"Graduation" Soapst

      “Graduation” was written by an African American women, Maya Angelou. Maya Angelou aimed her story at high school students. The occasion of this essay is Maya Angelou’s graduation in Stamps, Arkansas, in 1940. Maya Angelou was twelve years old when she graduated high school. “Graduation” is about the feelings Maya Angelou had as she was about to graduate. The subject of “Graduation” is Maya’s pre-graduation and graduation experience. Maya Angelou felt as if she was going to be free as soon as she graduated. The tone of this essay has many shifts. In the beginning Maya Angelou predicts what is going to happen because she has an idea of how seniors act and how the ceremony takes place. Maya gets excited because she is finally going to graduate and this shows that Maya wants to leave school more than anything and start a new life. The tone changes as soon as the graduation ceremony begins. Maya Angelou becomes confused because instead of singing the national anthem, a white man began to speak about the blue collar jobs waiting for the African Americans, as if they had no future. The priest began to talk about people committing crimes, as if he was connecting it to the graduating class. Maya’s confusion turned into anger. Maya’s hopes and dreams were crushed as well as all African American’s dreams. As soon as the class valedictorian sang the National Anthem, Maya’s mood went right back up. This shows how strongly she believed. Maya Angelou’s purpose was to inform the reader and inspire the African American’s that they too can thrive and pursue their dreams regardless of their color. Maya Angelou wanted people to know that African American’s are not only known for their physical abilities but also for their intellectual abilities. Maya Angelou’s epiphany at the end of the essay “Graduation”, provides hope and encouragement to the African Americans in order to go out of their way and prove to themselves that they have the ability to be as productive as everybody else.