Writers Dreaming

1. We talked about the title of Maya Angelou's first autobiography I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings. What did Angela say is the reason the caged bird sings? What does that mean? Do you agree with or understand that idea?
Angela said the reason the caged bird sings is because of "things unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom." This means that while there is the free bird that "dares to claim the sky," there's also the bird that's caged and trapped by the "bars of rage." It can be related back to us as humans being trapped by many different things other than cages. We can be trapped by things such as school, jobs, families or friends, our ages or when we were born. I agree with this idea and understand it because I feel trapped, or "caged" by many different things sometimes. 

6. Angelou says she is comfortable using six or seven languages, has spoken at one time or another as many as twelve, and has been a teacher in at least three. Are you comfortable using another language? Which languages would you like to be fluent in? Why those? Or do you think speaking English is good enough because you live in America and that's all we should need to live here? Why?
I am not comfortable using another language, as I've only taken the required two units of foreign language to graduate high school and wasn't able to retain too much of the language learned. However, I would love to be able to speak in many different languages, as I think there are many that are much more beautiful and elegant compared to English. I would like to be fluent in French, due to the fact that it's the "language of love" and it just sounds cool to begin with. I also would like to be fluent in Latin, even though that's a much more difficult language, but most languages are derived from Latin, so the basis is the same. Also, it'd be easier to understand the scientific naming behind animals, and also for other scientific purposes. Another language I'd like to know is Russian or German, whichever one doesn't matter. They both sound harsh to speak and are extremely foreign, but I think speaking in such a brash tongue would be fun at some times, even if you have to use some phlegm. I don't think speaking English is good enough for America. As Americans, we are, or should be, accepting of others, and to be able to communicate effectively with them, we need to know how to speak some of their language. To think that English is good enough is ignorant and close minded. And cussing someone out in a foreign language is much more fun and interesting than in English.

10. Angelou quotes Nathaniel West as saying, "Easy reading is damned hard writing," and says writing is "just hard work, you know?" Do you agree with this? What is easiest and hardest to you about writing? Is writing hard work?
I agree with that fact because there are some pieces of writing that can be very difficult to read if the terminology is difficult or long words are used that the target audience won't understand. Making the sentences "flow" and connect with ease is difficult for the author, but it will result in "easy reading." The easiest in writing for me is random ideas that can spur from anything or anyone, and utilizing them to be a tidbit of a story or inspiration for a character or a character trait or flaw. Meanwhile, the hardest thing is not repeating words and using words that make me sound more intelligent than I think I am. Writing is hard work, because you have to use it to communicate something to someone else, whether it be an assignment for English homework or for someone who's deaf and you want to describe how something sounds for them. 

11. Angelou mentions being told that "one can't really learn after one is twenty-five." Do you think the older you get the harder it is to try or learn new things? Or do you think being older means you're more focused on what's important and not distracted by things that keep you from learning?The way this question could be answered is more a matter of opinion with a mix of scientific fact, I believe. It is true that the older you get, the harder it becomes to learn things. The phrase "can't teach an old dog new tricks" comes to mind when I think of this. Even as teenagers it's harder to learn new things. Your brain finishes its development around the age of twenty-five, which is probably the origination of that statement. This would make it harder to learn something, or unlearn something that's been ingrained into your mind, but not impossible. I think once some people leave school, they think they're finished with learning and don't want to do anymore of it, and get distracted from learning new things. But the thing is, you can keep learning things. It may take you a little bit longer to learn it, but it's still possible.