As I continue reading “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou, I can see that the story contains a few specific archetypes. Like the character “Mom” being the wise old woman, the color archetype “Black” and the plot being the homecoming archetype, say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The first archetype is Maya's grandmother, also called "Mom", who is the wise old woman. Maya considers her a very severe and religious woman, but very powerful, proud and loving. Mom gives advice to Maya and acts like her mother. His advice does not always translate into words and lectures, but sometimes into actions. Maya is impressed by her grandmother's determination and says, “Mom walked into that room like she owned it” (Angelou, 189). The quote represents her grandmother's perseverance and "old lady" attitude. The book is also about other people with a specific view of the world and what's happening in it, and one of those people is Mom. The story states: “They rejoiced in the justice of the poor and the exclusivity of the oppressed. Let white people have their money, their power, their segregation, their sarcasm, their big houses, their schools and their lawns like carpets and their books, and above all – above all – let them have their whiteness. It was better to be meek and humble, spat upon and abused for that short time than to spend eternity frying in the fires of hell” (Angelou, 131). One could say that this statement is significant and wise. The message is an important lesson that Mom teaches Maya. The lesson is that it's better to let others be naughty and have fun while you act good, because it will ultimately work in your favor. This archetype is seen in many other places like movies, TV shows, and writing. An important archetype is the color black. A big part of the story is that Maya is a black girl trying to live in a white-dominated society. The color black is often associated with bad things and dirt in books as well as in society. When Maya has a toothache, she says, “It seemed terribly unfair to have a toothache and a headache and to have to bear the heavy burden of darkness at the same time” (Angelou, 187). She describes how society imposes its opinions on her and makes her feel bad because of the way she looks. On the other hand, Maya states that there is beauty in the color black. The rich darkness and seriousness of the shadow shows power and mystery. This archetype is often shown in films like “Help” or “Get Out”. The final archetype is that of finding a home. Maya is staying with her grandmother, but it is speculated that she might return to St. Louis with her mother. She frequently says during this section that she would rather stay with Mom than go to town. On the one hand, if she returns to her mother, she might discover that her real home is in Stamps, with her grandmother. She could then return to the place where she feels comfortable and happy. This would then follow the archetype of finding a home, as she would be in the only place she truly wants to be. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay I am very close to finishing the book. I can see that the story has some important archetypes, like the color black, old women, and the search for home. As I continue reading, I will continue to search..