I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Introduction
1.) (2-3) What does Maya fantasize about being?
Chapter 1
2.) (5) Where was Maya from originally? What is her actual name?
3.) (6) Who do Maya and her brother stay with?
Chapter 2
4.) (11) How did Maya's uncle become crippled?
5.) (13) Who does Maya say was her "first white love"?
Chapter 3
6.) (16) How old was Maya when she left Arkansas for good?
7.) (18) Who are the "boys" the sheriff refers to?
8.) (19) What does Maya's grandmother do with Uncle Willie? Why?
Chapter 4
9.) (21) Who was the greatest person in Maya's world?
10.) (25) What does Maya say about the segregation in Stamps?
Chapter 5
11.) (33) Describe what happens between Maya's grandmother and the poor white girls.
Chapter 6
12.) (35) Why do Maya and Bailey dislike Rev. Thomas?
13.) (43) What does Sister Moore do to the preacher?
Chapter 7
14.) (46) How many times has Maya's grandmother been married?
15.) (48) Describe how Maya's grandmother came to be known as "Mrs. Henderson" in the town of Stamps.
Chapter 8
16.) (49) What does Maya say was most enviable about the white people of Stamps wealth?
17.) (51) How does Maya's grandmother keep the store going during the Great Depression?
18.) (52) Why are Maya and Bailey upset when they receive gifts from their parents in California?
Chapter 9
19.) (54) Who comes to Stamps to visit Maya and her brother?
20.) (58) Where is Maya's father taking her and Bailey? For what reason? Why does Maya become worried when she is told that she is going to meet her mother?
21.) (61) How does Maya describe seeing her mother for the first time?
Chapter 10
22.) (62) How do the criminals of St. Louis act around Maya's grandmother (on her mother's side)?
23.) (63) How do Maya and Bailey do compared to their classmates when they attend school in St. Louis?
24.) (64) What are Maya's uncles (on her mother's side) known for?
25.) (65) How did Maya get her name?
26.) (69) What is the name of Maya's mother's boyfriend? How is he described?
Chapter 11
27.) (70) What does Maya say about how often her mother works? Where does she get her income and necessities from? Explain.
28.) (73) What happens between Maya and Mr. Freeman?
29.) (74) What does Mr. Freeman tell Maya he will do to Bailey if she tells anybody what happened between them?
Chapter 12
30.) (78) While raping Maya, what does Mr. Freeman threaten to do if she screams?
31.) (82) How do Bailey and Mother realize that Maya had been raped?
Chapter 13
32.) (83) Why does Bailey tell Maya that she has to admit who raped her?
33.) (85) Why doesn't Maya want to admit that Mr. Freeman touched her prior to the rape?
34.) (85) What punishment is Mr. Freeman given by the court? How long does he spend in jail?
35.) (86) How does the police officer say Mr. Freeman died? Who do you think committed the murder?
36.) (86) Why does Maya blame herself for Mr. Freeman's death?
37.) (87) Why is Maya afraid to ever speak to anyone again?
38.) (88) Where are Bailey and Maya heading back to the the end of chapter 13?
Chapter 14
39.) (89) Why did everybody in town want to visit with Maya and Bailey after they got back in town?
40.) (92) What do the people of Stamps attribute Maya's quietness to?
Chapter 15
41.) (95) Why does Mrs. Flowers appeal so much to Maya?
42.) (97) How does Maya's grandmother embarrass her in front of Ms. Flowers?
43.) (100) What assignment does Mrs. Flowers give Maya?
44.) (103) What does Maya learn was the reason for her Grandmother hitting her with the switch?
Chapter 16
45.) (108) What does Maya worry Ms. Cullinan knows about?
46.) (110) What does Maya do after Ms. Cullinan constantly calls her by the wrong name?
Chapter 17
47.) (113) What do Maya and Bailey spend their allowance on?
48.) (114) Why does Maya feel she would suffer most if Bailey died?
49.) (117) Why does Bailey say he came home late?
50.) (119) What does Bailey do after the movie that scares Maya?
Chapter 18
51.) (120-121) What does Maya say happens to people's faith as they gain more wealth?
52.) (124) How is Mrs. Duncan described?
