How the religion help maya to fight for gender equality in society in america - Essay Example

Order 438946 Topic: how the religion help Maya to fight for gender equality in society in America Religious practices and congregations gave the black community an opportunity for interaction. The community was facing tough times, and religion played an important role in the life of Momma Henderson and the black community of Stamps. It gave them hopes and kept them well-knit and united community. Maya is raised with values of religion firmly implanted in her and the religious precepts served as the moral guide for her; but she was pained to see how people used religion as a shield against adversity, and in essence she felt that it was not a ideal development—religion should never be for the sake of self-aggrandizement, but the internal purification of the human being.

It must contribute to love and understanding amongst the humankind and between different races. Religious teachings made her appreciate the beauty and goodness of things. She shaped into an idealistic individual, happy always, notwithstanding the adverse circumstances the black community was placed in. She took it as a challenge. Maya belonged to the black race and the appearance of members of the black race, was not good. On these counts, they were always subject to prejudice. To overcome this problem Maya built her self-esteem and religious teachings were a great solace to her in situations over she had no control.

But she challenged the vicissitudes of life ably. She had to endure the worst experience a young girl can think of—being raped! Though this incident put a lot of limitations on her behavior, religion provided her the strength to endure the ultimate humiliation. How religion has indirect influences, on the psyche of the black people? Black people feel better about their inferiority and think that it is the God-given gift to them. They conclude that they are more loved by God. How they challenge their difficulties that try to corner them from all ends!

This self-righteousness based on the foundation of religious principles provided lots of internal strength to Maya. The portrayal of her life has been hailed as the biblical study in life in the midst of death. Notwithstanding her dastardly experience of rape, she maintained a luminous dignity about her life and such poise is possible for in individual with strong religious/spiritual beliefs. She has a comprehensive sense of life, again a quality of a doted and spiritual human being. The theme of the book is the quest for the black child seeking love by the adult, which normally are the parents.

But destiny denied that part of love to Maya, being separated from her parents. The healing process of her soul, her desperate efforts to overcome the trauma of rape at the age of eight from a trusted family friend, are due to the help of her brother Bailey and the god-fearing family, and good texts.(the unfailing friends). The strength of religion sustained from a world that was hostile to her from all ends. Her life was engulfed in negative forces, she had to endure the vicious attacks personally and also to her black community.

Children are compared to God; they are so pure and innocent. Maya Angelous’s recollection of her childhood has the aura of divinity about it and she writes, “Looking through the years, I marvel that Saturday was my favorite day in the week. What pleasures could have been squeezed between the fanfolds of unending tasks? Childrens talent to endure stems from their ignorance of alternatives." (113) The thoughts like, "that life loved the person who dared to live it." (p.129) and Vivian Baxter”s(Angelou’s mother) motto on life "hoping for the best, prepared for the worst, and unsurprised by anything in between."(p.288) can only emanate from a deeply religious upbringing/atmosphere.

Right from her childhood she is taught at as long as one abides by the Lord and the revelations of the Bible, one can never be mislead in life. Such encouragement was highly necessary for a girl who had to undergo sufferings and discrimination of belonging to the black race. Maya writes, "If growing up is painful for a Southern Black girl, being aware of her displacement is the rust on the razor that threatens the throat" (3). Those belonging to Christianity mostly have cross dangling on their necks.

Maya had Christ in her heart! So she was able to live life in its trials and tribulations, duty and beauty, facing boldly all the indignities the black race had to suffer. ************ Works Cited:Angelou, Maya. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings; Bantam, April 1, 1983.