Adversity In The White House By Langston Hughes

When facing adversity people either have positive or negative feeling about the outcome. They are either optimistic or pessimistic. In the past, African Americans were under oppression and often expressed their feelings about the future through literature. In his poem, “The White House”, Claude McKay talks about adversity that he has faced trying to fit in the society while Langston Hughes, in his poem “I Too Sing America”, states that he feels that he is an American. While both poems talk about hardships that African Americans face, they contrast in authors’ views of African Americans in the society. In his poem, “The White House”, McKay suggests that there is no way for him to fit in the society. He feels that African Americans will never be white Americans equal. As much as African American tried to show that they are equal they were always seen as inferior race. In his poem he states, “Your door is shut against my tightened face” (McKay line 1). In his poem he is trying to show how African Americans want to fit in …show more content…
In his poem Hughes states, “They send me to eat in the kitchen” (Hughes line 3). While he sees himself as whites’ equal he is still not allowed to eat with them. When white people are eating in the dining room he is sent to the kitchen to eat alone. Likewise McKay suggests that African Americans are shut out of society. Even if they tried to fit in they would be stopped by Jim Craw Laws. McKay states, “And find in it the superhuman power/ To hold me to the letter of your law” (McKay lines 11-12). McKay expresses his frustration because he needs to follow unwritten Jim Craw Laws. Just because he is African American he is not allowed to be part of the society. If he disobeyed the Jim Craw Laws he would be punished and that is the reason why he sees no way for African Americans to fit