Identity in the Poetry of Langston Hughes

The two poems by Langston Hughes “Theme for English B” and “ I, Too” both identify racism that permeates all stations of life. In both texts, Hughes represents the two speakers as African Americans and identifies how one tries to elevate himself through education and the other individual remains trapped at a lower station. In the poem “Theme for English B” skin colour and all that it represents emerges when the speaker searches for his identity as well as what is the truth about his abilities. The speaker expresses his view in how he deals with his white counterparts (the instructor). “I, Too” centers on the idea of racial oppression, looking at how whites do not recognize blacks as equals and how this affects the individual. Yet the texts attempt to show the basic human similarities between African Americans and white people despite their perceived differences and societal segregation. The two speakers within the poems struggle with their own self-worth in relation to their colour. The similarity between the two speakers is that they approach their issues confident in their capabilities and futures. The two speakers differ in that they appear to have different stations in life; servitude versus achieving higher education, yet both struggle with self-worth.

The experiences, lessons, and conditions of one’s life provide a wellspring of inspiration for one’s creative expressions and ideas. Throughout life people encounter situations and circumstances that consequently help to mold them into individualized spirits. An individual’s personality is a reflection of his or her life. Langston Hughes, a world-renowned African American poet and self-professed defender of African American heritage, boldly defies the stereotypical and accepted form of poetry at his own discretion. Although Langston Hughes is a successful African American poet, he, like many other Harlemites, faces obstacles

Before I explain my take on what "identity" means in Langston Hughes works, I would like explain a little about a man who happened to be one of the most recognizable names in African- American literature, and the struggle he faced – as a writer and mostly as an African American. A brief glimpse into our darkest days (in American history of slavery) and description of his life and about him will help elucidate the background, and his style of writing. Jordan stated African Americans journey and identity in the Americans started on the wrong no “Over a period of more than three centuries, in the slave ships of the Middle Passage and the plantations of the American South, peoples from many nations of what is now called West and Central Africa, brought together under conditions of extreme brutality, reinvented themselves as one people and they renamed themselves ‘African’, ‘Coloured People’ and ‘Negro’. Later, from end of the nineteenth century to the first few decades of the twentieth century, mostly in northern urban centres of the USA, the descendants of the slaves reinvented themselves again, this time as the ‘New Negro’”(848-891).

Langston Hughes inspired others to reach their true potential in their work by using their own life as a catalyst:

In his poem, the Negro, Langston Hughes discuss what it’s like to be a negro from the very beginning of slavery to his current situation now. This poem is written during 1922 were the African American is fighting the injustice of prejudice and discrimination and fighting towards civil rights and equality something still going on presently in America. Langston Hughes was an African American poet, social activist, novelist and one of the earliest innovators of the then new literary art form called Jazz poet. “Langston Hughes” n.d. During the time this poem was written Langton Hughes was staying in Harlem and was at the center of the African American community and was one of the voices that community looked to for hope during civil oppression. In the poem, the negro the theme takes us from how the negro is treated in the world to how the Negro is treated in America. In his poem, The Negro Langston Hughes states:

“Poetry is a reflection of society and an impact on society.” This is the line my father told me when I was discussing the work of Langston Hughes with him. Hughes’s work exemplifies my father and von Goethe’s quotes. Langston Hughes was a black poet in the 1920’s and the influence this had on his poetry is obvious. His poems discuss his African American heritage and the struggles he faced with discrimination and racism. When I first read his poems, I was young, only in third grade. I lived on a military base where equality was the standard and I did not understand the concept of racism. I could still feel his pain through poems like Theme of English B though. I could feel his distress at the state of his country’s society. That is what I believe the first part of the quote ‘one cannot escape the world more certainly than through art’ to mean. Reading Hughes’s poems let me be free from my happy existence and experience the struggle and turmoil prevalent in the 20’s. I was able to be a part of the past through reading that reality will never let me actually experience.

