivers of those buses humiliated the blacks in front of their children by calling names as black cow, black apes. The passengers paid the fare first and then got on the bus. Sometimes the drivers played a cheap joke that is after collecting ticket fare, they started the bus by leaving the passengers. The poor people after paying the money underwent this trouble. Mostly elderly people and pregnant women faced such discrimination.

          For many years the blacks accepted such ill treatment without reacting to it. But an incident that took place on Dec.1^st 1955 changed the history of the blacks in America especially in Montgomery. 

          Mrs. Rosa Parks, a forty-two-year old black woman was returning home after tiring work on Dec 1, 1955. As she was feeling tired she boarded a bus and sat in a seat at the beginning of the black people’s row. More whites got into the bus and the driver ordered her to get up to give seat for the white. Due to her tiredness she refused to get up and it was considered as an unlawful incident. Due to it she was arrested and produced in the court. Later she was fined ten dollars and her lawyer filled for an appeal. This was the first case filed against a black for disobeying the law.

The news of Mrs. Rosa Parks arrest had spread around the city. Every black thought that they had suffered a lot under white discrimination and that was the time to end segregation. All the black ministers and civil leaders had a meeting regarding this issue at Martin Luther King’s church. In the meeting they have decided to boycott the bus services on 5^th Dec.1955. Leaflets were circulated to convey about the boycott to the black people. On Dec. 5^th Martin Luther was very anxious to know the response for the boycott from his own people.  He along with his wife and friend Ralph Abernathy travelled around the city to check the response of the people for the boycott. Almost all the buses were empty except a few whites and one or two blacks. The blacks by boycotting the bus services travelled by various modes: most of men and women were walking to their work and students were going by walk or many were gathered together and travelled by taxi, some were ridding mules and horses. An old lady said that her heart felt tired due to discrimination but now though her legs are paining she feels happy.

          On the same day Martin Luther King was elected as a president of Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA). That night Martin was to make a main speech. That evening Martin with his friend Ralph Abernathy went for the meeting. He was overwhelmed with the black people’s response for the meeting. The church where the meeting was organized was crowded and the entire road was blocked with traffic jam. More than five thousand people gathered for the meeting and as there was no space for Martin to enter he was lifted and passed to the stage by the crowd. This shows the people’s trust upon Martin. He addressed the people that they were tired of being discriminated. This segregation had to be stopped somehow. He requested them to continue with the boycott and not to force others to take part in it. They should act by following the Christian faith.

          The blacks had three demands to withdraw the boycott. They were: 1. the bus operators should treat the passengers with respect, 2. Reservation of seats should be removed, who comes first can occupy a seat, 3. Negro route buses should be operated by the negro bus drivers. Regarding the demands, Martin met the Mayor of Montgomery, the city Commissioners and the bus company officers. But no decision was taken in the meeting. The blacks were strong with their demands and they continue to boycott the buses for several months. To maintain unity among the blacks’ mass meetings were arranged weekly twice and the orators motivated the public. Martin was in particular that they should follow the Gandhian technique of non-violence. This silent way of protest against segregation has spread around the country.

          Martin’s leadership quality was seen by his way of thinking and action. Once he said that the protest was not only for the black people’s sake but it was for the white people too. Because the white people are suffering with superiority complex and through the protest they can free the white as well from this. Due to the intensity of the boycott, Martin started receiving threat calls. He was arrested on false charges. On 30^th Jan. 1956, when Martin was addressing the public in the Church, his house was bombed. The white police were nervous by thinking the reaction of the blacks. But Martin said that his family was safe. Violence should not be met with non-violence. He quoted Jesus’ words and followed Gandhian principle. These incidents showed Martin as a potential leader.

Later in the month of Feb. 1956, when Martin went out of the town with his wife, a case was filed against Martin and ninety other leaders of his movement. His lawyer appealed in the Federal court and the court dismissed the case as segregation as unlawful on 6^th May 1956. The whites filled appeal for in the U.S. Supreme Court. For many months the boycott was continuing. The people had a tough life during bad weather. On Nov.13 When Martin was in court for the judgment, the court announced the judgment of the Supreme Court that segregation as an unlawful act. The court order that stated ‘segregation as an unlawful act’ reached them on 20^th Dec. 1956. It was considered as a great Christmas present for the blacks. The next morning a group of members gathered at Martin’s house. They all travelled in the first desegregated bus and the whole day Martin travelled in different buses to check the rights of the black. Thus desegregation in Montgomery was achieved without losing a single life.

