Othermothering as a Site of Power in Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to explore and analyse the theme of othermothering as a site of power crucial for the proper care, upbringing, and guidance of children (particularly girls) in the absence of a biological mother. In African American culture, there is the practice of othermothering as a strategy of survival in that it ensured that all children regardless of whether the biological mother was present or available, would receive the mothering that
delivers psychological and physical well-being and makes children’s empowerment possible. The paper also deals with the research of the role and significance of “othermothering” in the African American family and community. The method of working on the text through the lens of Black feminist studies along with analytical-interpretative method, generalization
and inductionare used in the analysis of Maya Angelou’s fictionalized autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. In this paper, special attention is paid to emphasizing the importance of the role of othermother in raising children and guiding them to grow into strong persons of African American identity, prepared to resist various types of violence, discrimination and pressure. The discussion demonstrates that the main preoccupation of
othermothering, along with caring for the children’s well-being, is their (children’s) empowerment, and with it, also that of the Black community as a whole.