Name:____________________________ Date:_________________________ Class:_________

“When I Lay My Burden Down” Text-Dependent Questions

1. Explain the importance of rules and order in the narrator’s life as described in the very
beginning of the story.

2. Who owns the store, and why is this significant and/or ironic, given the setting and
characters in the story (pg. 358)?

3. How do the “powhitetrash” differ from the other characters?

4. Why do the “powhitetrash” children mock Momma? Discuss the reasons why people
would be so cruel to another person. Why are children occasionally cruel to an innocent
adult?

5. List three examples of how “powhitetrash” show disrespect in the store.

6. List three responses the narrator has toward the events that take place on Momma’s
porch.

7. Why does Momma stand and take the abuse from the children without responding?
8. Describe the narrator’s perspective. How does she view Momma?

9. How do the “powhitetrash” view Momma?

10. What lesson does the narrator learn from this scene?

11. What does Angelou mean when she says, “Whatever the contest had been out front, I
knew Momma had won?” Do you agree? Why or why not?

12. During the incident, Momma doesn’t say a word until the girls are leaving. What do you
imagine she is thinking? Why do you think she thinks this way?

13. Angelou says that when Momma sees the girls approaching, she sags from the waist
down, but from the top seems to be pulling for the top of an oak tree. Exactly what does
this image make you see? What do you think Momma is feeling?

14. Angelou takes some time to tell us about what is considered good behavior and courtesy
in her family. What was her purpose for doing this? How does she want you to feel about
her family’s rules?
ANSWER KEY
1. Explain the importance of rules and order in the narrator’s life as described in the very
beginning of the story.
The importance of rules and order in her life emphasizes the contrast between her
family and that of the “powhitetrash.”

2. Who owns the store, and why is this significant and/or ironic, given the setting and
characters in the story (pg. 358)?
Maya’s grandmother owns the store, and this is ironic because she is a black woman
who is mistreated in her own store by small white children, but she cannot do anything
about it because of the culture of the time.

3. How do the “powhitetrash” differ from the other characters?

The “powhitetrash” are dirty, rude, and ignorant. They misuse their position of
authority over Momma since that is the only sense of power they have.

4. Why do the “powhitetrash” children mock Momma? Discuss the reasons why people
would be so cruel to another person. Why are children occasionally cruel to an innocent
adult?

Possibly, they are bored and want excitement, or they have low status in society and
want to feel superior to someone; or, they may know that society’s unwritten rules forbid
Momma to lash back. Children may be cruel to adults when they want to feel powerful or
lash out at authority or when they have no fear of consequences.

5. List three examples of how “powhitetrash” show disrespect in the store.

The “powhitetrash” mess with the products, they call Momma and Maya’s uncle by
their first names, and they order them around as if they were grown-ups.

6. List three responses the narrator has toward the events that take place on Momma’s
porch.

She wants to beg Momma to go inside and let her handle them since she won’t get in
much trouble for lashing out; she is afraid for Momma that she won’t be able to restrain
herself amidst the taunts of the girls; she wants to get the gun and shoot them.
7. Why does Momma stand and take the abuse from the children without responding?

She takes the abuse because she doesn’t want to stoop to their level. She faces the
abuse with integrity and pride and never loses her dignity.

8. Describe the narrator’s perspective. How does she view Momma?

She views Momma as strong and courageous, but feels pity for the abuse she must
endure.

9. How do the “powhitetrash” view Momma?

They view Momma as inferior to them, regardless of the fact that they are below her
on all levels except society’s unwritten caste system.

10. What lesson does the narrator learn from this scene?

One possible lesson that the narrator learns from this scene is that sometimes fighting
back means not fighting at all—that keeping one’s dignity is more important than making
someone pay for their own ignorance.

11. What does Angelou mean when she says, “Whatever the contest had been out front, I
knew Momma had won?” Do you agree? Why or why not?

Angelou may mean that the girls were trying to get Momma to respond to their taunts
in order to get her in trouble, but because she kept her cool and refused to stoop to their
level, she kept her dignity and proved that she was the better person. Some people may
disagree and say that because the girls got away with their behavior, Momma was not the
winner.
12. During the incident, Momma doesn’t say a word until the girls are leaving. What do you
imagine she is thinking? Why do you think she thinks this way?

During the incident, Momma might be thinking about disciplining the girls; or, she
might be praying for self-control or freedom from the girls’ taunts.

13. Angelou says that when Momma sees the girls approaching, she sags from the waist
down, but from the top seems to be pulling for the top of an oak tree. Exactly what does
this image make you see? What do you think Momma is feeling?

The image that some people see is that of a big, strong oak tree standing tall. Momma
may feel fear, sadness, anger, or pity.

14. Angelou takes some time to tell us about what is considered good behavior and courtesy
in her family. What was her purpose for doing this? How does she want you to feel about
her family’s rules?

Angelou describes her family’s rules so that readers can understand her shock and
anger at the girls’ behavior. She wants readers to admire her family’s standards of
behavior.