Summary

In Chapter 15, Maya finds someone who is able to break her from her silence. Bertha Flowers is a wealthy, caring, well educated woman in Stamps. She has a close relationship with Momma, although Maya is unsure as to why. It is only later that she begins to understand that it's a shared sisterhood because of race and conditions. Bertha takes Maya under her wing and begins gently pushing her out of her shell. She teaches Maya that language can be powerful and literature even more powerful. She gives her books to read aloud, lemonade, and cookies. She also teaches Maya to learn from her culture and her elders. She instills in Maya an understanding and appreciation of poetry, a love which Maya maintains. Interestingly, when she returns from a visit to Bertha Flowers' home, she in punished by Momma because she uses...