Extended Metaphors throughout Langston Hughes’ Poetry regarding the Neglect of African Americans in Society
Langston Hughes once said “I was a victim of of a stereotype”. Him, along with many other African Americans during the 1920’s were the ones suffering due to discrimination. Langston Hughes implements extended metaphors throughout his poems “Lonesome Place”, “As I Grew Older” and “Park Bench” to portray the neglect against African Americans in society. The poems “Lonesome Place” and “As I Grew Older” both consist of extended metaphors that describe how African Americans were viewed by society during the 1920’s. Hughes writes “It’s a lonesome place. / A po’ po’ boy can’t find a friendly place” (“Lonesome Place” 4-6). In the poem “Lonesome Place”, …show more content…
In the poem “Park Bench” Hughes writes “I live on a Park Bench. / You, Park Avenue” (1-2). African Americans were seen having the equivalence to a park bench during the 1920’s, poor, not very important and sometime useless. On the other hand most people viewed the white people in society as rich and luxurious, like Park Avenue. In this poem Hughes also writes, “say ain’t you afraid / that I might, just maybe, / in a year or two, / move on over / to Park Avenue?” (9-12). When writing this Hughes is attempting to represent the fight that African Americans were willing to put up in order to receive equal treatment towards themselves from society. In the poem “As I Grew Older” Hughes also incorporates the message of African Americans breaking free from the segregation in society by writing “My dark hands! / Break through the wall!” (21-22). By breaking the wall Hughes creates a metaphor for how the hands of African Americans were finally starting to take a stand and attempt to break free from the barriers of
Langston Hughes once said “I was a victim of of a stereotype”. Him, along with many other African Americans during the 1920’s were the ones suffering due to discrimination. Langston Hughes implements extended metaphors throughout his poems “Lonesome Place”, “As I Grew Older” and “Park Bench” to portray the neglect against African Americans in society. The poems “Lonesome Place” and “As I Grew Older” both consist of extended metaphors that describe how African Americans were viewed by society during the 1920’s. Hughes writes “It’s a lonesome place. / A po’ po’ boy can’t find a friendly place” (“Lonesome Place” 4-6). In the poem “Lonesome Place”, …show more content…
In the poem “Park Bench” Hughes writes “I live on a Park Bench. / You, Park Avenue” (1-2). African Americans were seen having the equivalence to a park bench during the 1920’s, poor, not very important and sometime useless. On the other hand most people viewed the white people in society as rich and luxurious, like Park Avenue. In this poem Hughes also writes, “say ain’t you afraid / that I might, just maybe, / in a year or two, / move on over / to Park Avenue?” (9-12). When writing this Hughes is attempting to represent the fight that African Americans were willing to put up in order to receive equal treatment towards themselves from society. In the poem “As I Grew Older” Hughes also incorporates the message of African Americans breaking free from the segregation in society by writing “My dark hands! / Break through the wall!” (21-22). By breaking the wall Hughes creates a metaphor for how the hands of African Americans were finally starting to take a stand and attempt to break free from the barriers of