English Oral

Presentation

“Visit to the
Dentist”
By: Ana Rita nº4
Inês Ramos nº15
Inês Ventura nº16 Date: 23.10.2008
 Structure
• About the writer … • Plot

• Story’s Background • Racism in this short-

story
• Narration • Characters

• Description • Language and style

• Setting
Maya Angelou
 Maya Angelou

Marguerite Johnson
April 4th, 1928.

• American writer, poet, educator, historian,

civil-rights activist, producer and director.
• One of the greatest voices of contemporary
literature.
• Travels around the world and makes public
appearances.
 Maya Angelou

Twelve of her books were best-sellers,

such as: “I know why the caged bird
sings”, “A song flung up to heaven”
and “Even the stars look lonesome”.

“America’s most visible black female

autobiographer”

Six of her books are autobiographies and

they were amazingly successful among
the readers.
 Maya Angelou
• She was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize, with her
poetry book “Just give me a cool drink of water
‘fore I diiie”.

• In January 1993, she was the second poet in the

U.S. history to have the honor of writing and
reciting her original work at the Presidential
• Received two Grammy Awards, in which one of
Inauguration.
them was the "Best Spoken Word Album" category
due to her work “Hallelujah”! The Welcome Table”.

• This famous writer also received over 50 honorary

degrees from colleges and universities all over the
world.
 Maya Angelou

Through her works and public

appearances worldwide she tries
to transmit her thoughts about
certain issues and tries to give
voice to people who want to
 Background
Racism in America
1960-1969
 Background

• “Visit to the Dentist” was written

in 1969.

• It’s an auto-biography.

• It’s set in The United States of

America.

• Discrimination is very frequent

due to the variety of ethnics.

• This short story talks about

racism, social inequalities and
psychological suffering.
 Background
• Racism in the USA has been a major issue since the Colonial
Era. Since that time, this country has been one of the most
chosen destinies by many different people…

American History:
1960-1969
• The sixties were the age of youth, as 70 million children
from the post-war baby boom became teenagers and young
adults. 

• The movement away from the conservative fifties

continued and eventually resulted in revolutionary ways of
thinking.

• Young people wanted change. The changes affected

education, values, lifestyles, laws, and entertainment.  Many
 Background

The Civil Rights movement made great

changes in society in the 1960's: 

• Martin Luther King and Stokely Carmichael led sit-

ins and peaceful protests.
• In 1965, the term "blacks" became socially
acceptable, replacing "Negroes.“
• The number of Hispanic Americans tripled during
the decade and they became recognized as an
oppressed minority. 
 Background
• American Indians began to assert themselves in the
courts and in violent protests. 
• Women also fought against the inequality that existed
between them and men.  Women wanted change and
progress and they founded some institutions.
• The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was amended to include
gender. 

• Respect for authority began to be forgotten by the

youth, and crime was much more significant than in
the 1950's. 
• Drugs started being sold and consumed by teens
(LSD, Marijuana …).
• The hippie movement started.
 
 Background
• When Fidel Castro, soon after
overtaking Cuba, declared that he
was a communist, the United States
broke off diplomatic relations with
this country, which originated a lot
of conflicts for many years.

• Literature also reflected what was

happening in America’s political and
social areas in the sixties.

• Maya Angelou helped create new

ideas on feminism as it developed in
America.
 Setting
Location:
• The United States of America:
- Stamps (Marguerite’s house and the
white dentist’s office).
- Texarkana (black dentist’s office).

Time:
- Around 1934.
- Action happens during one day
(morning and late in the afternoon).
 Characters
Main Characters:
• Marguerite Henderson.
• Annie Henderson (Momma)
• Dr. Lincoln (white dentist)

Secondary Character/Extra:
• White nurse that opens the door at
the Dr Lincoln’s office.
 Game. :b
Main Events:
2. They return home and tell their story to their
relatives.
3. After some time, as the pain refused to go away,
her grandmother decides to take her to the
dentist.
4. The grandmother gets angry and has a big fight
with the Doctor.
5. Marguerite steals candies from the candyshop
and she gets a toothache due to two cavities in
her teeth.
6. They go to the black dentist far away from their
house.
 Correction
Main Events:
2. Marguerite steals candies from the candyshop
and she gets a toothache due to two cavities in
her teeth.
2. After some time, as the pain refused to go
away, her grandmother decides to take her to the
dentist.
6. The nearest dentist is a white man and he
refuses to treat Marguerite because she’s black,
although he owes some favours to Annie.
3. The grandmother gets angry and has a big fight
with the Doctor.
5. They go to the black dentist far away from their
 Narration
• “Visit to the dentist” is an
autobiography.

• It’s written in the first person.

• The narrator is participant and

omniscient.

• Description of the characters’ actions

and explanation of the story itself.

• Conversations between Momma and

 Description
• Description of the places during the trip
to the other side of the city. She
explains the diferences between the
place where she lives and the place she
is going to (the white side of the city).

• She describes the doctor, the way he

acts and her grandmother.
 Racism in this short-
story
• The doctor refuses to treat
Marguerite.

• On the bus, Marguerite and Momma

have to sit in the back (spot reserved
to coloured people).

• When they are going to buy an ice-

cream they have to order it through
 Language and Style
• This short-story has a formal language
because of the careful way the text is
written and also because of the words used.

• In the dialogues, the language has parts of

“neighbourhood talk”.
eg: “I done tole you I ain’t gonna mess
around in no niggah’s mouth”.

• The writer used some ordinary expressions

since it was a conversation between
Marguerite and her grandmother.
 The end ;D

“Visit to the
Dentist”
By: Ana Rita nº4
Inês Ramos nº15
Inês Ventura nº16 Date: 23.10.2008