"I know why the caged bird sings" is a classic because it highlights not only the themes and problems of the time that it was written, but its themes remain vaild. Themes such as education (Marguerite is able to provide herself a better life because of it), prejudice and Tolerance (Marguerite fights the establishment, the caste system of the South) and coming of age (Angelou beautifully describes the painful steps Marguerite goes through as she ages)make a novel that is as valid and prevailing today, as it was when written in 1970. It is for that reason, that "i know why the caged bird sings" is a classic. It is also a classic because through this novel, Maya Angelou gave a voice to those voices which were rarely heard.