Compare Marquerite's first impress of the revial meeting and its participants with her final impressions.

Religious faith is a theme that is important in Angelou's descriptions of life in Stamps; even she, though she is skeptical, sees how big a role religion plays in her life and all around her. It is ironic that people whose lives are very hard believe in God more strongly than those who are blessed with wealth or privilege, but then again the people of Stamps have to rely on something to get them through their hard days. Although Maya thinks that people should see things the way they are, in a realistic rather than a faith-tinged way, it's probably the only way people can stay optimistic in their difficult lives.

Later she believes that However, religion in this context pacifies people to an extent that is not beneficial. It makes the people of Stamps complacent that they are being overworked and underpaid, when they should be fighting against their treatment