Requirements

• Formulate a clear, defensible thesis that presents a specific claim about how Angelou develops her identity throughout the narrative.
• Incorporate textual evidence (direct quotations and paraphrase) to bolster each body paragraph.
• Examine how Angelou's use of literary devices — such as metaphor, imagery, tone, or symbolism — strengthens your argument.
• Address counterarguments or complexities: are there instances where identity appears fractured or lost? How does Angelou ultimately navigate this tension?
• Conclude by linking Angelou's personal journey to a broader thematic or social significance.

Suggested Texts/Episodes to Consider

• Marguerite's experiences in Stamps, Arkansas, and the racial hierarchy of the American South
• The Mrs. Flowers episode and the reclaiming of language and voice
• The trauma of sexual abuse and its resulting silence
• The junkyard episode and Marguerite's discovery of community and self-reliance
• The title's central metaphor of the caged bird and the concept of freedom

Requirements

• Formulate a clear, defensible thesis that addresses how and to what effect Angelou shapes her protagonist's identity.
• Support your argument with textual evidence (direct quotations and paraphrase).
• Analyze the author's use of at least two literary or rhetorical devices (such as metaphor, voice, symbolism, irony, or juxtaposition).
• Consider the memoir's broader social and historical backdrop (the American South, the 1930s–40s, Jim Crow).
• Conclude by linking your argument to a larger, universal theme regarding resilience, selfhood, or the power of language.

Scoring Focus

Thesis clarity · Use of textual evidence · Literary analysis · Historical contextualization · Coherence and style