Maya Angelou, "Graduation" 7. My class was wearing butter-yellow pique dresses, and Momma launched out on
mine. She smocked the yoke into
tiny crisscrossing puckers, then shirred the rest of the bodice. Her dark fingers ducked in
and out of the lemony cloth as she embroidered raised daisies around the hem. Before
she considered herself finished she had added a crocheted cuff on the puff sleeves, and
a point crocheted collar.
8. I was going to be lovely. A walking model of all the various styles of fine hand sewing
and it didn't worry me that I was only twelve years old and merely graduating from
the eighth grade. Besides, many teachers in Arkansas Negro schools had only that
diploma and were licensed to impart wisdom.
In paragraphs 7 and 8, Angelou provides a lot of detail about the dresses she and her
classmates are wearing for graduation. In addition to providing concrete imagery, what
else does this passage do? Why is it significant?