Maya Angelou Effects Of Child Dispplacement
Effects of Child Displacement
Growing up in the deep rural South during the 1930's through the 1950's after World War Two, Maya never truly felt comfort and experienced the secure place called home. Maya was also never fully accepted for who she was by her family and friends. Maya traveled many times as a kid beginning with the move from California to Stamps away from her divorced parents to live with Momma followed by the relocation to the alien city of St. Louis to live with her birth mother, Vivian. After experiencing the worst part of life, being raped, Maya and Bailey returned to Stamps with Momma in confusion about why they were sent back. Later when Bailey saw the dead black man in the river Momma took the kids back to California to live with Vivian again. When Vivian married Daddy Cidadell they move to San Francisco together. After mentioning these various places that Maya jumped around to as a child the theme of displacement has become more vivid and obvious. In the beginning of the book, Maya had a very low self esteem level as she portrayed herself to be an ugly black child. As Maya grows up, each form of displacement forces Maya to mature and have confidence. Through the tracking of each move and analysis of each form of displacement Maya's growing confidence and acceptance of herself will become clear and prove itself when she finally becomes the first streetcar conductor despite the racist hiring policies in San Francisco.
Maya had always been told about her lack of beauty from her family and friends. There was a point in Maya's life where she didn't even know what a white person looked like. Maya's had a false image of beauty as being white and blonde. When Maya was forced to leave Stamps with her father and go to St. Louis to live with Vivian, she met many confident and strong willed people that helped her build her confidence slightly and helped improve her attitude about herself. Maya admired the fact that her...
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