Importance of Joe Louis in The Caged Bird

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Significance of Joe Louis on African American People

Why the caged Bird Sings

Introduction

The African Americans gather together at the store to listen to Joe Louis defend his world heavy weight boxing title. The fight determines who is stronger.  Everyone wants Louis to win. The interest of the black people. “The last inch of space was also filled, yet people continued to wedge themselves along the walls of the store.” No one wanted to miss a single bit of the match. Some people were confident that Louis will prevail, “I ain’t worried about this fight. Joe’s gonna whip that cracker like it’s open season.” Pg 135.

Setting

Maya and Bailey are Uncle Willies Country Store along with the rest of the African American population from town there to listen to the fight on the radio.

In I Know why the caged bird sings by Maya Angelou we witness the struggles of the black people in the 20th century. The event takes place in the store which is a symbol for the black community. It is a center place for Maya and Bailey. Maya also learns arithmetic by working in the store. The store is a place where the black community can get together with each other and talk about the main events. They feel safe as a community and support each other.

Joe Louis is a professional wrestler that can prove that the black people are the strongest. He is the person that is their only aide to reduce the racism in the society. Joe Louis is a symbol for the black people. Angelou compares Louis being defeated to "our people falling" or being "back in slavery" is overstatement; it implies that things will instantly improve or get horrible based on merely this fight, which doesn't seem completely logical. The Louis fight symbolizes the fight for equality and to ease the struggle of independence.

How is Joe Louis special for the black community?

He represents the black community. He is the only person that can give them hope and make them stronger. This was black against white man. The fight determines how blacks will be looked upon. It was a matter of life and death.  Everyone in the Store needs Louis to win. This is to prove that black people can be victorious and can’t take a beating. Louis is taking a beating and does not look good for him. “My race groaned. It was our people falling. It was another lynching, yet another Black man hanging on a tree. One more woman ambushed and raped. A Black boy whipped and maimed. It was hounds on the trail of a man running through slimy swamps. It was a white woman slapping her maid for being forgetful.” Pg 135 The black would face this terrible treatment from the white community and will lose to standup for themselves and prove everyone wrong. Maya wants him to win or then every comment the white say about blacks will be true. They will go zero in front of the town. The white will comment more about them. The things that the black people might do might turn up to be their drawback if Louis loses. This would be their negative side. Louis had to win to prevent all these from happening.

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What have the black community gained by Joe Louis’s win?

As Louis is down he gets this inner boost and fights back, knowing that he is representing every black human being. “And now looks like Joe is mad. He’s caught Carnera with a left hook to the head and a right to the head. (pg 135) he injures the white and his eye was bleeding, and he could not do anything to protect himself. And then what the black community wanted was when he fell. “Ladies and gentlemen, we have a ...

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