Langston Hughes Harlem Research Paper

Langston Hughes, a gentleman of color who was a leader to the African American community is a poet, who according to an editor of “Harlem Renaissance” portrayed the truth rather than a sugar-coated version of how life was in Harlem, the hub of the black community. Langston Hughes’ poem “Harlem” describes how colored people live in poverty, in the poem “Dream Variations” Hughes’ dream was symbolized by nature, and in the short story “Slave on the Block,” racism and life of a domestic slave are shown from his point of view. The time when these pieces of work were created was an era when black artistry was opening the eyes of white America to how poorly Afro Americans were treated; this movement was called the Harlem Renaissance, as said in “Harlem Renaissance”. In this movement, Hughes was a force of nature that pursued equality among all races, yet still maintaining integrity and pride. White America was not a welcoming place for people of melanin, white people were not sentimental or generous with them so people say it was more described as, “The cold, uncaring atmosphere of the United States were for blacks discrimination, racism, and often brutal treatment were a feature of everyday life” (“Dream”). Not only did Hughes have to endure the pain of this treatment but so did all colored people.

I read this poem for the first time in African American Literature class my sophomore year at the University of Tennessee. Dr. Margaret Hartsell taught the class. She was one of those hard-nosed professors that you never forget. Her most important lesson was to develop a passion for learning. We analyzed Langston Hughes’ poetry and his influence on the Harlem Renaissance. Many historians believe that he was the most influential and prominent literary figure during the era. When Langston Hughes wrote this poem the Harlem Renaissance was a distant memory for many blacks in Harlem and throughout the nation. Harlem, the mecca of African American life and the country’s most vibrant city became a war zone contaminated with crime, drugs, poverty,

While many may focus on the emotions of the singer, the poem’s true goal is to represent the emotions of the whole African-American community during the Harlem Renaissance. This expression of soulful melancholy is evident through the setting and situation the speaker finds themself in, as well as the time period. Furthermore, when comparing the overall mood depicted to today, the reader can see shocking similarities. Hughes creates an enthralling

The poetry of Langston Hughes, the poet laureate of Harlem, is an effective commentary on the condition of blacks in America during the 20th Century. Hughes places particular emphasis on Harlem, a black area in New York that became a destination of many hopeful blacks in the first half of the 1900's. In much of Hughes' poetry, a theme that runs throughout is that of a "dream deferred." The recurrence of a "dream deferred" in several Hughes poems paints a clear picture of the disappointment and dismay that blacks in America faced in Harlem. Furthermore, as each poem develops, so does the feeling behind a "dream deferred," growing more serious and even angry with each new

Langston Hughes’ poem “Harlem” sums up white oppression on black people in America. Hughes packs so much significance into the eleven-line poem that would help inspire other influential works such as A Raisin in the Sun and possibly the “I had a dream” speech from Martin Luther King. In “Harlem” Hughes uses simile and diction to show how dreams being deferred can frustrate the human spirit.

In 1951 Langston Hughes wrote one of his more political poems, “ Harlem”.It shines light on the need for change in the African American society. In that time America was still segregated, and African Americans were still standing in the shadow of slavery

Langston Hughes is an exceptional writer who uses various techniques to fabricate excellent pieces of literature. His proficiency in writing can be witnessed in the poem ‘Harlem’ where he talks about the dreams of a neighborhood. Hughes utilizes short phrases and metaphors to explain the leftovers of dreams.

In Langston Hughes’ poem “Harlem,” the Structural theory can be observed by looking at the text and comparing it to other works written during the same time. A structural way to look at the poem “Harlem” found on page 560, is to recognize that a majority of the writings (poems and other forms) were based on asking questions. This was written between the time of World War One and after World War Two. There was the idea that the first world war was to end all wars, but then there was a second one. Questions emerged as to what the point of life was, related to death, religion, government expectations and even personal goals and dreams. As questions arose in society, they also were brought up in writing and art, by looking at the questions posed

Before the Great Depression, Harlem was known as symbol of freedom and music to young African American families looking for a dream away from Jim Crow Laws. I sat as kid on steps of the old brownstones that was once a vibrant ambiance but now are left littered with crack vials. The poem used imagery to describe a dream that was deferred from my people. Langston was symbol of hope of his time much like Maya Angelo was to me. Both used the pain and suffering of the ghetto to express

Dreams are hopes that people hope to accomplish in their lifetime. When trying to achieve these goals, people are willing to do anything. But, what happens when a dream is deferred? A dream pushed aside can disappoint a person in the deepest way. It is likely to spread throughout their thoughts and becomes a burden. In the poem “Harlem,” Langston Hughes, through literary devices, introduce a strong theme through a short amount of language Hughes is asking what happens to a dream that is being put off.

Langston Hughes is a well known writer who creatively challenges one to think outside the box. One of world wide known poems is called “Harlem.” This poem consists of only 51 words and yet it is as impactful as a book. This poem questions so much about what happens after dreams. In many ways this poem is also known as “Dream Deferred.”

“Harlem” is one of the most famous poems Langston Hughes ever wrote; mainly because its message is ubiquitous. The first line of the poem is “what happens to a dream deferred?” (Hughes 560). As the poem continues Hughes describes the question in different forms. The poem mostly alludes to the fact than many especially in the 1930’s saw dreams as nothing more than figure of the imagination. When a dream is deferred or in other words put off the question Hughes is asking is what happens to it? When most do not pursue their dreams many times it fades away and one will then

Hughes’ poem, “Harlem,” is a short, eleven lined poem, with all but one line composed of questions. The use of imposing questions throughout the poem is a way to keep the reader engaged and to be still a sense of power in the reader by allowing him to develop his own answer. The main question the speaker asks in the poem is “what happens to a dream deferred” (Line 1). The question is posed in the first line of the poem in a single standing stanza, therefore the break between the first line and the next stanza allows the reader to contemplate the question for a moment. Hughes then uses powerful analogies such as, “dry up like a raisin in the sun” (Lines 2-3), “fester like a sore” (Line 3), or “crust and sugar over like a syrupy sweet” (Lines

If we were to analyse the poem “Harlem” by Langston Hughes in its entirety, we are able to see that Hughes doesn't only speak about dreams being “deferred” but instead about the importance of not letting a dream subside. Hughes concludes by stating “Or does it explode?” meaning that often, goals that once filled someone’s mind with hope later are taken for granted and no longer will they be recognized, Furthermore, looking at the word “explode” we are able rationalize that nothing is able to come back from an explosion, hughes strategically places this in his poem to metaphorically get the message across that how cruel and harsh we are to have the ability to throw away the greatest “lemon” and not “juice it” and take away the greatest of its

The poem “Harlem” published in 1951 by Langston Hughes analyzes the idea of decaying matter to the lost dreams of equality among African Americans through the usage of figurative language, imagery and structural form of the poem to expose the cause and effect of dreams that are deferred.