Rita Johnson
Angelou's younger self, seeking work under the name Rita while raising her son.
She wants paid work that will let her support herself and her child.
The book
Who they are in the book
Spoiler-freeRita Johnson is Maya Angelou as she presents herself in the memoir's opening employment scenes. She is determined to earn money, but her confidence repeatedly runs ahead of what she knows how to do.
How the book draws them
- Pride after a rejectionIn Chapter 1, the telephone company's decision shocks her. She accepts cafeteria work, dislikes clearing tables used by former classmates, and spends her wages on the day she quits.
- Claiming a skill before learning itIn Chapter 2, she tells Mrs. Dupree that she can cook Creole food. The promised wage matters more immediately than her lack of experience.
- Seeking practical helpIn Chapter 3, she asks Papa Ford for instruction. When he objects to her working as a cook, she suggests that Creole cooking may be too difficult, prompting him to explain its basic ingredients.
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