A Comparison Of Maya Angelou And Lanston Hughes

Alice Walker and Maya Angelou are two contemporary African-American writers. Although almost a generation apart in age, both women display a remarkable similarity in their lives. Each has written about her experiences growing up in the rural South, Ms. Walker through her essays and Ms. Angelou in her autobiographies. Though they share similar backgrounds, each has a unique style that gives the readers, the gift of their exquisite humanity, with all of its frailties and strengths, joys and sorrows.

In the early part of the 20th century writers became more artistic. A modernist approach could be seen in many artist works. The African American writers during this era could be seen as aggressively self-conscious, divided, and vigor. Yet, many were just trying to figure out who they were as a person, and how they fit in the north. The Harlem Renaissance paved a way for these African American writers to emerge. Urban culture became visible, and many writers begin expressing themselves. Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston are two modernists who exposed the beauty of the African American Culture. Therefore, there artistic abilities and cultural experiences supported them in identifying themselves through short stories and poems.

In conclusion, the poem was used as a key to unlock some of the thoughts the negro had concerning Africa. The negro in this poem was a representative of all negroes during this time; their thoughts and the their feelings toward Africa. Cullen’s usage of the literary devices allow for an effective expression of the meaning of this poem. Poems are intensified language of experience, so the devices assured the connection of the reader to the poem and the experience. This applies to many issues in society today because as beautiful as our country is there are still dark clouds that cover the very essence of what the states once stood

Both Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes were great writers but their attitudes towards their personal experience as an African American differed in many ways. These differences can be attributed to various reasons that range from gender to life experience but even though they had different perceptions regarding the African American experience, they both shared one common goal, racial equality through art. To accurately delve into the minds of the writers’ one must first consider authors background such as their childhood experience, education, as well their early adulthood to truly understand how it affected their writing in terms the similarities and

Perhaps the reason that Maya’s poetry has had such a lasting impact on Americans is because of her poems such as ‘Caged Birds’ and ‘Still I Rise’ that demonstrate the issues that African – Americans faced, which she has done through the power of her words. She also challenges the readers with the theme of oppression that is carried out through her pomes as she felt very strongly about it by being surrounded by it her entire life. Maya Angelou has left an everlasting mark by influencing the society through her poems by inspiring others to persist towards their goals and dreams with strength and pride. Overall, Maya Angelou’s work can be attributed to the fact that her personal and cultural experiences of power have not been forgotten by overcoming adversity and oppression, which is clearly reflected in her inspiration body of work seen

Neither Langston Hughes nor Maya Angelou were just poets in the world of the twentieth century but instead heroes and leaders who showed the world that race wasn 't what made you but whom you are instead. Though both grew up during times and events in the world, both have similar ideas while also different.

She compares herself to a "black ocean, leaping and wide," an indication of the infinite power of her resilience. She closes the poem claiming that she is the "dream and the hope of the slave" followed by the thrice repeated phrase, "I rise." “Angelou captures the both the repression and the progress of the African American people over the course of history.” (Bouchard 1) I will use this essay in my final paper to analyze and determine the importance of simile in this poem and how it deeply affects the way in which the poem is meant to be

Maya Angelou, author of “All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes”, is one of the greatest voices of African-American literature. “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel” - Maya Angelou. This quote said by Angelou shows how her words in this selection can affect the reader’s way of interpreting the mood and language used in the text. The imagery and diction Maya Angelou used to describe Cape Coast Castle toward the beginning and ending of the piece creates a shift in mood from sorrow to optimism, which alludes to the closure of the internal conflicts she faced.

Graduation and Salvation – written by critically acclaimed authors Maya Angelou and Langston Hughes, respectively – are two autobiographical essays that tell of an important memory of the authors; a memory in which they’ve experienced disappointment as young adults. Although both authors experienced disappointment, the feelings that were evoked show several differences.

    Alice Walker and Maya Angelou are two contemporary African-American writers.  Although almost a generation apart in age, both women display a remarkable similarity in their lives.  Each has written about her experiences growing up in the rural South, Ms. Walker through her essays and Ms. Angelou in her autobiographies.  Though they share similar backgrounds, each has a unique style which gives to us, the readers, the gift of their exquisite humanity, with all of its frailties and strengths, joys and sorrows.

However, Angelou wrote her poem in a direct response to the white Americans in an oppressive way. This poem also uses a mixture of tones in oppose to Hughes poem that only used one specific tone. Furthermore, in Angelou’s poem, the writer is the speaker. But, these two poems are also very similar since Hughes made a blueprint of expressed poems to the future generation. In other words, they both talk about the same subject and both writers have the same purpose, to inspire to open Americans point of

Initially, Maya Angelou’s poems left me conflicted. They are a testament to her frequent themes of African American history “and now I’ll tell you my Golden Rule I don’t mind work but I ain’t no mule”, love “love, by nature, exacts a pain unequaled on the rack”, painful loss, overcoming hardships, perseverance and most assuredly holding on to hope “just like hopes springing high”. As a caucasian girl living in a relatively affluent suburb in comfort, I feel such gratitude for the gifts I’ve been granted, but I also have guilt. Maya Angelou’s poetry reminds me of my opportunities and my own strength to make a change in the world; “but still like life I rise”. This poetry sample is most often targeted toward African

Abolishing racial discrimination amongst African-Americans were a paramount struggle during the mid-20th century that proved victorious for many advocates fighting for equality and human rights. Writers such as Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou were both notorious for their writings that opposed racial discrimination that considerably diminished levels of racial inequality. Hughes’ “I, Too, Sing America” and Angelou’s “Still I Rise” were two symbolic poems that shared a common message and purpose, but differed in approach, attitude, and response to racial resentment.

Maya Angelou and Alice Walker are two well-known contemporary African- American writers. Although both women are from different generations they share some of the same qualities and experiences. Both women used their past experiences of tragedy and hardship as a stepping stool for growth by turning that pain into what now are famous stories and poems. For most writers, majority of their work stem from their own experiences, and for both Alice and Maya a great deal of their works regarded the dilemmas many African American people faced during that time such as prejudice and discrimination.

In “Africa”, the author uses dimeter and then erratic meter in later stanzas to add onto the motif of stolen innocence. The author uses two feet per line, such as “sugar cane sweet” (Africa, 855)  in the first stanza to display the childlike purity of the continent. The meter is uncomplicated and easy to identify reflecting the African way of life. Africa, before white exploration, was a joyful and beautiful place to live in. Equally important is the acceleration of the rhythm of the poem by the dimeter found in the first stanza. Through the speeding beat, Angelou displays the fleeting nature of Africa’s innocence. Africa