"Don't let the man bring you down."
This single statement most readily captures Angelou's essential philosophy. Identifying the unique challenges she faces as an African-American woman, she decides to forbid herself from using those challenges as excuses for not accomplishing what she wants for herself. This statement holds a dual meaning for Angelou, as she -- a woman -- refers to the government at large and to male authority in particular. Her life accurately reflects her belief in resistance because she never did allow "the man" to hold her back or discourage her in the least; instead focusing her attention on positive accomplishment.
"I had to trust life, since I was young enough to believe that life loved the person who dared to live it."
Angelou colors her narrative with resistance. Despite the many obstacles in her path -- opportunities to lose hope, -- she chooses to relentlessly participate in life. She accepts every challenge in stride, overcoming her self-doubt with the conviction that everything happens for a reason. She views every life event as meaningful and blessed.
"The black mother perceives destruction at every door, ruination at each window, and even she herself is not beyond her own suspicion."
Angelou devotes herself to a patient and committed parenthood. She keeps Guy's interests at the forefront of her decisions because she desires to give him advantages which she never received. Important to note in this process is the manner by which Angelou holds ideas in tension: she neither condemns herself for suspicious motives nor pretends that she does not.
