I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Book Review

đź“ŚCategory: Books
đź“ŚWords: 578
đź“ŚPages: 3
đź“ŚPublished: 11 September 2021

In I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Uncle Willie is a crippled person, and this is his fate. “Fate not only disabled him but laid a double-tiered barrier in his path”(Angelou 11) One day, he pretends that he is not crippled. “He must have tired of being crippled, as prisoners tire of penitentiary bars and the guilty tire of blame”(Angelou 13) Uncle Willie is tired of the fact that he is crippled and he fights against his fate of being crippled. He pretends like he is not crippled but his fate dictates that he is crippled. What does it mean to fight against fate? It is to do things that are against what the environment of childhood dictates to do. It is revolting against fundamental beliefs that are held to be true by questioning their truths. And by controlling the environment of childhood, fate could be altered.  

Uncle Willie by pretending to not be crippled fights against his circumstance which is that that he is crippled. Even if it is for a moment, he revolts against what fate dictates he is. “the looks he suffered of either contempt or pity had simply worn him out, and for one afternoon, one part of an afternoon, he wanted no part of them” (Angelou 13) Uncle Willie, for one moment did not want to go along with who he is and revolted against what he is. And in the first place, for Uncle Willie to revolt against what he is, he must be aware of his chains. His chain in this case is his fate. This awareness of his fate makes the chains that he is bound to clear to him. And this awareness enables him to create his revolt against his fate because he knows of his chains.

Awareness of fate is the liberating factor in the fight against it. Margretta fears touching the stove and her fear is used by Uncle Willie as leverage to control her. But if she touched it with her own will, she will win over this fear. “I thought if I could face the worst dangers voluntarily, and triumph, I would forever have the power over it”(Angelou 10) The fact that her pain of the stove is not voluntary is her fear. By doing it on purpose, she shows her revolt against her fate, and in this revolt seeks dominance over it. It would no longer control her, she would not be at its mercy. She will overcome her fear that she has no say in it, and be liberated from its chains. All that was needed to spark this battle against fate was the awareness of her circumstances.

The chains that are fought against in the battle of fighting fate are those that are instilled in childhood. These chains are to remain there forever. And even if a change occurs they will still lay the foundations of fate. They lay the fundamental beliefs. “In later years they change faces, places and maybe races, tactics, intensities, and goals, but beneath those penetrable masks they wear forever the stocking-capped faces of childhood”(Angelou 20) The fight against fate is the clash against these fundamental beliefs that are drilled at childhood. This is when these fundamental beliefs, that the environment of childhood made, are questioned. Even if childhoods effects can not be erased they still can be fought against. And this fighting is the fight against fate.

The environment of childhood control the the deepest beliefs and actions. Childhood dictates a period of formation fundamental beliefs. Therefore, what the environment teaches could be adjusted in a way to influence these fundamental beliefs. And the individuals will continue on, revolt against and questioning the environment within which they are given and grown.

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