Racism And Theme For English B, By Langston Hughes

The United States of America has a long history with inequality between whites and coloured people which resulted in the oppression of African Americans. The poems “Harlem” and “Theme for English B” by Langston Hughes reveals how the presence of racism African Americans face ultimately prevents them from achieving equality and the American dream. The poem “Harlem” uses a variety of literary devices to help emphasize how the American dream is not being achieved for African American people. “Harlem” uses imagery and smilies which depicts achieving the American dream in a negative way. The poet is describing the dream in a non-appealing way, “does it sink like rotten meat?” (Harlem,6). The rotten meat is referring to the fact that the dream …show more content…
There are obstacles which prevent selective groups of people from achieving this dream. The poet questions, “what happens to a dream deferred?” (Harlem 1). The poem argues that the dream is not being achieved. There are obstacles preventing African Americans from reaching the American dream. Racism occurs when one group believes their race is more superior over another group. The United States has a history in which whites asserted dominance over the African Americans. This inequality prevented blacks form obtaining success. In “Theme for English B” the speaker states that he is the, “only coloured student in [his] class”(Theme for English B) . This shows how coloured people were limited to seeking success. The inequality is evident as it shows how difficult is was for blacks to enter into elite schools. African Americans were given fewer opportunities to succeed which prevented them from succeeding as a collective race. White people look down on blacks which creates inequality. African Americans are being oppressed by the superior white race which is interfering with their freedom and preventing them from achieving the American …show more content…
However the speaker begins to question is the truth the same for blacks and whites. The poem addresses the irony of the situation weather the truth the same for a black student as it is for the white instructor. The speaker is trying to figure how the truth can be the same for different races who have different values. The speaker admits, “You are white- yet a part of me”. This represents the fact that they are both American so while they come form different ethnic backgrounds they are part of the same nation which unites them as one collective group. The dominant whites do not want the African Americans in their lives , “You don’t want to be a part of me”. This shows how the notion of segregation is still a popular idea. Whites do not want to have to associate with blacks which results in