Summary of 'Tonight I can Write the Saddest Lines' by Pablo Neruda

Tonight I can Write the Saddest Lines

Pablo Neruda

Pablo Neruda is a much acclaimed writer from Chile. This poem was written in Spanish in 1924 and later translated into English in 1969. This poem is celebrated for its imagery and symbols to present the pain of jilted lover. It is about memories of a lost love and the pain they can cause. Throughout the poem the speaker recalls the details of his love that is now broken. He continually juxtaposes the past with his ladylove with the loneliness he experiences in the present. It is written in the style of monologue with the repetition of the line “Tonight I can write the saddest lines” three times to emphasise his sorrow.

             The first line of the poem leaves the readers with a curiosity to know the reason for the poet’s sadness. The images like shattered night and shivering of the blue stars in the distance indicate his melancholic mood. He decides to write a poem at night which brings a dark imagery and his sad mood. The shattered night and the shivering stars project the turmoil the poet experiences in his life. The night wind becomes his companion as it revolves in the sky and sings. Moreover the night enables him to write which he could not write till then. He confesses that he loved her and the unnamed woman also loved him for some time. His memory takes him back to a similar night when he held her in his arm. He admits that he was in love with her deeply and says that her great still eyes will make anyone to fall in love with her.

                 The writer feels that he can write the saddest lines that night as he knows that she is no longer with him. Without her the night seems to be immensely lonely. But his writing replenishes his soul like dew drops to the pasture. He feels upset that in spite of everything, his love could not have her and without her his soul is lost. The night is traumatized as she is not with him. He hears someone singing in the distance, which also indicates that he is alone as he could hear it from the distance. Now he mentions his longing to get reunited with his ladylove as; his sight searches for her, to go to her and his heart too looks for her. Again he mentions that night is similar to the other night when they were together. Suddenly he declares that he does not love her but he loved her greatly earlier. He even tried to send the wind to touch her hearing. But she is another’s now and to express his pain of losing her, the poet states it that her voice, body and infinite eyes will be another’s. Again he declares that he no longer loves her but contradicts himself by stating that he may love her. His words, love is short but forgetting is long, reveals his love for her. The night leaves him with the memory of his ladylove and her loss leaves his soul disturbed. He concludes the poem with a determination that this is the last pain she gives him and this is the last poem he writes for her. He hopes that with this painful attempt of writing he wishes to get out of her memory.

How to Escape from the Intellectual Rubbish? by Russell

How to Escape from the Intellectual Rubbish?

Russell

This piece is a part of Russell’s essay “An Outline to Intellectual Rubbish”. It begins with the statement that no superhuman ability is needed to avoid foolish opinions. He asserts that there are simple rules to save one not from all the errors but from silly errors. He cites the example of Aristotle who declared that women had fewer teeth than men. Russell says that if Aristotle had asked Mrs. Aristotle to keep her mouth open until he finished counting, he would have saved himself from making a very serious mistake. He did not do so because he thought he knew. This according to Russell is the greatest mistake. He further illustrates this situation stating his own believes about hedgehogs and believes of the ancient and medieval authors about unicorns and salamanders. Russell says that one’s opinions are to be brought to the test of experience.

There are also many ways by which one can become aware of one’s bias. If an opinion contrary to one’s own makes him/her angry, then they must understand that they themselves are doubtful in the subconscious level. He explains the difference between arithmetic and theology. Arithmetic is about knowledge, but Theology is only about opinions. Knowledge is the result of observations but opinion need not be so. So whenever one gets angry about another person’s opinion, the person should be on his/her guard and make observations to ascertain their idea.

Russell talks about dogmatism and suggests ways to get rid of is as well. They are

1. To become aware of the opinions held in social circles different from one’s own. Travel is a good way of reducing the intensity of insular prejudice. Here Russell sights his personal experiences of travelling. When he was young he lived much outside his own country especially in France, Germany, Italy and U.S.

