Questions over Maya Angelou's teaching

1. We talked about the title of Maya Angelou’s first autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. What did Angelou say is the reason a caged bird sings? What does that mean? Do you agree with or understand that idea?

The reason the caged bird sings, according to Maya, it’s not because they’re cheerful and happy. It’s because they want to escape and they’re screaming. They do this because they want to be free. I understand and agree with this.

3. Angelou says she doesn’t even like to talk about her bad dreams because talking about them “gives them too much power.” Do you think talking about bad dreams or bad news or other bad things (or feeding into “drama” at school or in life) gives those bad things more power? When have you known this to happen?   

I think in some circumstances it can. But also, not talking about them can also give them power. To explain this thinking, whenever there is gossip that is no one’s business, and you talk about it, of course it gives it power. However, if there is a bad thing on your mind that sincerely bothers you, obviously you need to discuss it with someone. Some things should not be shared, other things should not be held in.

4. Angelou and many others suggest that dreams “tell the truth” about us. Do you think dreams reveal things about us that we many not realize or that others don’t see? Can you recount a dream that revealed something about you that you were surprised, ashamed, terrified, etc. by?

It’s said that all the things we subconsciously feel, we dream about. I myself find that I dream about the things I want, often. Most every time I dream, it’s about something I long for. Whether it’s an ability, a person, or food. Sometimes I forget the magnitude of how I feel towards something until I have a dream about it. Or when I realize I’m thinking about it a lot. Whenever I confront those feelings and try to dispel them and it’s hard, I know that it’s more serious than I thought. So yes, I strongly believe dreams reveal things to us.

8. Angelou says, “There’s a world of difference between truth and fact.” What do you think she means by that? Do you think the same?

In my personal belief, every life is kind of like a world of it’s own. It means, you yourself cannot feel for the entire population, you can’t live through anyone else’s eyes but your own. Everything that is most important to you are the things in your life. So with that being said, two people can live completely different lives, and be in completely different worlds too. So let’s say for example, there are two people. Person A knows the truth about something, but decides to lie to Person B. Person A knows the truth, and lives in a world where the truth is known. However, Person B does not know this, and they live in a world where it’s fact.