Question

Read the passage from “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.” I have tried often to search behind the sophistication of years for the enchantment I so easily found in those gifts. The essence escapes but its aura remains. To be allowed, no, invited, into the private lives of strangers, and to share their joys and fears, was a chance to exchange the Southern bitter wormwood for a cup of mead with Beowulf or a hot cup of tea and milk with Oliver Twist. When I said aloud, "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done . . .” tears of love filled my eyes at my selflessness. What is the most likely reason author Maya Angelou included this passage? to entertain the reader with references to books to explain her viewpoint on the wonders of reading to provide actions that show her personality traits to persuade the reader of the benefits of the classics

Answer 1

The answer is: to explain her viewpoint on the wonders of reading.

In the passage from "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," Maya Angelou makes reference to "Beowulf," "Oliver Twist" and Shakespeare and expresses that reading makes her feel as if they invited her to hang out together. She perceives herself welcome into their personal histories to share their joys and fears and a drink or a cup of tea.