Laguna State Polytechnic University

Graduate Studies and Applied Research

2ND. SEMESTER ENROLMENT AY 2020-2021

COGNATE 209 (ENGLISH): CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

GENRE : POETRY/VERSE
LITERARY PIECE : Life Doesn’t Frighten Me by Maya Angelou
DISCUSSANT : Jeric Z. Romero
PROFESSOR : Mr. Chester Derequito

I. Identifying Constructs

Children have always been a subject of innocence, youthful characteristics, and even
bullying on one hand. They have been at the forefront also of fear, or the lack thereof considering
their limited knowledge of almost every mechanism in the world. Despite these, children have
their ways to overcome fear. This literary piece, written by Maya Angelou, explores the normal
things that children are afraid of, and the latter’s ways of dismissing each one.

To ensure that this literary piece checks the criteria of children’s literature, apart from a
thorough analysis of the poem’s meaning, the discussant perused several references and this
piece is a recommended one for teaching children’s literature according to a syllabus
compendium for Children and Adolescent Literature (Commission on Higher Education).

The following are constructs reflected in the literary piece. Support on the claims are
further discussed at the latter part of this paper.

A. Historical Constructs

❑ This poem was written in 1993 and a great part of the author’s past life is reflected in this
poem. No significant milestone in history was reflected though the poems central theme,
can be linked to the author’s childhood when she was sexually abused by her mother’s
boyfriend. She spoke about the culprit and after being proven guilty, the latter was kicked
to death by her uncles and Maya Angelou, being frightened to speak again, chose not to
speak for five years. It was during this silence when she learned to love literature.

B. Political Constructs

❑ Politically, this poem speaks on behalf of children and those who are afraid. This further
evokes the feeling of being brave on facing and overcoming adversities.
❑ Bullying, as a typical problem of a child, is also reflected in the poem.

C. Literary Constructs

❑ Like most poetry for children, this piece reinforces ideas of youth empowerment. Some
lines are also literary allusions of stereotyped characters which made the description more
vivid.
II. Sample Literature

Life Doesn't Frighten Me

by Maya Angelou

Shadows on the wall Tough guys fight

Noises down the hall All alone at night
Life doesn't frighten me at all Life doesn't frighten me at all.

Bad dogs barking loud Panthers in the park

Big ghosts in a cloud Strangers in the dark
Life doesn't frighten me at all No, they don't frighten me at all.

Mean old Mother Goose That new classroom where

Lions on the loose Boys all pull my hair
They don't frighten me at all (Kissy little girls
With their hair in curls)
Dragons breathing flame They don't frighten me at all.
On my counterpane
That doesn't frighten me at all. Don't show me frogs and snakes
And listen for my scream,
I go boo If I'm afraid at all
Make them shoo It's only in my dreams.
I make fun
Way they run I've got a magic charm
I won't cry That I keep up my sleeve
So they fly I can walk the ocean floor
I just smile And never have to breathe.
They go wild
Life doesn't frighten me at all
Life doesn't frighten me at all. Not at all
Not at all.

Life doesn't frighten me at all.

III. Literary Illumination
a. Focus Question 1: What are the constructs established from the historical, cultural,
and/or political background from the origin of the text?
Data from the sample literature are limited to explore all the constructs mentioned but
among the apparent few are the following:
Political/Cultural Constructs
1.1 In a society where the older ones dominate and the younger ones are basically viewed
as inferior, this literary piece explores the idea of brave and deviant youth. The author
herself claimed that the poem was written “for all children who whistle in the dark and who
refuse to admit that they’re frightened out of their wits”. This clearly evokes that children
must be brave to overcome adversities.
1.2 Bullying has always been a struggle of the young generation. This piece also reflects
how the young should stand for themselves and defy the bullies. This is clearly stated in
the line “That new classroom where / Boys all pull my hair / Kissy little girls with their hair
in curls / They don’t frighten me at all”.
1.3 On a biographical perspective, the author, at a young age, was sexually abused,
became tangled with drugs, and was a victim of prostitution. Given that these dark events
happened in her younger years, a part of the poem may be attributed to these experiences
which were, and have always been social issues of today.
b. Focus Question 2: What literary concepts can you build from the literature that may
help the students’ holistic aspect?
As previously mentioned, the central theme of the sample literature revolves
around overcoming fears and finding ways to see the positive light. Each line of the poem
evokes concepts which may be helpful for the students not only to be inspired by the
speaker but also to understand several things about life. The following analysis
comprehensively discusses the literary concepts.
Shadows on the wall
Noises down the hall
Common things that usually frighten a child written in
Life doesn't frighten me at all
lines with good rhymes
Bad dogs barking loud
Big ghosts in a cloud
Life doesn't frighten me at all

Mean old Mother Goose

Lions on the loose Literary allusions make the descriptions effective and
They don't frighten me at all appear like nursery rhymes. Similar with the previous
lines, words were used to emphasize things/animals that
Dragons breathing flame children are usually afraid of (lions and dragons).
On my counterpane
That doesn't frighten me at all.
I go boo
Make them shoo
I make fun The words, “boo” and “shoo” not only make a good
Way they run rhyme but also emphasize how a child overcomes fear.
I won't cry Also evident in these lines is how resilient a child can be
So they fly as revealed by “I won’t cry” and “I just smile”.
I just smile
They go wild
Life doesn't frighten me at all.

Tough guys fight

All alone at night
Life doesn't frighten me at all.
Panthers in the park
Strangers in the dark
No, they don't frighten me at all.
These particular lines highlight the bravery of a child
aside from the previously mentioned things. The speaker
seems to learn not be afraid of strangers and being alone
in the night.

That new classroom where

Boys all pull my hair
(Kissy little girls These lines affirm the speaker to be really young and
With their hair in curls) strong. These emphasize how brave a child can be to
They don't frighten me at all. face the dangers at school including bullying.

Don't show me frogs and snakes

And listen for my scream,
If I'm afraid at all
It's only in my dreams.

I've got a magic charm

That I keep up my sleeve
I can walk the ocean floor These lines explain what keeps the speaker going and
And never have to breathe. strong. The “magic charm” serves as her weapon to
withstand the challenges that life may pose at a young
Life doesn't frighten me at all age.
Not at all
Not at all.

Life doesn't frighten me at all.