Mrs. Bertha Flowers was a pivotal figure in the life of Maya Angelou. With her intelligence and elegant diction, Flowers was an influence on the young Angelou who deeply respected her wisdom and strength. A fixture in the African-American intellectual scene of Stamps, Arkansas, Mrs. Flowers provided Maya with both a role model and appreciation for the beauty of eloquence. Mrs. Flowers also was an introduction to Angelou’s lifelong passion for literature. Despite difficult economic circumstances, Mrs. Flowers was able to obtain a variety of books and magazines during the time when Angelou, a vivacious reader, was deprived of her mother’s library. Mrs. Flowers was like a second mother to Angelou, and the two held many conversations about literature, music, and culture.
The primary impact of Mrs. Flowers on Angelou’s life is evident in her extraordinary writing. She was a skilled and encouraging teacher who instilled in Angelou the importance of power and precision in her writing. As she did with many other topics, Angelou wrote about the impact Mrs. Flowers had on her life in her 1971 autobiography, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.” Through her character of Bertha Flowers, Angelou immortalized her teacher and portrayed her in a way that showed the world that despite all obstacles, black women, such as Mrs. Bertha Flowers, could still be highly respected and successful.
Mrs. Flowers provided Angelou with a safe, nurturing environment in which to spend time and develop her love of reading and writing. Her thoughtfulness and unconditional acceptance of a child instilled in Angelou an unwavering sense of courage and hope for the future. Angelou wrote about her visits and conversations with Mrs. Flowers in her autobiographies, revealing how Flowers provided both comfort and guidance for a young Angelou in need of it most. Angelou also noted how Flowers had too many projects and too much life to handle all by herself. Her refusal to sacrifice her ambition for the views of others carved a way for Angelou to follow in her footsteps.
The guidance and encouragement Angelou received from Mrs. Flowers enabled Angelou to pursue her natural talents and gain self-reliance and resilience. Angelou’s quotations throughout her pieces serve as a testament to her teachings. Her romantic view of the language cultivated Angelou’s dream of one day becoming a published writer, while her enthusiasm every time she visited Mrs. Flowers encouraged Angelou to celebrate the power of words. It is without a doubt that without the guidance of Mrs. Flowers, Maya Angelou’s life and career could have been significantly different.
The Impact On Maya’s Writing
Mrs. Flowers’ impact is evident throughout the body of work that Maya Angelou left behind. In her autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Angelou documents how Mrs. Flowers’ descriptions of literature and words as beautiful gifts were what motivated her to write. Through her influence, Angelou embraced the beauty of elegant and complex language, an appreciation which she set down in her acclaimed autobiographical frameworks. The precision with which Angelou chose her words was heavily influenced by the poetic pauses and attention to detail that Mrs. Flowers displayed when she talked. As a result, Angelou was driven to make her writing as eloquent and precise as that of her beloved teacher.
Mrs. Flowers also imparted to Angelou the idea that words could be a source of power, particularly for those from marginalized backgrounds. On many occasions, Mrs. Flowers described how the combination of certain words and their delivery could serve as an effective tool for making her points. Her lessons about the power of words helped Angelou realize that even if one was not well-off or well-spoken, their words could still pack a punch. Angelou embraced this perspective, exploring the possibilities of influential writing with her autobiographical accounts and works of poetry.
Ultimately, Mrs. Flowers left her mark on Angelou’s writing by imbuing her with a sense of diction, articulate expression, and powerful delivery. Angelou was inspired to create sentences which thanked and celebrated the words passed on to her by her beloved teacher. The works of Maya Angelou contain phrases and descriptions which honor their muse and teacher—Mrs. Flowers.
