I Hear America Singing By Langston Hughes Analysis

Born ten years after the death of Walt Whitman, there was no possible way for Langston Hughes to ever meet or communication with Whitman, but that did not mean Hughes could not establish a connection to him, or at least his work. In 1925, Hughes wrote a poem titled “I, Too” was inspired by and directed in response to the poem “I Hear America Singing”, which was composed by Whitman much earlier. Whitman’s poem consisted of a variety of different American laborers who “sing” as they do their jobs. This well-known poem never specifically addresses the ethnicity of these singing laborers of the American population, but Hughes sets about to rectify that omission.

Both Langston Hughes and Walt Whitman are regarded as some of the finest poets in a long list of excellent American poets. Hughes, a poet during the Harlem Renaissance era of American poetry, often wrote of the struggles of African Americans in his poetry. A common theme of Harlem Renaissance poetry was discussing the struggles and advancements of African Americans in terms of social justice. Walt Whitman wrote his poetry in the period of transition from transcendentalism and realism. His works can be seen to incorporate elements of both styles. Walt Whitman was also a humanist, and this can also be readily seen in his many works. Both Langston Hughes’ “Let America Be America Again” and Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself” tackle the idea of oneself within a larger collective group. However, Hughes speaks from the African American viewpoint at the time. Hughes relies on more specific imagery, while Whitman incorporates imagery that is more generalized. Each of the authors uses imagery in similar yet individually effective ways, covers a similar theme with respective viewpoints, and uses different tones to cover how an individual effectively fits into a collective.

Each of these two poems are extremely patriotic and portray the American spirit. After reading these poem the readers typically reaction is having a lot of pride in their great country. In “I Hear America Singing” it describes all the small hard jobs that keeps America running. Such as farmers, mechanics, sailors and many more essential jobs. In “I, Too, Sing America” by Langston Hughes, he talks about how he is not accepted as an American, because he is darker. He thinks this is wrong, because he sings America just like us. There is only one difference between us and that is skin color. Both Walt Whitman, and Langston Hughes were born in America and have a deep love for it, that makes them both American. So a skin color should not keep another human being, from treating them the

The message that Hughes and de Hoyos are trying to convey is that their races were forgotten in Walt Whitman’s “I Hear America Singing.” This is proven by one quote from each poem. In “I, Too,” Hughes says, “I, too, sing America./ I am the darker brother.” This is hinting that Walt Whitman neglected to mention anything about the African Americans, who are also proud of what they do. In “To Walt Whitman,” de Hoyos says, “-my Native Amerindian race that I can’t to seem to find in your poems.” This line says that, in all of his poems, Walt Whitman never seemed to talk about the Native

In this paper I will be talking about the similarities and differences in the two different poems. The two poems were written by two incredible poets and were probably one of the best in their lifetimes. The first poem is written by Walt Whitman and is called “ I Hear America Singing”. The other poem is by Langston Hughes and is called “I, Too, Sing America” .Many people believe that Langston Hughes wrote his poem “I, Too, Sing America” in response to Walt Whitman's poem “ I Hear America Singing”. Some people have a completely opposite opinion and say that the two poems have nothing to with each other. Langston Hughes did many things in his life. Some of them include being an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and a

As time has passed humanity still tends to separate each other based on our racial being rather than seeing each other as one human race. Langston Hughes’s, “A New Song,” published in 1938 introduces the idea of a new vision of social relations in American society. Hughes’s original version of this poem written in 1933, does not encompass his growing anger on this subject that is dwelled upon in his published version. However, with Hughes’s powerful tone and word choice throughout his 1938 rendition, his reader is able to understand his urge to transform America into an interracial culture. (Central Idea) His poem voices the importance of transforming society into a multiethnic unity and working-class established through cultural ties between whites and blacks. (Thesis) Hughes voices this crucial need to change through his emphasis on African American’s past struggles as opposed to the new dream, his militant tone, and through expressing the role that the establishment of cultural ties plays in society.

