Think AMERICA. Does the words opportunity, paradise, or Freedom pop up in your head? America may not always be the best place, but it is a place almost everyone comes to for advancement. However, have you ever thought about the economic situation in America? Back in October 1929 after the stock market crash, the United States struggled economically (Ohanian). While the United States went through these hard times it leads into the Great Depression, causing America to be completely different. Let America be America Again by Langton Hughes was written in 1936. Hughes shows the honest horrific truth of the American Dream, during the Great Depression in his poetry through imagery, symbolism, theme and repetition.
Although, the Great Depression …show more content…
Thinking of the word liberty – freedom comes to mind. Reading these lines, The Star Spangled Banner and the Statue of Liberty came to my mind. The Star Spangled banner was originally a poem created in 1818 by Francis Scott Key. The poem soon became the United States National Anthem. In this Anthem there is a line that, states “o 'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?” (Green and Siegel). Over a century ago, America was looked at as a place for freedom and a place where brave were born. America was not the same country it used to be years ago, things changed in the country. In the next line of that stanza, the words crowned, false patriotic, and wreath makes me think of the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty is crowned with seven spikes that represent the seven seas as well as the seven continents in the world. This representation should make others think that everyone equal, and together we can unite. We know Hughes believed in equality because in line fourteen he states “there’s never been in equality for me.” Just being able to read that one line you notice the tone of sorrow and …show more content…
Every few stanzas we see “America was never America to me” written. He even reassures readers in the second to last stanza “O, yes; / I say it plain, / America was never America to me” (69-71). When Langston says this, he wants America to live up to its expectations. Langston has faith, that America will be what everyone wishes it to be. He has so much faith and hope in America that he says “Its dream / Lies deep in the heart of me”(75-76). Once again in this poem, we are seeing greed represented. In lines twenty-six and twenty-seven, we are seeing the word “grab.” In the same lines where he says grab we see the words profit, power, and gold. These three words – (keywords) are supporting America is all about the money. Everyone in America is trying to have the gold, make a profit, but most importantly have power. Americans are out to get theirs and only look out for
Although, the Great Depression …show more content…
Thinking of the word liberty – freedom comes to mind. Reading these lines, The Star Spangled Banner and the Statue of Liberty came to my mind. The Star Spangled banner was originally a poem created in 1818 by Francis Scott Key. The poem soon became the United States National Anthem. In this Anthem there is a line that, states “o 'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?” (Green and Siegel). Over a century ago, America was looked at as a place for freedom and a place where brave were born. America was not the same country it used to be years ago, things changed in the country. In the next line of that stanza, the words crowned, false patriotic, and wreath makes me think of the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty is crowned with seven spikes that represent the seven seas as well as the seven continents in the world. This representation should make others think that everyone equal, and together we can unite. We know Hughes believed in equality because in line fourteen he states “there’s never been in equality for me.” Just being able to read that one line you notice the tone of sorrow and …show more content…
Every few stanzas we see “America was never America to me” written. He even reassures readers in the second to last stanza “O, yes; / I say it plain, / America was never America to me” (69-71). When Langston says this, he wants America to live up to its expectations. Langston has faith, that America will be what everyone wishes it to be. He has so much faith and hope in America that he says “Its dream / Lies deep in the heart of me”(75-76). Once again in this poem, we are seeing greed represented. In lines twenty-six and twenty-seven, we are seeing the word “grab.” In the same lines where he says grab we see the words profit, power, and gold. These three words – (keywords) are supporting America is all about the money. Everyone in America is trying to have the gold, make a profit, but most importantly have power. Americans are out to get theirs and only look out for