Race Discrimination In Charles W. Chesnutt's I, Too

America as a nation has dealt with many issues in the time it has been a country. The ranges of these problems have led to wars and conflicts even on our own soil. The biggest of these was the Civil War; in this the north and south fought a war on issues that either directly or indirectly involved slavery. This issue of race discrimination has been a central problem of not only America’s society, but affecting everyone on this blue ball we call Earth. Even to this day we have social groups that blatantly discriminate against people who they believe are inferior. The Passing of Grandison by Charles W. Chesnutt, a short story, and two poems, From the Dark Tower by Countee Cullen, and I, Too by Langston Hughes explores how far African Americans would go to survive the oppression and racism during a time of deep despair. In all cases by using “masks” to hide their true intentions and using …show more content…
It’s a short poem but brings to light how African Americans felt when being a “darker brother”(1778), and being forced to eat in the kitchen when company comes. He takes it in stride because he knows that it is only a matter of time until people realize how misguided they are and know how wrong they were. This is another “mask”, to be able to swallow pride and just to do what your told, knowing that one day you will get the freedom that you desire. The author beautifully describes that “I, too, sing America”(1778), in the first and last stanza of the poem. This comment sets up the whole theme of the poem, to be able to express that everyone, no matter race, religion, and background, are Americans and that just because someone puts you down, doesn’t mean that it’s the right thing to do. The poem in a way tells the reader to just wait it out, be what is expected, until your given the chance to change it, “Besides, They’ll see how beautiful I am. And be ashamed--”