In I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Chapter 2 how does Uncle Willie’s pretense of not being disabled relate to the theme of names and identity? Uncle Willie’s drooping mouth, stuttering speech, and partially disabled left arm and leg are physical characteristics that unmistakably identify him as a disabled person.

Uncle Willie is a cripple, and Marguerite describes him as a ‘giant black Z. ‘ His disability was caused when he was dropped by a careless babysitter when he was three-years-old, the same age Marguerite was when she rode a train from California to Stamps. His face is crooked, and one of his hands is very small.

In this quote, Maya speculates that perhaps Uncle Willie grew tired of being “the cripple” in his community, and so when the Store has customers from out of town, he pretends he doesn’t have a disability. Hence, Maya says she once believed that white people were not real.

Uncle Willie’s defining characteristic is his disability: he walks with a cane, his left hand is atrophied, and the left side of his face is paralyzed so that he has difficulty speaking. Because of this, Willie is the butt of all jokes in (mean-spirited) Stamps.

By Maya Angelou No big deal. When they mess something up, Uncle Willie punishes them by burning them with the hot stove.

Why does Marguerite feel a connection to Uncle Willie? Marguerite feels a connection to him after observing him try to hide his disability from a couple who shopped at the store.

Hover for more information. Bailey and Marguerite come to understand that their mother is human after all because she is so nervous when they come back to live with her during the second world war years. Marguerite observes, Although we were both enraptured, neither Bailey nor I was unaware of her nervousness.

Describe Bailey. Include Marguerite’s feelings about him: – Bailey was velvet and dark skinned & dark skinned. (Graceful & smooth) Maya says her brother is a gift from God.

Marguerite liked Deuteronomy because she hoped that she could follow all the rules to avoid hell and brimstone.

Marguerite sees Momma as one of the strongest and most powerful people in Stamps.

This week, Marguerite hates Reverend Thomas so much that she simply wants to see what Sister Monroe will do to him. She does not listen to his sermon; she waits. Bailey nudges her and whispers, “Preach it.” Momma is glaring at Sister Monroe, trying to quiet her, but her voice is already rising.

Louise Kendricks

Daddy Clidell Vivian’s second husband, whom she marries after her children join her in California. Although Maya initially tries to dismiss him, Daddy Clidell becomes the only real “father” Maya knows. He combines the virtues of strength and tenderness and enjoys thinking of himself as Maya’s father.

1. Marguerite thought her room had all the cheeriness of a dungeon after Bailey left. Marguerite did not run away because it would be anticlimactic after Mexico and dull after the car lot. 3.

Summary: Chapter 16 The cook, Miss Glory, a descendant of the slaves once owned by the Cullinans, informs Maya that Mrs. Cullinan could not have children and Maya feels pity for Mrs. Cullinan call Maya “Mary” because “Margaret” is too long. Even worse, Maya notes, her name is Marguerite, not Margaret.

Why did Marguerite feel so guilty about Freeman’s death? She thought her lie had killed him. So, she decided to stop talking.

She wishes she were a boy because the heroes in all her favorite books and stories are male. Bailey welcomes the move to St. Louis and he makes friends, with whom he plays baseball.

Why did Momma beat Marguerite and Bailey? She thought they offended God by saying the phrase, “By the way”. She hated it because she thought they knew about Mr. Freeman.

Mrs. Flowers teaches her that literacy and intelligence are not synonymous. Even after Maya moves away from Stamps, she values the gift of books, such as A Tale of Two Cities that Mrs. Flowers gave her, and remembers her as a special person that threw her a life line when she needed it.

Flowers is able to throw Marguerite what the author refers to as “my life line.” In addition, Marguerite admires the way that Mrs. Flowers looks and speaks. Mrs. Flowers has an aristocratic bearing that enables her to appear cool on the hottest day in Stamps.

and meet your next favorite book! Flowers, for she had given me her secret word which called forth a djinn who was to serve me all my life: books.

Marguerite’s

Marguerite was probably fortunate in never seeing Mrs. Flowers with the powhitetrash because they probably would have spoken to her commonly and called her Bertha.

Flowers is refined and sophisticated. Marguerite thinks that Mrs. Flowers is as “well-mannered and civilized as white folks in the movies and books.” Despite her obvious education, Mrs. Flowers remains friendly and modest.

Angelou describes Mrs. Flowers in glowing terms. She “had a private breeze which swirled around” her on summer days, the image telling of how graceful and noble she was. She is “like women in English novels,” exotic and almost too ideal to be real, and living in Stamps.

Thus it is that Mrs. Flowers challenges Marguerite’s perception of herself and of others, and gradually fills her once again with self-respect and self-love through the simple process of spending time with Marguerite and letting her know that she is valued and esteemed.

Flowers encouraged Marguerite “to listen carefully to what country people called mother wit. That in those homely sayings was crouched the collective wisdom of generations.” Common sense is as important as a formal education.

Marguerite is often embarrassed because her Momma does not speak properly around Mrs. Flowers. Marguerite feels that her Momma does not give Mrs. Flowers the respect she deserves.