Dreams of Blacks Deferred in the Poetry of Langston...

Dreams of Blacks Deferred in the Poetry of Langston Hughes The poetry of Langston Hughes, the poet laureate of Harlem, is an effective commentary on the condition of blacks in America during the 20th Century. Hughes places particular emphasis on Harlem, a black area in New York that became a destination of many hopeful blacks in the first half of the 1900s. In much of Hughes poetry, a theme that runs throughout is that of a dream deferred. The recurrence of a dream deferred in several Hughes poems paints a clear picture of the disappointment and dismay that blacks in America faced in Harlem. Furthermore, as each poem develops, so does the feeling behind a dream deferred, growing more serious and even angry with each new†¦show more content†¦When blacks arrived in Harlem, though, their dream was deferred; instead of the opportunities they had envisioned, they were faced with overcrowding, exploitation, and poverty. At the beginning ofHarlem, the mood that accompanies a dream deferred is a questioning one that begins a search for defi nition. This mood, which will develop as each poem progresses, induces the reader to reflect upon the meaning of a dream deferred, preparing them for its development. The poem continues, listing the possible fates of a dream that never becomes reality. It suggests that maybe the dream will dry up / like a raisin in the sun, withering up and disappearing. Maybe it will stink like rotten meat, becoming a sickening reminder of what will never be. Perhaps the dream will crust and sugar over; Hughes seems to be saying here that the dream deferred might be covered up by society with a veil of normalcy. The most powerful line in Harlem, though, is the last line: Or does it explode? This line, in italics for emphasis, makes obvious the severity of a postponed dream, especially the dream of the blacks in Harlem. For a people who have been oppressed for centuries, the denial of yet another dream is not taken lightly. With the final line, Hughes seems to be hinting at a revolution, alluding to the idea thatShow MoreRelatedHughes Use of Literary Devices658 Words   |  3 Pages Langston Hughes Use of Literary Devices Only a half of century after the abolition of slavery, the African Americans began the movement of the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920‘s. Suppressed by whites, segregation, second-class citizen ship and a poor education Langston Hughes became one of the most inspirational poets of his time. Langston Hughes let the world know of his existence through his poetry. Ignited with passion, pride and knowledge of the journey through slavery and there after, HughesRead MoreA Brief Look at Langston Hughes1413 Words   |  6 PagesLangston Hughes Langston Hughes’ challenging background, ethnicity, and era of life can all be thought of reasons as to why his style of writing relates among discrimination and unsettling topics. Although his writing can be said to bring hope to the African Americans, his style can be frightening and daunting when taken the time to read his pieces. They may not seem real, but they are his way of interpreting and informing the future of what African Americans, like himself, had to go throughRead MoreThe Life Poems of Langston Hughes Essay775 Words   |  4 Pagesliving with many relatives, Langston Hughes experienced poverty. Langston Hughes used poetry to speak to the people. Langston Hughes is a pioneer of African American literature and the Harlem renaissance error. Mr. Hughes dedicated his poems to the struggles, pride, dreams, and racial injustices of African American people. Langston Hughes was born James Langston Hughes, February 1, 1902 in Joplin, Missouri. Langston Hughes, named after his grandfather James Mercer Langston, was the first AfricanRead MoreLangston Hughes ´ Memories in His Poems Essay834 Words   |  4 PagesRenaissance, Langston Hughes was an inspirational poet who highlighted many aspects of the urban life of African-Americans through reflections of his own life and experiences. As a writer, a poet and a prominent activist of the civil rights movement, Langston Hughes was a man that was not only inspired by the world around him but used such inspiration to motivate others. Being that he was also one of the most influential writers during the Harlem Renaissance, Hughes held poetry demonstrationsRead MorePoets Write Feelings of Racism in Still I Rise In Harlem by Langston Hughes and Stil I Rise by Maya Angelou642 Words   |  3 Pagesmid-1950’s-60’s was when the Black community really felt the need to take charge and fight for their rights. Numerous amounts of young black men and women found ways to end racism. Some even sought out to write their feelings turning them into poetry. One of these people is Langston Hughes. Hughes is a very influential man who has written countless amounts of poetry. Another leading poet that has a major impact to further demolish racism is Maya Angelou. She too has written a multitude of poetry over the yearsRead MoreThe Writing Style Of Langston Hughes1001 Words   |  5 Pagesdo what he must choose.† Freedom of creative expression, whether personal or collective, is one of the many legacies of Hughes, who has been called â€Å"the architect† of the black poetic tradition. He is certainly one of the world’s most universally beloved poets, read by children and teachers, scholars and poets, musicians and historians. Langston Hughes became the voice of black America in the 1920s, when his first published poems brought him more than moderate success. Throughout his lifetime, hisRead MoreThe Poetry Of Langston Hughes1498 Words   |  6 PagesPoetry, just like music, is a form of expressing the human language in a manner that manipulates the emotion and thought. With this definition in mind, poetry evolves as time and atmospheres change, and as they change, new challenges become present leading to different kinds of expressions and feelings about an environment. Thus, it i s with these changing expressions and ideas that poetry itself evolves. However, poetry’s foundation does not rest solely on the fact that it is a medium through whichRead MoreDreams in Langston Hughes Poems1401 Words   |  6 Pages Langston Hughes’ challenging background, ethnicity, and era of life can all be thought of reasons as to why his style of writing relates among discrimination and unsettling topics. Although his writing can be said to bring hope to the African Americans, his style can be frightening and daunting when taken the time to read his pieces. They may not seem real, but they are his way of interpreting and informing the future of what African Americans, like himself, had to go through and what they hadRead MoreThe Dream Deferred By Langston Hughes1020 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"Dream Deferred,† is a poem written by Langston Hughes discussing what may become of a dream that is put off, delayed, or postponed by external influences. Throughout the poem, Hughes uses questions about concrete things in everyday life and compares them to the ignored dreams. Langston Hughes isn’t referring to the dreams we have when we go to sleep at night, he’s referring to an aspiration or a desire. â€Å"Does it dry up Like a raisin in the sun?† (Hughes 970) The vision of his dream is vanishingRead MoreThe New Negro Summary Essay1412 Words   |  6 Pagestoward themselves as Locke said best From The New Negro, and has been described as something like a spiritual emancipation. Many African Americans moved to Harlem, a neighborhood located in Manhattan. Back in the day Harlem became the world’s largest black community; also home to a diverse mix of cultures. Having extraordinary outbreak of inspired movement revealed their unique culture and encouraged them to discover their heritage; and becoming the New Negro,† Also known as â€Å"New Negro Movement,† it