It was the best of times, the worst of times..." and Marguerite is fascinated with the musicality of the language: 

She opened the first page and I heard poetry for the first time.

And so, she practices and gains confidence in reading aloud, thus emerging from  the sensory withdrawal caused by her traumatic experience. This time with Mrs. Flowers is uniquely hers alone, and she is instilled with confidence while also learning some of the social graces.

After a traumatic experience in St. Louis that scars Maya and results in an unexpected move back to Stamps, her newfound relationship with Mrs. Flowers offers a road to healing and growth. Maya is silent, morose, and distressed upon returning to her grandmother's home, and is unable to enjoy the innocent activities that once filled her days. Despite withdrawing from most relationships and activities, Maya is enamored with Mrs. Flowers, describing her as "one of the few gentlewomen I have ever known...the measure of what a human being can be."

Specific examples of Maya's admiration for Mrs. Flowers can be found in Chapter 15, including:

• Her physical appearance and style. "She was thin without the taut look of wiry people, and her printed voile dresses and flowered hats were as right for her as denim overalls for a farmer."
• An amicable, elusive relationship with Momma. "It didn't occur to me for many years that they were as alike as sisters, separated only by formal education."
• Her grace and formal demeanor, a stark contrast to that of other Stamps residents. "She acted just as refined as whitefolks in the movies and books and she was more beautiful, for none of them could have come near that warm color without looking gray by comparison."
• The sharing of a vast literary library that opened new horizons for Maya. "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."
• Her acceptance of and consideration for Maya during a difficult, lonely time. "I was liked, and what a difference it made. I was respected not as Mrs. Henderson's grandchild or Bailey's sister but for just being Marguerite Johnson."

Maya Angelou admires Mrs. Flowers because she is someone who is classy, who has manners, and who introduces Angelou to the wonders of great literature, among other things.  She is not only a role model, but mentor, as she realizes how smart Angelou is and she fosters her learning.

Enotes states that: 

Mrs. Flowers is an elegant black lady who lives in Stamps. She makes Maya proud to be an African American. Knowing that Maya is an outstanding student, she provides her with the best of literature and introduces her to formal customs such as afternoon tea.

Young Marguerite makes the choice to speak to Mrs. Flowers because she senses that the older woman is different from the other adults in her life. Mrs. Flowers never makes Marguerite feel like she's at fault for not wanting to talk. She accepts Marguerite for who she is and never belittles her for her fears.

For her part, Marguerite is fascinated by Mrs. Flowers. The older woman reminds Marguerite of "women in English novels who walked with their dogs" and "who sat in front of fireplaces, drinking tea and eating cookies." In other words, Mrs. Flowers is refined and sophisticated. Marguerite thinks that Mrs. Flowers is as "well-mannered and civilized as white folks in the movies and books." Despite her obvious education, Mrs. Flowers remains friendly and modest.

It is Mrs. Flowers who tells Marguerite that "language is man’s way of communication with other people and it is language alone which separates him from the lower animals." Additionally, during her visit with Mrs. Flowers, Marguerite is made to feel right at home. She enjoys cookies that Mrs. Flowers has baked just for her, and she revels in the thought that she will be able to bring some of those cookies home to share with her brother. Later, Mrs. Flowers reads to Marguerite from A Tale of Two Cities.

Although Marguerite has read the book herself, she is held spellbound by Mrs. Flowers' voice as she reads. Throughout her whole experience at Mrs. Flowers' home, Marguerite is made to feel like she is valued for who she is rather than who she is related to. This makes all the difference in how Marguerite responds to Mrs. Flowers. While the other adults in her life try to control Marguerite, Mrs. Flowers is more focused on communicating with her young friend.

Mrs. Flowers' unique perspective on life and her kindness to Marguerite inspires Marguerite to open up to her.

Bertha Flowers is a well-to-do African American woman who occupies an important place in black society. She becomes an important person in Marguerite’s life for several reasons. She is one of the first highly educated black women that Marguerite meets, and she enters the girl’s life at a crucial time after she returns to life in Stamps. Maya Angelou writes that Mrs. Flowers serves as a “life line” that reconnected Marguerite to the world when she could not express herself vocally and often wondered about her sanity.

Mrs. Flowers requests Marguerite’s help, even though it is only with the small task of carrying groceries, which gives her an incentive to leave the house. At the Flowers home, she treats the girl kindly but firmly and shares her philosophies about life. Mrs. Flowers is interested in the arts, especially literature, and Marguerite finds her reading “a wonder.”

One of Mrs. Flowers's first gifts is a book of poetry, and as she recognizes this interests Marguerite, she encourages her to read widely. Mrs. Flowers also prompts her to begin keeping a journal. As the girl is still not speaking, years after the trauma of her stepfather’s rape, the ability to express her innermost thoughts on paper begins to liberate her from the cage of silence.