Langston Hughes Let Usa Be America Again Summary

In light of the sea of differences between Hughes' poem "Let America Be America Again" and Trump's "Make America Great Again " speech, the subtle similarities are even more remarkable as they speak with hope to outrageous behaviors, dominating rulers and the need for this country to align with its founding ideals. Langston Hughes writes from the view point of a thirty something "radicalized" minority who was raised by relatives and people close to his parents, while living in multiple homes and communities. (Roberts & Zweig, 2015, pp.

     In the poem "Let America Be America Again," Langston Hughes paints a vivid word picture of a depressed America in the 1930's. To many living in America, the idealism presented as the American Dream had escaped their grasp. In this poetic expression, a speaker is allowed to voice the unsung Americans' concern of how America was intended to be, had become to them, and could aspire to be again.

Langston Hughes says in the passage how bad he thinks america has gotten,” Who said the free? Not me? Surely not me? The millions on relief

America is arguably the most robust country and yet it also one of many countries where we are not all free. In the poem "Let America Be America Again" Langston Hughes shows his opinion of America and declared that America has never been great and never will be if there is varied equality among the ethnics and their social classes. Learned Hand announced “That spirit of an American which has never been, and may never be; nay, which never will be except as the conscience and courage of Americas create it”, her he feels that America is only as good as the common people in it, therefore, Americas future lies in our hands and the way we use it. Both Langston Hughes and Learned Hand presumed that America has never been great yet, Hand is unsure on whether America has the potential to change their ways but, Langston Hughes let out his emotions exclaiming” America never was America to me, and yet I swear this oath America will be! These two Americans have shown how they feel and believe that we can only be a magnificent country if we believe

Langston Hughes used his poems to describe his philosophies of American social, political, and economic conditions. In, “Let America Be America Again” he attacks his point regarding economic and political statuses, explaining contradictory statements of America in context to real and diverse audiences. Most often his work incorporates an aspect of his development earlier on in life, ranging from the ideas his grandmother instilled in him to the lessons he learned as he grew up. In this specific piece, he expresses each race and class of this heritage and attacks the un fulfilled promises made by America. However the question that many have about this diplomatic poem still remains: Is Hughes viewpoint messages to the audience more personal or public?

In Langston Hughes poem, “Let America Be America Again”, he describes the dream he has for America to exist at its fullest potential. His dream for freedom, equality, and true democracy is heard loud and clear throughout this work of art. However, the downfall is that America is yet to live up to the standards it so proudly “represents”. The issue roots in the gap between what America claims to be and what it actually is. In this poem, we see where this gap lies and the reality of America is revealed.

Langston Hughes’ poem “Let America Be America Again” portrays a man describing the inequality within America and that he longs for the country to be as it used to be in the past. The speaker, Hughes, tells his story in first point person of view as he continues to use “I” throughout the poem. The audience appears to be America itself because Hughes desires for “equality” between everybody (14). The poet writes his work in stanza form, however, he includes three quatrains in the beginning of the poem. The quatrains contain a rhyme scheme of ABABCDCDEFEF.

The poem “Let America Be America Again,” by Langston Hughes, brings up two sides to the discussion about what America means to people. It discusses the fact that to some people, America is an amazing land, where people are free from oppression and have rights. The poem, however, does not neglect the fact that there are people who have never experienced those freedoms and rights, nor does it neglect the fact that the people who have not experienced those rights also live in America. The issue about people living in America but never experiencing rights that are thought to be American was very prominent at the time that Hughes wrote the poem. Now the discussion is not “what it means to live in America” but “what it means to love America.” The issue contemplates whether someone can love America and still notice its flaws; or, if in order to love America one must neglect its ugly truths and only focus on the great accomplishments. One of the main causes for this discussion derive from the fact that right-winged people claim that Obama does not love America. However, they fail to see that in order to love something you must also notice its flaws and fix them.

Another major issue in society during the Harlem Renaissance era that Langston Hughes (among the other poets) addressed was the issue of the lack of opportunity provided to those of color and to those who were not privileged in the class system. A second infamous poem by Hughes addresses such an issue perfectly. His poem titled “Let America Be America Again” is once again going to challenge and criticize society and its values by attacking the concept of the American Dream, in which he will claim that the American Dream is out of reach for those who are not white and those are not privileged. The stanza that represents Hughes’s message perfectly is that of “Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed—let it be that great strong land of love… Where

America is known to be the country of liberty. The definition of Liberty is simply the reason America was created; it is a place where everyone is treated equal with hopes of achieving their American dream. As a result, many people dream of coming to live in the wonderful country known for its freedom. However, America does not seem to hold that value as it used to. In the poem “Let America Be America Again”, the poet Langston Hughes expresses his disappointment with the country. The poem was written in 1935 where discrimination and inequality still exist. In the poem “Let America Be America Again”, the poet Langston Hughes uses repetition and alliteration in order to show desirement for a better country and disappointment of the country America came to be, and also imagery in order to exemplify the struggles of those who came to live in country they thought was dream.

In Langston Hughes poem “Let America be America Again” he talks about how America should return to the way that it was perceived to be in the dreams before America was truly America. Throughout the poem he uses various methods to evoke the patriotic images and dreams that he feels America should and will eventually be. Hughes states that America is supposed to be a place of equality for everyone including both white and colored people. During this period in time though there was not equality for everyone. Hughes talks about an America where both whites and colored people will have equality in all aspects socially, politically, and economically. What Hughes is saying is that both whites and colored

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

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

In the poem “Refugee in America” written in 1947 by an African American named Langston Hughes, the author, would say how words like Freedom and Liberty were sweet and wonderful for him to say, and that they would almost make him cry. He would also say that if

In “Let America be America Again,” Hughes reflects on the current discrepancy between the promises of justice and equality in the Constitution and Declaration of Independence and the current situation that Hughes faces. Anaphorically using the phrase “I am,” Hughes mentions the different types of people, including poor whites, Native Americans, and immigrants, that share the same struggle that African Americans face regarding the pursuit of equality and the American Dream. Emphasizing his ideal America with a caesura pause, Hughes writes, “and yet must be--the land where every man is free.” This line encapsulates Hughe’s desire for a America that includes African Americans and other minorities and finally upholding the nation’s promise that all Americans were created equal. Hughes also realizes that his ideal America will still require