A Theoretical Perspective

Abstract

After being raped at age 8 and enduring the trial and violent death of her attacker, author and poet Maya Angelou decided to be silent, talking to no one but her brother. They were sent from St. Louis to Stamps, Arkansas, to live with their grandmother. There, Marguerite (Angelou’s birth name) “met, or rather got to know, the lady who threw me my first life line” (Angelou, 1969, p. 77). The aristocratic Mrs. Flowers was a contemporary of Marguerite’s grandmother. Mrs. Flowers was stylish and spoke beautifully. One day Mrs. Flowers invited Marguerite for lemonade and cookies. While highly respected in the small town, Mrs. Flowers “didn’t encourage familiarity” (p. 78). So when she singled out Marguerite for attention, the child felt special; she was liked, respected, and engaged. Mrs. Flowers talked with the mute Marguerite about her silence. Acknowledging that no one could or would try to make Marguerite talk, Mrs. Flowers reframed the concept of speech for Marguerite saying, “it takes the human voice to infuse [words] with the shades of deeper meaning” (p. 82). As Mrs. Flowers read aloud to Marguerite, “her voice slid in and curved down through and over the words. She was nearly singing” (p. 84). She gave the girl a book of poems and asked her to memorize one to recite at her next visit. This was the first of what they came to call Marguerite’s “lessons in living.” This silent child who had a mentor with a melodious voice grew up to be a great orator, whose recitations of poetry and prose are inspiring and beloved.