What does Marguerite compare Mrs. Flowers to in "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings"?

Marguerite compares Mrs. Flowers to the women of leisure found in English novels. In Chapter 15, Marguerite tells us that Mrs. Flowers reminded her of women "who walked the moors with their loyal dogs racing at a respectful distance...women who sat in front of roaring fireplaces, drinking tea incessantly from silver trays full of scones and crumpets...women who walked over the 'heath' and read morocco-bound books and had two last names divided by a hyphen."

In other words, Marguerite thinks of Mrs. Flowers as one of the most elegant and refined ladies she has ever met. Until she met Mrs. Flowers, Marguerite had never imagined the possibility of a black woman being as accomplished and polished in her manners as a white woman. To date, Marguerite has only ever met cosmopolitan and cultured women in fiction novels and movies, and these were invariably white women. In her heart, Marguerite is proud of her new friend and feels that Mrs. Flowers is more beautiful, cultured, and sophisticated than any white woman portrayed in movies and fiction novels. Essentially, Mrs. Flowers makes Marguerite feel proud to be African-American.

How is Marguerite similar to the caged bird in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings?

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings is an autobiography detailing the early life of Marguerite Johnson—who later becomes known as Maya Angelou, the famous poet. Angelou retells the story in her own way with herself as the central character. We understand throughout the book that she sees herself as a caged bird who gradually learns how to sing by claiming her own identity and sense of worth.

One poignant way in which Marguerite is a "caged bird" has to do with her rape as a young girl. After this traumatic experience, she suddenly ceases to speak. The bird's "song" has suddenly gone silent. Rediscovering her voice is an important step in Marguerite's development and an essential piece of reclaiming her self.

Another way in which we could think of her as a caged bird is by identifying Marguerite as the member of two oppressed groups. She is a woman and an African American. Therefore, the world has already created two "cages" in which to contain, limit, and define her. Of course, Marguerite refuses to stay in her cage. Instead, she proudly takes employment as the first Black woman employee of San Francisco streetcars —a big step that breaks through the bars of society's cage and lets her sing a triumphant tune.