Nick Bauer
Mrs. Gerdes
English 3
29 March 2017
Langston Hughes Langston Hughes was one of the greatest African American advocates of all time. He contributed more to the Harlem Renaissance than imaginable. He changed the world through poetry. He brought empowerment to people, but especially black women and men. His goal wasn’t to save the world on his own but spark the mind of others that could save the world, through his poetry. He was truly a one of a kind man that had one of the biggest contributions to the Harlem Renaissance.
Langston Hughes had a very rough childhood. He was born in Joplin, Missouri on February 1, 1902. His father left the family shortly after Langston was born. His mom was also absent for most of his life. The majority …show more content…
Two of his most famous poems are “Harlem” and “Dream Variations”. “Harlem was a poem written in 1951 and talks much about the Harlem Renaissance and African American Dreams. In the poem, Hughes says, “What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore— And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode?” This poem shows the way Hughes viewed African American’s dreams. He asks rhetorical questions that have negative answers. He is saying how even though people say African Americans have “freedom” they don't really have freedom. He is disgusted with what’s going on like “rotten meat” and no longer wants to be frustrated. He wants African American’s dreams to come true. The poem “Dream deferred” talks about what happens when you realize your dreams too late. Langston Hughes says, ““To fling my arms wide In some place of the sun, To whirl and to dance Till the white day is done. Then rest at cool evening Beneath a tall tree While night comes on gently, Dark like me- That is my dream! To fling my arms wide In the face of the sun, Dance! Whirl! Whirl! Till the quick day is done. Rest at pale evening… A tall, slim tree… Night coming tenderly Black like me.” Hughes talks about the multiple ways that a dream could die. He is saying how you have to go with your dreams as soon as …show more content…
Not much has changed today. There’s been so many wonderful things written about him. Lionel Davidas wrote “I, Too, Sing America’: Jazz and Blues Techniques and Effects in Some of Langston Hughes's Selected Poems.” about Hughes. In this he said, “Through his craftsmanship served by the blues techniques of understatement and oblique exposure, Hughes convincingly suggests that for the African Americans, the deferred and unfulfilled dream has withered into a ghastly nightmare that can entail social explosion.” (271) Lionel Davidas has an interesting critique on Hughes’s work. He is saying that African American’s are making things worse and worse for them by not going after their dreams. Langston Hughes is very persistent on this point. He strongly believes for change to happen you have to go out and make it happen. Another person who wrote about Hughes was Yusef Komunyakaa. He wrote “Langston Hughes Poetry = The Blues.” In this he talked about how Hughes’s work was more than just poetry. He
Mrs. Gerdes
English 3
29 March 2017
Langston Hughes Langston Hughes was one of the greatest African American advocates of all time. He contributed more to the Harlem Renaissance than imaginable. He changed the world through poetry. He brought empowerment to people, but especially black women and men. His goal wasn’t to save the world on his own but spark the mind of others that could save the world, through his poetry. He was truly a one of a kind man that had one of the biggest contributions to the Harlem Renaissance.
Langston Hughes had a very rough childhood. He was born in Joplin, Missouri on February 1, 1902. His father left the family shortly after Langston was born. His mom was also absent for most of his life. The majority …show more content…
Two of his most famous poems are “Harlem” and “Dream Variations”. “Harlem was a poem written in 1951 and talks much about the Harlem Renaissance and African American Dreams. In the poem, Hughes says, “What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore— And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode?” This poem shows the way Hughes viewed African American’s dreams. He asks rhetorical questions that have negative answers. He is saying how even though people say African Americans have “freedom” they don't really have freedom. He is disgusted with what’s going on like “rotten meat” and no longer wants to be frustrated. He wants African American’s dreams to come true. The poem “Dream deferred” talks about what happens when you realize your dreams too late. Langston Hughes says, ““To fling my arms wide In some place of the sun, To whirl and to dance Till the white day is done. Then rest at cool evening Beneath a tall tree While night comes on gently, Dark like me- That is my dream! To fling my arms wide In the face of the sun, Dance! Whirl! Whirl! Till the quick day is done. Rest at pale evening… A tall, slim tree… Night coming tenderly Black like me.” Hughes talks about the multiple ways that a dream could die. He is saying how you have to go with your dreams as soon as …show more content…
Not much has changed today. There’s been so many wonderful things written about him. Lionel Davidas wrote “I, Too, Sing America’: Jazz and Blues Techniques and Effects in Some of Langston Hughes's Selected Poems.” about Hughes. In this he said, “Through his craftsmanship served by the blues techniques of understatement and oblique exposure, Hughes convincingly suggests that for the African Americans, the deferred and unfulfilled dream has withered into a ghastly nightmare that can entail social explosion.” (271) Lionel Davidas has an interesting critique on Hughes’s work. He is saying that African American’s are making things worse and worse for them by not going after their dreams. Langston Hughes is very persistent on this point. He strongly believes for change to happen you have to go out and make it happen. Another person who wrote about Hughes was Yusef Komunyakaa. He wrote “Langston Hughes Poetry = The Blues.” In this he talked about how Hughes’s work was more than just poetry. He