2. If one cannot afford travel, they can communicate with people who have different opinions. This will help one to think from the others’ perspective.

3. Otherwise one can read a newspaper belonging to the opposite party. If such people and newspapers seem to be mad or mean one have to caution oneself that they will be seen in the same situation by others.

Russell gives another interesting observation that knowing the customs of other countries will not help always. When the Manchus conquered China, it was the custom among the Chinese, the women to have small feet, and for the Manchus, the men to wear pigtails. Instead of these two people dropping their foolish customs, each adopted the custom of the other. The Chinese continued wearing pigtails until the Manchus dominion ended in 1911. One must, however, learn to judge and accept only what is good in other people and cultures. Blind conformity to another faith or practice will not do any good.

Another method to avoid dogmatism is to imagine arguments with a person having a different bias. The one and only advantage of the method is it is not subject to the limitations of time and space. Russell says that he had changed his mind several times as a result of such kind of imaginary dialogues.

Russell asks one to be careful in taking opinions that flatter one’s self-esteem. It is very difficult to handle this problem because everybody is conscious of his/her sense of superiority. According to Russell this should be tempered with a little modesty and reasonableness. Our standard of values should not be absolute because there are other people and other cultures. Their standards and systems of values are equally respectable and valued for in their lives. He further states that it is more difficult to deal with the self esteem of man as man, because we cannot argue out the matter with some non-human mind. The only way to solve this general human superiority is to remind about the episodic human life in a small planet. Moreover humans should know that the other parts of the cosmos may contain lives superior to themselves. 

Fear, Russell says, is another common source of error. Imagination works negatively and harmfully when one invents certain kinds of fear (disastrous war, ghosts) or entertains illusory gains (eternal life, heaven) etc. one must learn to admit, at least to themselves, these fears. When one overcomes fear he/she becomes less superstitious and more rational. Russell gives some examples to show how magic, sorcery and witchcraft only create illusions of freedom. One becomes really free only when they conquer fear rationally.

Russell, citing the example of Socrates on the day of his death, specifies that people speculate about future life (life after death) because they are unhappy with today’s world. Such thoughts are also signs of fear.

Two mark:

Russell suggests five ways of avoiding dogmatism. One is by making oneself aware of opinions that are in opposition to his own. This can be achieved by travelling and also by mingling and conversing with people having different opinions. The second method is avoiding blind imitation or conformity. The third is by indulging in arguments with an imaginary character that holds a different opinion. The fourth way is by dealing with self-esteem or one’s sense of superiority which is the most difficult one. The last one is overcoming fear, rationally. It is fear that leads to disastrous wars and unhappiness. So it has to be overcome consciously.

Rite of Spring by Arthur Miller

Rite of Spring

Arthur Miller

Arthur Miller in his short essay “Rite of Spring” talks about his love and reluctance for gardening. Miller uses the title from a musical ballad of a Russian composer. The Russian composer Stravinsky’s ballad’s English title, “The Rite of Spring”, is about a pagan ritual in which a girl dances before being sacrificed. The wise elders of that pagan society are seated in a circle and are observing the dance. Later they are offering the girl as a sacrifice to the god of spring in order to gain his blessings. The word rite means sad ceremony or act; here Miller may call gardening as ceremony that is done in the spring season.

                    The writer begins the essay by stating that in spite of knowing the reason for gardening, he has been cultivating vegetables in his garden for the past 36 years. He knew well that buying vegetables is comparatively cheap and easy task than cultivating it in the garden. It requires complete attention as well. On the other hand he does not like eating vegetables instead he prefers to have hot dogs. If the present day tasty foods could be cultivated in the garden, he would do that without a second thought. But cultivating vegetables in the garden was a boring task for him, despite that he loves gardening.

                    In the month of April he is firm about not planting anything but soon nature’s signs call him for gardening. Firstly a scent of earth tempts him. Secondly the sun’s brightness and the birds screaming and finally the worms in the melting soil invite him to the task of gardening. He stares at the soil of his garden not only with pleasure but with conflict as well. The pleasure is about cultivating something in the garden and the conflict is about choice making that is which method to be followed.

