The Quest for Identity in Maya Angelou’s Autobiography - A Study

Abstract

This study examines Maya Angelou’s autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings as a profound narrative of identity formation shaped by race, gender, trauma, and resilience. This study adopts a qualitative textual analysis methodology, employing close reading supported by feminist, psychological, and African American literary perspectives. This study is limited to Angelou’s first autobiography, focusing on her experiences of racial segregation, sexual trauma, silence, and self-expression. This study contributes to the existing literary discourse by interpreting identity as a dynamic and evolving process rather than a fixed condition, highlighting how trauma can become a source of empowerment. The study concludes that Angelou’s journey from silence to voice symbolises both personal liberation and the collective struggle of African American women for dignity, self-hood, and cultural identity.