I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Chapter 16 Summary

  • While young white girls in Stamps might have been debutantes dressed up like Disney princesses, little black girls were doing things old school.
  • As part of her "finishing school," Maya becomes a maid for Mrs. Viola Cullinan.
  • Mrs. Cullinan starts calling Maya "Mary," and our girl plans to get herself fired. Maya wins that battle when she throws Mrs. Cullinan's favorite casserole dish on the floor. 
  • The image of this older woman writhing on the floor, crying over broken pottery is pretty hilarious, and definitely worth a look.