In the past years he had been using 36 inch wide black plastic between rows to keep the soil moist in dry times and to keep the garden weed-free.  Though it is useful, it looks unromantic. The writer feels the black plastic in the garden gives industrial look. Hence this time he prefers hay mulch than plastic as it improves the soil’s composition. Gardening also enables one to be knowledgeable about the various types of soil in a small landscape and how sensitive it is. The use of chemical fertilizers will reduce the richness of the soil.  He claims that he will not use fertilizers more and he is not sure about the reason for it. He does not know why he uses very little fertilizer. Maybe he does not want to spend too much on fertilizer, or maybe he does not want the weeds to thrive on fertilizer. But certainly it helped him in learning nature.

He calls the attraction of gardening as neurotic for some and moral for others. It saves one from feeling pointlessness about life and difficulty to grasp something. Gardening also brings out one’s parental care as the plants lives completely depend upon the gardener. In other cases the plants like squash and cucumbers may endanger the lives by turning up in massive numbers. Miller calls gardening as moral occupation as it makes one to be ambitious. By April one will be ambitious to keep a neat garden like the one in the catalogues. But by July the unthinned plants brings chaos. That time his wife comes as a redeemer. Now as the mistress of the garden, she decides which plant to live by moving through row wise.

By this time his mother-in-law makes her first visit to the garden. She used to be a woman who spoke her mind and who was always straightforward in her speech, but now she has learned from experiences that it is not wise to do so. Now she has changes that instead of giving suggestion about planting by then she would wait till October when she makes her annual trip to her home. Her advice by October is of no use that upsets the narrator to decide not to plant anything next time. In spite of such decision, the thought of emptiness of the garden, motivates him to plant again. The sight of dozens of green shade leaves glittering in the sun, beautiful vegetables are lovelier to admire than the hot dogs. Here the writer changes his mind by preferring pants over hot dogs. This healthy growth reflects in orderliness in one’s own spirit as well. Thus the writer changes his mind by accepting that the April is for gardening.      

Now the writer changes his opinion once again by claiming that gardening is pointless, time-consuming hobby. He further states that he does not understand why people love gardening. Because gardening is not a simple hobby or a habit to love, but it is about character building. A garden can be seen as an extension of oneself. It is a place where determination will continue; it also allows one to accept one’s mistake. It helps in character building.  Gardening is not a simple task but it means more that is why Adam is a gardener.  The gardener can become hopeful after repeated failures. He believes that this year will have a good harvest, even though there might be disasters like drought, flood, and typhoon. The God has done His job properly and chosen the right occupation for mankind, because only man can regain hope after repeated failures, believing in new and better possibilities. He concludes the essay by stating that he wrote it in the coldest days of December. He might want his readers to justify his lack of interest in gardening as the result of the climate; yet he pointed out the role of gardening as character building.

Summary of Maya Angelou's 'I know why the caged Bird Sings'(a chapter)

I know why the caged Bird Sings

Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou is a great Afro-American writer, whose original name is Marguerite. This prose is an extract of her autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which explores the themes of economical, racial and sexual oppression. This piece describes her life as a black girl in Arkansas, the way she comes out of her silence and her empowerment. As her parents divorced, Marguerite and her brother Bailey lived with their maternal grandmother’s house with their mother. She was raped by her mother’s boyfriend at the age of eight. She shared this with her brother and later that culprit was killed by her uncle. The traumatic incident silenced the small innocent girl. Maya considered herself especially her speech as responsible for his death and withdrew herself to silence. This extract tells the readers how she comes out of the guilty feel and gains her speech after five years with the influence of her neighbour Mrs. Flowers.

Maya, the narrator begins this part by stating about the influential person of her life Mrs. Bertha Flowers, who was the reason to develop Maya’s love for language and speaking skill. Mrs. Flower is an aristocrat among the black community. Maya describes Mrs. Flowers’ superior position through her elegant appearance and dressing style.  Maya goes to the extent of describing Mrs. Flowers smile and simple actions. The gentleness and care of Mrs. Flowers enabled Maya to understand what a human being can be. Maya feels attracted by Mrs. Flowers and compares her with the women characters in English movies who live with individuality. To Maya Mrs. Flowers looked more beautiful than the white heroines. Maya feels relieved as Mrs. Flowers does not talk to white people. She believes that the white people may have superiority complex over the black and due to it they may call Mrs. Flower as Bertha which may shatter the image of Mrs. Flower.  The fact of Mrs. Flower a black enables Maya to feel proud to be a black. This indicates Mrs. Flowers appeal on the young narrator.

