In ten pages this paper considers multiculturalism and acculturation as they relate to the text by Maya Angelou. Five other sources are cited in the bibliography.
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growing up. But, like any literary masterpiece, the story of this one black girl declaring I can to a color-coded society that in innumerable ways had told her you cant,
you wont transcends its author" (Moore). It is a detailed and incredible tale of one young girl who grows up with dreams of being white, and yet a young girl
who knows that she is black. Throughout the novel we see many examples of her particular culture as Maya attempts to find herself and her place in a world of
multiculturalism. In the following paper we examine some of the elements in the story which relate to this subject. The topics discussed are food, music, dress, childhood socialization, beliefs, religion,
and interracial attitudes. Food Near the beginning of Angelous novel we see a very subtle, yet powerful, illustration of the culture of Maya and her family through a
discussion of food. "Then the winter canning and preserving is described, as people make sausages and cure meat to last through the winter, as well as can their summer vegetables
to last until the next harvest. Then, Angelou describes going into the white part of town, to buy fresh meat that their Momma thought they should have on occasion" (ClassicNotes:
Introduction-Chapter 6). Now, while such a statement could refer to any more rural family, or poor family that lives off the land, in her time and place this was perhaps
not common for white people, a fact that is further emphasized by the fact that they went to town to buy meat and actually ventured into the white part of
town. These two conditions, as they exist beside one another, illustrate the difference in the cultures for the African American people were more reliant on the earth, more frugal, poorer,