Maya Angelou remained mute for over five years, starting at the age of seven and continuing until she was thirteen. This psychological condition, variously known as ‘elective mutism’, ‘psychological muteness’, or ‘selective mutism’ often arises as a result of trauma, in this case the death of her mother and her subsequent sense of abandonment.
The young Maya responded to her internalized trauma by withdrawing from the world. In particular, she lost the ability to speak. To cope with the possibility that she might not ever regain the ability to voice her thoughts and feelings, she resorted to other forms of communication. At the time, she was able to communicate with her family and the outside world through writing, gesturing and facial expressions.
Angelou’s silence lasted for a period of five years, until her beloved grandmother intervened, providing the support and love the young girl needed. Her grandmother’s presence enabled Maya to overcome her extreme fear, and let go of the tight grip of her psychological immobility. In 1952, when Angelou was thirteen, a teacher at a Californian high school encouraged her to read aloud a poem.
Not only did that experience awaken the young Maya’s voice, it provided a stepping stone for her future career. Described as the “victorious girl who could speak”, Angelou developed a passion and gift for public speaking. She went on to become an award-winning author, poet and activist.
The trauma and those five years of silence that followed it remained a constant in Angelou’s life. In her autobiographies and other writings, she often referred to the event of her muteness and the pressure experienced when trying to break free from her own prison.
Mental and Physical Restrictions
Angelou’s experience of muteness illustrates one of the most severe mental barriers an individual can endure. The trauma, silence, and extended process of recovery clearly demonstrated the physical and mental restrictions a person can experience, in the most extreme circumstances.
Mental limitation can also consider physical ones, where individuals suffer from psychosomatic disorder that restricts movement, vocalization or physical activity. These types of limits can occur in various contexts and degrees, as in the case of Angelou’s long-term silence.
Many reports have documented psychosomatic manifestations as a result of psychological trauma, including lack of appetite, cold sweats, stiffness, shortness of breath and more. Angelou is on record for feeling that her tongue suddenly “froze” after the traumatic event, and remained like that for five years.
Another element of the mental limitations Angelou experienced was the difficulty of her classmates and teachers to understand her muteness, where most of them responded to her silence as misconduct or ignorance rather than an emotional issue.
Ability to Express Emotions
Angelou’s poetic and autobiographical works demonstrate how she channeled her emotions into stories that resonated with her readers. The complex process of communicating her inner thoughts and emotions — not just in words, but also in finding artistic outlets — greatly helped her recovery over the years.
Angelou once wrote that she found “strength through words”, largely due to the difficulties she faced during her traumatic experience. With the help of her writing and of the people around her, she was able to move past her trauma and find the courage to accept herself and move on.
Today, Angelou is widely known for her ability to express emotions and convey them in a powerful and lasting way. Her widely acclaimed work provides a powerful example of writing as a way to manage and transform emotional expression, with words becoming a powerful tool for self-expression.
In that light, it is clear that emotional communication is not only the basis of Maya Angelou’s writing, but also the foundation of her whole life. By using her writing to express her emotional state she was able to reclaim her voice.
Therapeutic Recovery
The therapeutic recovery process was a key component in Angelou regained her voice. It involved both internal and external tools, such as careful talk therapy sessions and other health strategies. Combined, these tools provided the necessary ingredients for Angelou to become an effective communicator.
The initial steps of her recovery process began with her grandmother, who offered unconditional love and support. This enabled the young Maya to slowly open up and start gaining confidence in her own feelings and in the people around her. As her relationships strengthened, so did Angelou’s emotional and mental state, providing a much-needed foundation to overcome her muteness.
In addition to that, Angelou also received guidance from her aunt, with whom Angelou began to develop a strong emotional bond. Her aunt provided much-needed emotional guidance and encouragement, helping her identify with her feelings and in so doing, to confront them.
Finally, Angelou found a therapeutic outlet in language, the same language she had felt a great fear of communicating in. By mastering her fear of speaking, she was able to unload her emotional baggage, providing the emotional space she had been lacking for so long.
Integration as an Advocate
Angelou not only managed to recover from her childhood trauma, she went on to serve as an advocate for a wide range of issues. She engaged in public initiatives and movements aiming to raise awareness and encourage action on social injustices.
Her story inspired many individuals to find the courage to overcome their own challenges. Through her creative writing and impeccable presentations, she inspired people to take action and to make a difference.
The experience of her muteness shaped her activist philosophies and beliefs. By understanding her own transformation and being able to articulate it, she empowered others to overcome their own challenges, believing that everyone has the capacity for change.
Moreover, Angelou played an instrumental role in the civil rights movement. Her activism also extended to women’s rights, with Angelou standing up for equality, dignity and respect. She advocated for education and sustainable economic and educational justice at a global level.
Power of Expression
The power of expression is a key element in Angelou’s life and body of work. Not only her own expression, but also the capability to understand and communicate with and to each other.
Angelou’s story became a source of inspiration to many. She served as a mentor to both young and adult people, speaking on the importance of personal voice and of being a responsible advocate for each other.
As a consequence, Angelou’s courage to overcome her own trauma and reclaim her voice, has become an enduring example of the power of personal communication. By facing her fears and with her newfound self-confidence, Angelou was able to reconnect with the world and to contribute to others.
Furthermore, Angelou’s eloquent use of language and her performance of her works, were essential elements of her inspiring public speeches and her work as a mentor. She believed in communication—from the written, to the spoken and the performative—as a powerful and healing tool.
Conclusion
The case of Maya Angelou serves as a powerful reminder of the impact of trauma and its consequences. Her story also shines a light on the power of communication and of self-expression for recovery and for rebuilding a more meaningful and fulfilling life.
Not only did she reclaim her own voice and overcame her extreme fear and silence, she used her own experience to help others do the same. Her courage to restore her bond with the world enabled her to become an advocate for social justice and to provide support, guidance and advice. In the end, she became an example of the power of expression and of the capacity of the human spirit to rise above adversity.
