Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Langston Hughes

Theme for English B was so simply written by Langston Hughes and directly straight to the point. He talks about how he is twenty-two years old and the only african american male in his class. He mentions throughout the poem that just because he's african american doesn't mean he can't like the same things as other people who are a different race. He's trying to explain to us how diverse it is to live in America and be a different race. He wants the audience to know that just because he's a different race doesn't mean that he can't think or have the same opinions of someone of a different race. People shouldn't judge someone because of their race, but because of what they think. 

Harlem is really kind of confusing to understand. It starts out talking about dreams getting deferred and how they gave up on them. I think Hughes is referring to where did the dreams go? Did they "fester like a sore, And then run?" He makes it seem like the people in Harlem just gave up on their dreams and didn't pursue them like they intended to. 

2 comments:

  1. I loved Harlem! I thought about it more in terms of today. In Harlem you grow up and there are so many difficulties, you have so many dreams but you have to put them aside so that you can provide for your family and yourself.

    The Harlem Renaissance was happening then, the arts came to a forefront there because African Americans were finally able to freely express themselves. Well more free than when they were slaves. I still feel like because they were African American and looked down on and still seen as less of a person than white Americans their art could only go so far. So they had these dreams but again had to let them go because they weren't able to do anything with it besides share it with others in Harlem.

    I might be completely off, but that's what I got. You know I'm awful with poetry so your guess is as good as mine. :0)

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  2. Yeah I feel like they had a hard life to grow up in and everything was made more complicated with them towards society. I've never been good at poetry either so i just guessed at the topic and tried to assume the best of it.

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