"Graduation" By Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou wrote “Graduation” about her eighth grade graduation experience. She is a reliable and smart author because she was educated. For instance, she stated that she had written a letter to the president and was a top student in her class. Throughout the book she implies her concern for continuing education after graduation. Her main idea was about the unfair treatment of African-Americans during that time because they were not valued for their educational intelligence. White people were in charge of African-American schools, and they were inequitable with black people. For instance, after boys graduated, they were sent off to work in fields and girls were to be responsible for home economics. Her experience showed a reader that black people had no accessibility even if they were smart and educated, like Maya Angelou herself. During the ceremony, a white man gave a speech about the granted improvements at a white school. Not only did he talk about those improvements, but he also praised black people for the couple of talented football players they have. This experience left Maya angry and disappointed with her race because they were valued physically first. As a result, the reader is able to catch her tone shifts. Before graduation, she sounded excited and predictable because she knew how happy she was and how the graduation ceremony was. For instance, she states, “Whitefolks would attend the ceremony, and two or three would speak of God and home, and the Southern way of life, and Mrs. Parsons, the principal’s wife, would play the graduation march while the lower-grade graduates paraded down the aisle and took their seats below the platform” (22). During the graduation her tone shifts to nervousness and anger because of the white man’s speech. Angleou states. “The Dutch children should all stumble in their wooden shoes and break their necks. The French should choke to death on the Louisiana Purchase while silkworms ate all the Chinese with their stupid pigtails” (29). However, at the end her tone changes once again after her class valedictorian, who was a black boy, gave his speech. This time she became excited and inspired because she had an epiphany. Angelou expressed herself saying,  “We were on top again. As always, again. We survived. The depths had been icy and dark, but now a bright sun spoke to our souls” (31). Through this quote, a reader understands that she was proud to be African-American. Even if her race suffered, they still continued to be happy with all the opportunities they were given.