The first of Angelou's autobiographical works, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings provides a frank look at the author's childhood, dealing with themes of racial discrimination, segregation, and determination in face of hardship. It gives us an insider's perspective, with Maya highlighting these themes by remembering how she dealt with these struggles when she was a kid. The book demonstrates Angelou's perseverance and a whole spider's web of contemporary societal problems.
How do Angelou's methods of playing with the convention of autobiographical form impact the way we read the cultural elements of the story, such as race, gender, violence, and discrimination?