Langston Hughes wrote a poem that some believe is in response to a poem Walt Whitman made. Walt Whitman’s poem “I hear America Singing” is basically a description of the people who made up America at the time. The mothers, the carpenters, the masons, the shoemakers, the wood cutters, etc, were all the different types of people that made up what America, said of the poem. With Langston Hughes's poem “I, Too, Sing America”, the poem is making a sort of claim that Hughes’s and blacks alike also have a right to feel patriotic towards and be a part of America. Both poems are pretty similar to what they’re subject is (America), but they are quite different when it comes to what exactly the two poems are mainly focusing on.

Langston Hughes, “I too, Sing America” chronicles an African-American male’s struggle with patriotism in an age of inequality and segregation in the United States. The poem cleverly uses metaphors to represent racial segregation faced by African-Americans during the early twentieth century. The speaker presents a battle cry for equality and acceptance, and his words are a plea and a declaration for nationalism and patriotism. Although, the poem does not directly imply racism, the speaker’s language suggests that he equates the kitchen to racial discrimination by the general American society. His word usage signals his wish to participate in a land that he proudly claims as his own despite his personal experiences of rejection. Despite

Langston Hughes and Claude McKay share similar qualities in their respective poems “I, Too, Sing America” written by Hughes and “America” written by McKay. These poems, though different and unique in style, share common characteristics that make each poem a classic piece of American literature. Hughes and McKay, both African American males, were very notable during the Harlem Renaissance period. Both writers express their views on their individual African Americans perceptions in America in these poems, through their use of diction, tone, theme.

In this essay I will be talking about the differences between Walt Whitman's poem “ I Hear America Singing” and Langston Hughes poem “ I, Too, Sing America”. I will also be giving my opinion on whether or not Langston Hughes is responding to Walt Whitman's poem. Langston Hughes was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and a columnist from Joplin, Missouri. Walt Whitman was an American poet, essayist, and a journalist from West Hills, New York. This is all just background information about the two poets jobs and of where they came from. In the poem “ I Hear America Singing” Walt Whitman talks about lots of different types of jobs and of their distinctive carols. He talks of mechanics and how their singing is blithe and

Written in the first half of the 20th century, “Let America Be America” is a poem that documents and responds to the oppressed state of the United States, in both the past and present. The poem is a plea for a return to the original principles of freedom that our country has seemingly forgotten. Additionally, the speaker sees America as the broken home to oppressed people who have lost sight of the ultimate goal of freedom and happiness. Although America is often perceived as the “land of the free,” Langston Hughes’s poem contradicts this ideology by not only painting a vivid picture of oppression in America but also by providing a desperate hope for the future.

2017Compare and Contrast Essay“Home of the brave and proud... U.S.A.” In the poem, I hear America Singing by Walt Whitman and the poem I too Sing America byLangston Hughes they both agree that america, is the land of opportunity, but they differ in rightthat they don't equally have. Walt Whitman wrote” I hear America singing” before the civil warwar had happened and broken out and Langston Hughes wrote “I too sing America” ten yearsbefore the president had decided to make the civil right movement and changed America. Patriotism is a complicated concept.

In the fight for equality, people of color often feel isolated and separated from those whose privilege reinforces their oppression. However, there are and always have been white people who see the inequalities that are practiced in society and speak out against them in hopes of reaching equality for all. Langston Hughes used his voice in poetry to express his experience as a black man in the United States during the Civil Rights Movement, and his is a household name. There is no doubt that his words have power. The reader expects to feel his experience and gain empathy and understanding through his poetry. In his poem, “Let America Be America Again,” Hughes presents his experience of American life in a powerful contrast to the experience

Walt Whitman is viewed as the father of free verse, in spite of the fact that he didn't concoct it. Free verse is verse without normal examples of rhyme, beat or meter. Note: free verse has musicality and meter. The example, nonetheless, is unpredictable. Beat is regularly made using other lovely gadgets, including redundancy, similar sounding word usage, and other sound gadgets.