53.) (132) What type of place does Maya pass after the revival meeting? How is it described? How does this place contrast with the revival meeting?
Chapter 19
54.) (133) What is everybody in the store listening to on the radio?
55.) (136) Who wins the fight?
56.) (136) Why wouldn't a black family want to be "caught on a lonely country road" after the fight? Explain.
Chapter 20
57.) (140) How does Maya describe Louise's appearance?
58.) (143) What type of note is Maya given?
59.) (144) Why is Maya afraid to be somebody's valentine?
60.) (146) Why is Maya relieved that Tommy would still like her even if she does not respond? What was she worried he was after?
Chapter 21
61.) (147) What does Bailey use the tent in the backyard for?
62.) (149) What does Maya think will happen to Bailey if he has sex?
63.) (151-152) What does Joyce's aunt say happened to Joyce?
Chapter 22
64.) (153) Why is Maya allowed to close early?
65.) (154) Who shows up at the house?
66.) (157) What causes Mr. Taylor to drop his soup?
67.) (160) What did Ms. Taylor leave Maya when she died?
68.) (168) Describe Mr. Taylor's dream. What does Momma think it meant?
Chapter 23
69.) (172) What is Maya graduating from?
70.) (175) What does Bailey give Maya as a graduation gift?
71.) (179) Why does Maya get upset with the message from the guest speaker? explain.
72.) (184) What song is sung at the end of graduation that makes Maya feel better about herself?
Chapter 24
73.) (185) What is wrong with Maya's mouth?
74.) (186) What is the name of the white doctor that Momma takes Maya to go see?
75.) (188) Why won't the doctor treat Maya?
76.) (189) What does Momma remind the doctor of?
77.) (193) What did Momma make the doctor do?
Chapter 25
78.) (194) Why does Momma say she has to send the kids to California.
79.) (197) What did Bailey see when he went into town?
80.) (198) What joke does the white sheriff play on Bailey and the other black men?
81.) (200) Who does Maya think about to herself as she is leaving Stamps?
Chapter 26
82.) (204) Where does Maya's family temporarily live on their way to San Francisco?
83.) (206) Where does Maya's mother take her and Bailey when they ask about her job?
84.) (208) What did Maya's mother do to a former business partner after he called her a "bitch"?
Chapter 27
85.) (209) What happened to all the Japanese businesses in San Francisco during the beginning of World War II?
86.) (211) What does Maya say people in San Francisco were paranoid about at the time?
Chapter 28
87.) (215) Who was Miss Kirwin?
88.) (217) Where was Maya given a scholarship to when she was 14?
Chapter 29
89.) (220) How does Maya describe Daddy Clidell?
90.) (221) How would you describe Daddy Clidell's friends that he introduces to Maya?
Chapter 30
100.) (226) Who invites Maya to spend the summer with him in Southern California?
101.) (227) How old did Maya's father tell his girlfriend that she and Bailey were?
102.) (230) What country does Maya's father take her to?
103.) (231) What does Maya's father ask the guard?
104.) (236) What is Maya's father doing when he leaves her in the car in Mexico? What type of condition is he in when he finally returns to the car?
105.) (240) What happens when Maya tries to pass by the border guard in her father's car?
Chapter 31
106.) (243) Why does Delores get upset with Maya's father when they come through the door?
107.) (246) What does Delores do to Maya?
108.) (250) Why does Maya not want to go back to her mother?
Chapter 32
109.) (252) Where does Maya decide to spend the night?
110.) (252) What is the only rule in the junkyard?
Chapter 33
111.) (257) How old is Bailey when he gets kicked out of the house?
112.) (261) What does Bailey tell Maya she can have when he leaves?
Chapter 34
113.) (265) Where does Maya want to work?
114.) (269) What was Maya the first black woman to be hired as in San Francisco?
Chapter 35
115.) (273) What was The Well of Loneliness an introduction to for Maya?
116.) (278) What did Maya think she was turning into?
117.) (283) What happens to Maya after she sleeps with the neighbor boy?
Chapter 36
118.) (286) Where is Maya's mother leaving for?
119.) (288) Why is Maya afraid to sleep with her baby in the bed?