okay so i was just doing some research on it, so Maya saw Mrs. Flowers as a role model. She wanted to be like Mrs. Flowers when she got older. Maya stated that Mrs. Flowers was a " Life Line". After Maya's "incindent with her boyfriend" she was, closing herself off from the world, didnt want to talk, was depressed, etc. Mrs. Flowers was there, she would sit with her and force her to talk, and they read poetry together. If it wasnt for Mrs. Flowers Maya could have gone down a long sorrow filled road, being alone. They become best firends.