Tolog Review: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
by Maya Angelou
reviewed by Catherine Condit

“To whom it may concern,” is what the tags on the wrists of three-year old Marguerite and four-year old Bailey said in the true story, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou. Marguerite and Bailey’s parents sent them off to the town of Stamps, Arkansas deep in the South to live with their independent grandmother. As they grew up in the South in a primarily black neighborhood, the concept of white people was almost foreign to them. Marguerite was a top student with perfect manners but she had to go through her own hard times. She struggled with being raped and the idea that her parents did not want her anymore. Bailey was an adventurous boy who lived by his own rules, but had seen things he should not have to see at a young age. 

The strong relationship between Marguerite and Bailey saved each other when times were difficult. Together, they had been through so much that they trusted each other more than most siblings. The bond they shared was very heartwarming in contrast to the struggles they endured. Maya Angelou wrote an honest recollection of her childhood, and she looked back on her life in such a way that was wise while keeping in the elements of a story told by a young girl. 

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings was an excellent memoir for readers over the age of thirteen. Some very mature concepts are addressed, and someone younger might not understand or be mature enough to hear. Reading this, I was left speechless after some portions or laughing in others. The life of Maya Angelou is a success story that shows that not only will it get better, but also your life as a child does not determine what you will do in the future. I thoroughly recommend I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings for a read that will not only cause the reader to deeply think, but also provide he or she to evaluate their personal lives.