Langston Hughes Poems Analysis - 1077 Words

The Never-Ending Fight for Freedom in America Langston Hughes was born during a time of blatant racism and discrimination. He was a voice for black America in the 1920s, and his poems have endured with a never-ending passion for justice and racial equality. His poems have a strong positive message, albeit his frustration for his country, which did not allow him to sit at the table of his white counterparts, as in â€Å"I, Too.† Hughes wanted to live equally among others, to feel an undeniable part of the free America he loved. Looking at two poems written by Langston Hughes, â€Å"I, Too,† and â€Å"Let America Be America Again,† no one could mistake his passion to live a life with the freedoms and liberty all Americans were promised. His poetry has a†¦show more content†¦Because of that experience, in the poem â€Å"I, Too,† he used symbolism by using the restriction placed upon slaves to sit in the kitchen, as an example of the separation he felt from white America. It is simple yet complicated, this symbolism, a mixture of the truth and an experience of reality. The symbolism of â€Å"eat in the kitchen† represents two things, the table being a place where family and friends come together, and where people receive food, and nourishment. Historically, around that time, white people usually sat at the dining room table to eat, but nonwhites were banished to the kitchen, this is both symbolic and literal; food here being the symbol for strength of the masses for the fig ht to gain equality. And once this has been achieved, he will â€Å"be at the table.† The title of this poem informs the reader about this idea of being accepted as an American. Hughes shows even in despair, he is more than hopeful for a future when he can sit at that dining table. He fiercely believes it will change and others will be ashamed. What Hughes discovered in Mexico was the exploitation and greed his father displayed towards the brown people who worked for him. As a ranch owner, Hughes father mistreated many of his employees who were brown. After his return, he felt immense empathy for farm workers, slaves, immigrants, and the poor, clear in the words of â€Å"Let America Be America Again,† he is everyone, for example, hisShow MoreRelatedPoem Analysis : Langston Hughes Poem1258 Words   |  6 Pages Research Paper and Poem Analysis: Langston Hughes Poem Analysis: Langston Hughes’ poem â€Å"Mother To Son† is a twenty line poem that seems to be from the perspective of a prudent mother that is giving her son, and possibly the readers, some helpful and supportive advice, telling them that, no matter how many adversities they may face, they can not give up. I believe that this is the main theme of the poem, perseverance. â€Å"So, boy, don’t you turn back./ Don’t you set down on the steps./ ‘Cause youRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Dream By Langston Hughes1909 Words   |  8 Pagesof each poem are very similar, but yet are different in their own unique way as well. The two pomes are about dreams, the first poem, Dream is about what could possibly happen if we let go of our dreams and don t purse them. The second poem, Harlem is about the possibilities of what could happen when we postpone our dreams. Both poems do not exactly end with a happy ending, for they show the regret that we will be left with, possibly even death. The poem Dream by Langston Hughes is aboutRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Langston Hughes 1451 Words   |  6 PagesAccelerated English 10 16 May 2017 Langston Hughes The â€Å"Poet Laureate of Harlem† as they called him was a very influential writer during the Harlem Renaissance (DISCovering Multicultural America, par. 2). He showed what life was like from his eyes and hoped that racial prejudice would stop once people understood what life was like for him. This is the story of Langston Hughes, who stood up for what he believed in and always fought for African American rights. Langston Hughes was an author during the HarlemRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Langston Hughes 947 Words   |  4 PagesLangston Hughes Research Please read the following three sources and answer all of the questions. Once you’re finished email the completed document to my email, lwiget@asa.edu. 1. http://www.nytimes.com/books/01/04/22/specials/hughes-humor.html In 5-7 Sentences summarize what this article is about. Your answers will go here: In this article is about the Life of Langston Hughes; how he was growing and couched the people with his humor and irony, regarding the impossibility and hard of beingRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Langston Hughes 2630 Words   |  11 PagesDaragon Wendwesen Stanford Searl English 102, fall 2014 December 12, 2014 Paper Five What â€Å"Identity† Means In The Poems of Langston Hughes Before I explain my take on what identity means in Langston Hughes works, I would like explain a little about a man who happened to be one of the most recognizable names in African- American literature, and the struggle he faced – as a writer and mostly as an African American. A brief glimpse into our darkest days and description of his life and about him willRead More Harlem, An Analysis of a Langston Hughes Poem Essay1405 Words   |  6 PagesHarlem, An Analysis of a Langston Hughes Poem The short but inspirational poem Harlem by Langston Hughes addresses what happens to aspirations that are postponed or lost. The brief, mind provoking questions posed throughout the poem allow the readers to reflect--on the effects of delaying our dreams. In addition, the questions give indications about Hughes views on deferred dreams. Harlem is an open form poem. The poem consists of three stanzas that do not have a regularRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Cross By Langston Hughes963 Words   |  4 PagesThe poem Cross by Langston Hughes sensationalizes the battle of being biracial; especially in the mid 1900 s.This poem dramatizes the problems of his ethnic roots, and growing up biracial in a time period and country that primarily sees blacks and whites. In this poem, Hughes is expressing his disappointment of being of both high contrasts however considering the fact that he could never have an honorable place in neither of the two races nor be acknowledged by neither of the two racial classesRead MoreAnalysis Of Langston Hughes s Poem I, Too978 Words   |  4 Pages Langston Hughes America, the ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity traditionally held to be available to every American. This is what everyone was told, what the Declaration of Independence states. But, Langston Hughes a black American poet in the Harlem Renaissance period saw the truth. Being an African American in the United States during the early 1900’s was difficult. Many lived a life full of hardships; segregation, prejudice and economic hardships, viewed as second-class citizensRead MoreAnalysis Of Langston Hughes s Poem Essay707 Words   |  3 PagesMy choice is a Langston Hughes’s poem â€Å"Theme for English B† and â€Å"Mother to Son.† Both poems were written around the Harlem Renaissance Era. Both of the poem Hughes shares learning new things and using a creative language. His poems are empowering, it speaks from a creative mind. We should study my texts because of the cultural center for Africa-American: writers, artists, musicians, photographers, p oets, scholars. The poem reflects the Harlem Renaissance era. The Harlem Renaissance was a name givenRead MoreAn Analysis of Langston Hughes Poem Harlem1520 Words   |  6 PagesPoems Harlem by Langston Hughes Thesis statement: Hughes wrote this when Jim Crow laws were still imposing an bitter segregated society in the South. There were still lynchings of innocent African Americans, there was no Civil Rights Movement, there was no Civil Rights legislation yet, and Blacks couldnt eat at lunch counters in the South. Harlem, however, was not at all like the South in terms of blatant, legal segregation. However, racism was very much in place in many places in America. Blacks