y move back to Stamps and Maya begins workingfor a white woman named, Mrs. Cullinan. Mrs. Cullinan had other blackemployees as well as Maya but she always called Maya Mary instead ofher given name, Marguerite. This upset Maya and she throws Mrs. Cullinan’s valuable family plates on the floor. She is fired immediately and ishappy to be rid of her job.Later in the novel, Maya moves to San Francisco to live with hermother. She sees her father more now because he lives in southernCalifornia. Bailey is away now, but still visits.Maya and her father drive to Mexico one day to buy food. Whilethey are there, her father becomes intoxicated. Maya has to drive homewhile he sleeps in the back seat. At the border, the hits another car. Therewere minor damages and her father woke up to take care of the problem.When they get home, Maya and her father’s girlfriend, Dolores, getinto an argument. Dolores called Maya’s mother names and Maya hit her.Dolores jumped up, grabbed her, and cut her. Then, she chased her out ofthe house with a hammer.When she is fifteen, Maya decides to get a job. She wants to be atrolley driver in San Francisco. She isn’t hired at first because of her color,but she keeps applying until she finally gets the job. Maya becomes thefirst black female trolley conductor in San Francisco.Next we find out that Maya is pregnant. She doesn’t tell anyone butBailey. Finally, she tells her mother and stepfather in a note. Although theyaren’t proud, they are supporting of Maya. The novel comes to an end three weeks after Maya gives labor toher son. Even though she’s been awkward all her life, she suddenlybecomes graceful and attentive to the needs of her child.Reader’s Response:I enjoyed reading this book, but, I didn’t agree with many of Maya’schoices. In chapter thirty-five, she asked a boy she didn’t even know,“Would you like to have sexual intercourse with me?” T...
