NAME: KRITHIKA KUMAR – 19BA152 - 197
REECHA VORA – 19BA165 - 146
BANSRI SAMPAT – 19BA246 - 255
TITLE: MAYA ANGELOU “THE REUNION”
TITLE: THE REUNION
INTRODUCTION TO THE AUTHOR:
Maya Angelou was an acclaimed American poet, storyteller, activist and an autobiographer.
Earlier, she was a singer, dancer, actress, composer and Hollywood’s first female black director.
She also worked for Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X as a civil rights activist. She served
as the Reynolds professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University as an educator.
Angelou was recognized “as a spokesperson for all people who are committed to raising the
moral standards of living in the United States.” She served on two presidential committees, for
Gerald Ford and for Jimmy Carter in 1975 and in 1977 respectively.The National Medal of Arts
was awarded to her in 2000 by President Bill Clinton. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, the
highest civilian honor in the U.S., was awarded to her by President Barack Obama in 2010. Some
of her most famous works include 'I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings', Swingin’ and Gettin’
Merry like Christmas', 'Porgy and Bess; The Heart of a Woman', 'All God’s Children Need
Traveling Shoes' and many more.
HER WRITINGS:
Angelou’s poetry and prose has many similarities in her writing styles. In both, she used a direct,
conversational voice, inviting readers to share in her stories and her secrets. Metaphors and
similes were strongly employed by her. A unique style was used in her prose writing. Angelou's
first novel and her subsequent books were autobiographical, because they told of her experiences
from her perspective, and literary fiction, because they tapped into larger themes. She wrote of
her actual experiences growing up and living as a black girl and a black woman in the American
South, she connected her experiences with all of black women who were dealing with racism,
sexism, and isolation. Her style in poetry shows her command over both Standardized English
and African American English. Her prose writing received much more acclaim and attention, she
also wrote several collections of poetry. Her collection Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'Fore
I Die was published in 1971 and nominated for the highly regarded Pulitzer Prize in Poetry.
THE REUNION : A SHORT STORY BY MAYA ANGELOU
Maya Angelou's Jazz short story recalls the life of Philomena Jenkins. Through memories and
dialogue, Philomena narrates the possibility and actuality of a chance reunion between herself
and 'Beth Ann Baker of the Baker Cotton Gin'. Through Philomena's first person narrative we
learn that their contentious past is steeped in the racial politics of servitude and segregation. 'The
Reunion' suggests not only a meeting between two women but also the confluence of race and
gender along with history and memory.
THEMATIC ANALYSIS:
This short story ‘The Reunion’ is narrated in the first person. In this story, the protagonist
(Philomena Jenkins) tells us about the problems she faced in her childhood while she was
working for a southern white family. It is the story about an impeccable black female who plays
piano recollective of the jazz player Mary Lou Williams. Philomena unfolds the story of the
reunion with Beth Ann Baker. Through this narration, we come to know about their very
controversial past that was deep into the racial politics of slavery and segregation.
She represents a quintessential black woman who has struggled with her life to quash all social
barriers that have come in the way and overcome it by understanding herself and how she has
moulded her strengths even in the time of suffering.
Maya Angelou puts forward the protagonist as a very realistic character where she is strong,
relentless, and experienced. She has neither been portrayed as an angel nor as a suppressed
person. It is interesting to see how she has acquired the position of a pianist in a band full of
men. Her outlook as a lauded musician is the main point, and she tells this through her thoughts
as and when she plays the music about how she is distracted and yet can feel the music.
The Reunion with its insertion of jazz and improvisation, suggests not only a meeting between
two women but also the confluence of race, gender, history and memory and most importantly
jazz and literature. In this story Angelou has given a jazz literature correspondence which means
that the writers write in such a way that the words of the story have a jazz-like quality.
CRITICAL REFERENCES:
The short stories “The Reunion” by Maya Angelou and “Hugh” by Daphne Athas are both
narrated in first person. In “The Reunion”, the main character (Philomena Jenkins) focuses on
her childhood difficulties working for a southern white family. When describing her life
Philomena states "Daddy was the Butler, my mother was the cook, and I went to a segregated
school on the other side of town where the other kids called me the Baker Nigger"(Angelou 11).
A passage to be noted is on pages 13 and 14 where a secondary character, Beth Ann Baker,
explains to Philomena her relationship with a black man. Beth’s voice is described in this
passage several times. For example, on page 13 the narrator states “the drawl was turning into a
whine”, which brings into view Philomena’s annoyance with Beth’s tone, while giving the reader
an insight to how Beth’s story is being told (Angelous).
In the short story “The Reunion,” Maya Angelou shows the difference characterization by
introducing two main characters, Philomena and Beth. Philomena, the narrator, is a black woman
in a jazz band playing at a café where she plays every Sunday. Beth is a white woman who is
engaged to a handsome black man, Willard. We find out that Philomena, along with the rest of
her family, used to be maids for Beth’s family when they were younger. While she is playing her
Sunday show, she spots Beth’s unmistakable blonde hair in the audience. They talk during
intermission and Beth tells her how happy she is with Willard but her family has disowned her
for being with a black man. When she asks Philomena for a childhood ‘friend’ to talk to,
Philomena lashes back telling her, "tell your parents I said go to hell and take you with them, just
for company" (Angelou 14).
Maya Angelou focuses on the relationship between blacks and whites and highlights in particular
the situation of black women in a male dominated society. Her “literary significance rests upon
her exceptional ability to tell her life story as both a human being and black American woman in
the twentieth century” (Bloom, 3).
Selwyn Cudjoe explains, black women “never really seemed to have lives worthy of emulation.
They invariably seemed to live for others, for black men or white, for children or parents; bereft
always it appeared, of an autonomous self” (Cudjoe, 11).
PERSONAL RESPONSE
Through this story we learnt about the times when there was a deep running inequality within the
society which has affected the African community in such a way that they carry the trauma for
years. This story talks about a mini revolution when Philomena takes a stand for herself, after
years of unhealed trauma she finally takes the chance to stand up against Beth, who symbolizes
the white oppressive community.
This story, through symbolism, educated us about black oppression in America and left us with a
strong message.
REFERENCES
1] www.poetryfoundation.org. n.d. 10 November 2020.
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/maya-angelou
2] "The Reunion by Maya Angelou." n.d.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3503.Maya_Angelou
3] Huff, Jenna. sites.google.com/jennasliteraturesite. 30 January 2012. 10 November 2020.
https://sites.google.com/site/jennasliteraturesite/blog/thereunionandhughnarration
4] www.enotes.com. n.d. 10 November 2020.
https://www.enotes.com/topics/reunion-maya-angelou/themes
5] Thurston, Mary Kate. sites.google.com. 30 January 2012. 10 November 2020.
https://sites.google.com/site/mktenglish110/blog/blog3thereunion
6] core.ac.uk. n.d. 10 November 2020.
https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/11594178.pdf