The Impact On Maya’s Life
Mrs. Flowers provided Angelou with an invaluable and authentic glimpse of African-American culture. Sharing details of her family and experiences, Mrs. Flowers remained as a constant role model and mentor in Angelou’s life. With her presence, Mrs. Flowers helped Angelou to develop her own sense of identity, courage, and independence. Angelou stated in her book, “[Mrs. Flowers] reminded me that black people were once kings and queens of ancient cultures, and I should stand tall and accept with pride the rich cultural heritage that I was born with.”
The lessons Mrs. Flowers provided Angelou with were invaluable to her development as a young person in post-slavery America. She was a light and support for a young girl moving between oppressive environments and trying to rebuild her trust in the world and herself. Mrs. Flowers was an exposé to the beauty of the African-American culture that Angelou would take with her wherever she went—allowance to cherish what she was, which was overlooked by many. Without the guiding light of Mrs. Flowers, Angelou may have never discovered and appreciated her own identity. The profound impact Mrs. Flowers had on Angelou’s life has been repeatedly shown in her writing throughout the years.
The Lasting Impact
The impact of Mrs. Bertha Flowers on Maya Angelou has led to her achieving a place of honor and respect in African-American culture and history. She opened Angelou’s eyes to the world of literature, providing her with a side to language she had never experienced before. Her encouragement and appreciation for the strength of words enabled Angelou to write some of the most influential pieces of literature in modern history. Mrs. Flowers was an advocate who nurtured and guided Maya Angelou’s writing, no matter what circumstance she found herself in.
In her later years, Angelou often reflected on her experience with Mrs. Flowers as one of the most pivotal moments of her life. She was able to acknowledge the long-lasting impression that her teacher had on her life and career. Through her works, Mrs. Flowers is immortalized, fortifying the prowess of the African-American culture in literature. She has forever cemented her name in Angelou’s tribute to powerful women. Above all, Mrs. Flowers left behind a lasting legacy of inspiration and support, one that will live on forever in the works of her greatest pupil—Maya Angelou.
The Impact on Language
Angleou’s works have heavily showcased the intricate knowledge Mrs. Flowers had of language, the power of words, and how to use them to convey emotion and meaning. Angelou picked up the habit of utilizing formal, complex diction in her writing from her visits to Mrs. Flowers. Through their conversations and discussions, she was able to understand how different words could produce different effects when used in writing. The constructive criticism of her teacher pushed Angelou to take the beauty of language to a whole new level.
It is primarily through Mrs. Flowers’ teachings that Angelou was able to form her unique, poignant writing style and bring out the nuanced emotions not often said out loud. Along with her mentor, she delved into the imaginative and powerful possibilities of putting together words. This continuation ofMrs. Flowers’ legacy of language through Angelou’s works is one of their greatest gifts to the literary world.
As evidenced in many of her works, Angelou was particularly inspired by the rich oral tradition of African-American culture—a tradition that Mrs. Flowers reinforced and championed. This practice of speaking words with multiple truths and meanings was something that Angelou would adopt and transform in her own writing. Drawing from Ella’s lessons, Angelou was able to have her writing speak through her experiences as an African-American woman while also forming an effective form of protest.
The Impact on Society
It is without a doubt that without the presence of Mrs. Flowers, the world would not have the works of Maya Angelou that have inspired and empowered so many people. Through her teachings, Mrs. Flowers enabled Angelou to boldly step into her creative pursuits, making her one of the first female African-American authors to have her work published. Mrs. Flowers’ passion and enthusiasm for literature was an inspiration for Angelou, who took from her mentor the courage to defy social conventions and speak her mind through her writing. Angelou’s works were a way to define her thoughts, opinions, and ideas that she wished to share with the world.
Mrs. Flowers and Angelou’s collaboration was crucially important, providing Angelou with an opportunity to be taken seriously as a writer. Without her mentor’s reinforcement, Angelou may never have realized her true capabilities. The writings that followed their conversations are an inspiration for people who have faced oppressive environments to use their words as a source of power. The lifelong friendship between Mrs. Flowers and Angelou serves as a legacy to the impact of friendship and mentorship, showing that together, anything is possible.
