Momma And Mother By Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou creates excellent word choice throughout her book. She knows how to show instead of tell, and when to provide detail, so that the reader gets a sense of what is happening, without being disinterested by unnecessary detail. One small detail that stood out to me in these first chapters was the use of the words momma and mother. When she is talking about her grandmother she uses the word momma, which seems more endearing and fond. Whereas the usage of mother, when talking about her mother has a stern and very formal connotation. From this particular word choice, the reader can spot the difference in affection that Maya has towards her grandmother and mother throughout her childhood. In the beginning of the novel, when Maya talks