Transcendence Of Death: An Analysis Of Maya’s Death Complex In I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

As a black female writer, Maya Angelou gives a deep inquiry into racial relationsand black females’ living conditions in her series of autobiographies. With regard toher first autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, literary researches at homeand abroad are mainly about four issues: genre of autobiography, theme of initiation,racial relations and feminist themes, seemingly overlooking the ever-present theme ofdeath in the work that deserves our close and thorough investigation.In light of psychoanalyst C. G. Jung’s complex and rebirth archetype theories,combined with relevant psychoanalytical theories and black feminist theories, thisthesis intends to analyze the theme of death in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings fromthree aspects, namely, the existence of the protagonist Maya’s death complex, itsorigins and her final transcendence of death through rebirth.The body part of this thesis includes three parts. The first part, with the help ofJung’s complex theory, argues the existence of the protagonist’s death complex and itsemotional connotations. The second part goes on to discuss the two origins of Maya’sdeath complex: archetypal influence of death and early traumatic experiences. Lastly,by using Jung’s rebirth archetype theory and Patricia Hill Collins’ black feministtheory, this thesis arrives at the conclusion that the protagonist transcends her deathcomplex with a series of measures and achieves psychological rebirth and growth.