The narrator’s grandmother Mrs. Henderson has a strange relationship with Mrs. Flowers. Her grandmother calls Mrs. Flowers as sister though they both belong to different churches. Mrs. Flower is an educated upper class lady lives in the hill side, away from Maya’s locality. She speaks formal English and her grandmother responds in informal language with grammatical error. Such communication between them especially her grandmother’s grammatical error irked the girl and at times she longs for the ground to open and swallow her.

She narrates a life changing incident that is still fresh in her memory. One day Mrs. Flowers buys provisions from the grandmother’s shop. When the grandmother offers someone to carry the luggage, Mrs. Flowers calls Maya to help by stating that she wants to talk to her. Maya feels excited about this chance and changes her household dress to a formal one. Mrs. Flowers appreciates the dress and extends her compliments to the grandmother for stitching. As that is the first compliment the old lady receives compliment for her work, her excitement makes her to take off the dress from Maya. Maya feels ashamed of standing half naked in front of her favourite person. Again she feels like getting sunstroke and dying than to face Mrs. Flowers.

Later they both start walking towards Mrs. Flowers’ house. On the way Mrs. Flowers tells her that she got good feedback about Maya’s writing from school and the only trouble with Maya is her silence. She advises Maya that language is a powerful tool for communication and it separates man from the rest of the livings. Mrs. Flowers asks Maya to read books aloud initially. When they enter the house the sweet smell of vanilla invited them. Mrs. Flowers says that she prepared tea cookies for Maya and asks her to eat it. Maya feels overwhelmed with the thought of her favourite lady preparing something special for her. She compares the special moment of drinking lemonade and eating cookies with Mrs. Flowers with having mead (an alcoholic drink of medieval period) with Beowulf. Beowulf is a famous Anglo-Saxon hero of an epic titled Beowulf. He is known for his bravery and considered to be a saviour of people. Next Maya compares the special moment with having a hot cup of tea and milk with Oliver Twist. Oliver Twist is the protagonist of Charles Dickens’ famous novel Oliver Twist. Comparing the event of having cookies with Mrs. Flowers with Beowulf and Oliver Twist tells the importance of the moment in her life as well as her interest in reading literature.

Mrs. Flowers reads a poem for Maya and that listening melts her stiffness. Maya says that it was the best thing that she has done in her life and speaks for the first time with Mrs. Flowers.  Mrs. Flowers gives her some books to read aloud and some cookies for Bailey, Maya’s brother. Maya is excited about her visit and returns home happily. Her grandmother and Bailey wait to receive Maya. Maya imagines the happy expression of her brother to receive cookies and says ‘by the way’ Mrs. Flowers gave cookies for Bailey. Something upsets her grandmother and asks Maya to take off her dress and be ready to get beating. Initially Maya thought it as a joke but soon realised the seriousness. They three kneel down and pray to god to forgive her mistakes and she even gets some beating from her grandmother. Now she understands that she has committed some unforgivable mistake. That day evening the grandmother tells the reason as Maya has used the word ‘by the way’. The word way means Jesus and one cannot use god’s name in useless way. Bailey tells her that the white people, whose god is Jesus as well use the word ‘by the way’ casually in their conversation. Grandmother rejects his argument by stating that white people use hateful words before god and no need to consider them seriously. This indicates the Afro-Americans faith in religion.

This prose piece enables one to understand the socio- economic condition of the black community in America.  Most of them live in poverty driven condition and have great faith in Christianity though they are converted one. It also presents the transformation in the life of Marguerite from silent phase to active phase. The title is apt for her autobiography as one can understand the Maya Angelou is the caged bird.  The title of the book is taken from her favourite poet Dunbar's poem "Sympathy". For Angelou, the image of a caged bird serves as a metaphor for her own life. She compares her personal struggles including racism, abuse, oppression, and poverty with a cage. As a caged bird she tries to get the attention of the public regarding the injustice she and her community faced through her poetry.