The poem “Oppression” by Langston Hughes was arguably written in the year 1921. In the first stanza, Hughes identifies oppression is a force that disrupts lives. Then in the second, reflects Hughes beliefs of how those dealing with oppression will soon rise above it and gain the equality they deserve. In this reflection I will be discussing ideology, implied author, and mental images of this poem.

Langston Hughes uses his own experiences as evidence as to how society tries to influence the minds of others. Hughes self-identifies as a black person, “I am the only colored student in my class.” He emphasizes how his ethnicity separates him from his white classmates. He also hints about how his life was harder just because he was a black student; saying that his professor is more free because he is “older-- and white.” He is able to align himself closely with his classmates and professor even though he has described his experience with segregation and racism. Like them he likes “to eat, sleep, drink, and be love./ I like to work, read learn, and understand

Since the birth of America racial minorities have struggled to achieve the American Dream. Cultures have struggled to break their stereotypical identities and have the equal opportunities in American society. United in their goal to create a lasting impact on American culture, these cultures have demonstrated the dedication to reach their endeavors to create a bright future for themselves. All cultures living in American share the same core values of the American identity such as the Protestant Work Ethic. The Protestant Work Ethic is the determination and the hard work that motivates Americans to achieve their goals despite the obstacles.

"Life for me ain't been no crystal stair," - Langston Hughes. It's funny how this quote seems perfect to describe my life. It’s like no real person has been through what I’ve been through.

This essay commences with a mystery: “One of the most promising of the young Negro poets said to me once, `I want to be a poet--not a Negro poet.’” The mystery has, of course, since been solved; in fact, those in the know have always been aware of the identity of the poet which Langston Hughes barely veils. That poet is renowned in his own right and was quite vocal in his own time in spouting such statements which some African-American writers besides Hughes took to be either a conscious desire to be white or an unconscious desire to not be black. Or vice versa. Or maybe the desire was entirely conscious. Or unconscious. Whatever it was that Countee Cullen meant with the statement that Hughes repeats as he kicks off this influential essay,

The first few lines of this poem start by describing an assignment from an instructor. “Go home and write a page tonight,” is what the instructor says (Line 2-3). This is used as a relatable hook for Hughes’ poem. Any individual can relate to being given a homework assignment from a teacher. By using this hook Hughes forms a special type of pathos with the audience.

Prior to Langston Hughes being recognized as a poet, when Hughes was twelve, his grandmother died forcing him to live with a family friend, Auntie Reed (Bryant). During the time of his stay with Auntie Reed, he was working at a white hotel, cleaning and shinning brass spittoons and mirrors, scoured toilets, scrubbed the halls and keep the lobby immaculate (Rampersad). The money he got from he used to go to movies where he had his early experience with racial discrimination. In the south laws kept blacks and whites separated but in Kansas if a business was privately owned, the rules didn’t apply. One day Hughes went to the movie theater where he had his first encounter with racial discrimination; a sign saying blacks couldn’t. (Bryant)

What is the black experience? How does Langston Hughes utilize allusions for his audience to have a better understanding of the black experience? Hughes use of allusions throughout the poems “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” and “Harlem [Dream Deferred]” helps readers recall different events in history that have taken place. However, John T. Shawcross and James L. de Jongh use examples from Hughes and other black literary works to support black literature and its effect on black history.

with the universe of jazz and the impact it had on his composition, as in his book-length sonnet Montage of a Dream Deferred (Holt, 1951). His life and work were tremendously vital "Life is for the living. Demise is for the dead. Give life a chance to resemble music. Also, demise a note inferred. Langston Hughes is known as an artist of musicality and music. As an African American, he composed much about the way of life and encounters of his race. In spite of the fact that he endured monetarily, Hughes distributed many works that later turned out to be extremely renowned. Subsequent to defeating a troublesome youth, Langston started composing verse in secondary school. He without a doubt left his blemish on the workmanship and culture of America Hughes was an American Poet. He began to write poetry when one of his teachers introduces him to the poetry of Carl Sand burg and Walt Whitman. He showed some of his poems to Lindsay, which started from there. He also wrote poems that were important to the African American literature that made in impact on others.