I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Identity Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #7

After a month my thinking processes had so changed that I was hardly recognizable to myself. The unquestioning acceptance by my peers had dislodged the familiar insecurity. (32.8)

Whodathunkit? Somehow, being homeless is one of the best things to happen to Maya. It totally changes her identity, to the point where she feels like a totally different person. And in her case, that's a good thing.

Quote #8

A boyfriend's acceptance of me would guide me into that strange and exotic land of frills and femininity. (35.52)

Oh, Maya.

Quote #9

Just as gratefulness was confused in my mind with love, so possession became mixed up with motherhood. I had a baby. (36.24)

When Maya has her baby, her entire identity shifts. It doesn't matter anymore if she's a woman or a child—she's a mother. And that's all that counts.