Name: ______Date: ______Period: _____

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

Reading Guide

Chapters 21-28

Before Reading: Anticipation Guide

Do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements? Explain why

  1. Frequent moving from town to town can cause stress and trauma to a child.

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  1. Society is unjust and unfair.

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During Reading: Preview these questions before you read. Then, as you read, write your responses after each one.

  1. Explain the game that Bailey is playing in the tent.
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  1. What happens when Joyce plays the game?
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  1. How does Bailey get Joyce to spend more time with him, and what eventually happens to Joyce?

  1. What dreamlike story does Mr. Taylor tell on the night that he stays at Momma’s house?
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  1. Why is Mr. Taylor’s story particularly upsetting to Marguerite?
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  1. What is Momma’s suggestion to Mr. Taylor after hearing the stories?

  1. What happens at the eighth-grade graduation ceremony that makes Marguerite’s mood turn from hopeful to negative?
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  1. What happens after Donleavy’s speech to lift Marguerite’s spirits?
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  1. Why does Momma feel that she can take Marguerite to Dr. Lincoln to treat her toothache?

  1. What is Dr. Lincoln’s response?
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  1. What does Momma do when Dr. Lincoln refuses to treat Marguerite? What does Marguerite think of this?
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  1. What does Momma actually do when she goes in and confronts Dr. Lincoln? What happens?

  1. Why does Momma say that the children are moving to California, and what does Marguerite suspect is the real reason that they are moving?
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  1. Describe the incident in town when Bailey sees the dead body.
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  1. How does this incident affect Bailey?

  1. Why does Marguerite say that she would not miss Mrs. Flowers?
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  1. Why is Marguerite struck with fear and apprehension at seeing her mother again?
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  1. What impresses Marguerite about Momma (years later) when they are staying in Los Angeles?

  1. Why does Vivian wake Marguerite and Bailey one morning at 2:30?
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  1. What does Vivian do for a living, and how is she viewed in her community?
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  1. What happened shortly before Marguerite and Bailey left Arkansas that resulted in Vivian going to jail for a brief time?

  1. What is the first notable change in San Francisco that Marguerite mentions as the U.S. enters World War II?
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  1. Where does the influx of Black people come from, and why?
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  1. What does Marguerite note about the Blacks’ attitude regarding the displaced Japanese who once lived and worked in San Francisco?

  1. What effect does the influx of Blacks have on Marguerite? What else contributes to this feeling?
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  1. What starts to become apparent in San Francisco as more Blacks as well as Southern Whites begin to move in and are forced to work together in the war plants?
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  1. Why does Marguerite say that she experiences a mixture of fear and trauma as she rides the streetcar to school?

  1. How does Marguerite view her new White classmates?
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  1. How does Marguerite describe Miss Kirwin?
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  1. What does Marguerite study at the California Labor School? Why does she choose these disciplines?

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After Reading: Summarize & Reflect

Write a summary of the events for each chapter. Reflect on the chapter. Consider the following questions: How did this section make you feel? How did you combine prior knowledge with what you read to form new knowledge?

Chapter / Summary / Reflect
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28

Connecting: Make connections to what you’ve read with the following statements.

Statements / Connections
  1. Frequent moving from town to town can cause stress and trauma to a child.

  1. Society is unjust and unfair.