Summary Of The New Colossus

Ellis Island, the portal for immigrants to access a developed, prosperous land, the United States of America, and seek opportunity that would they would otherwise not discover in their home country. Opened in 1892, the island was the gateway for foreign people across the globe to enter salvation from their native country. With this new structure set in place, Americans had mixed feelings on immigration. The two conflicting ideas of immigration in this time period can be demonstrated through two poems: “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus and “Unguarded Gates” by Thomas Bailey Aldrich. While both literary works highlight the ideal “American dream” and personify the Statue of Liberty, they differ in the fact that they have different points of view on immigration.

In contrasting or comparing literary works it is crucial that the reader analyze the author's voice to gain a better understanding of the theme they are implying. In the contrast between the poems “I, too, sing America” by Langston Hughes, and “I hear America singing” by Walt Whitman it is clear that the two poets have very different point of views regarding American patriotism. Walt Whitman’s views on America’s joy and peace in his poems are very straightforward, while Langston Hughes poem--a response to Whitman’s--wants the reader to acknowledge what America should be like for everyone, including people of color such as himself. The authors of these poems prove to have conflicting judgements on matters in America including a theme of

The poems “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus and “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman, exemplify the idea of American freedom in its purest form. While one poem talks about one most important symbols in American history, and another talks about the average American’s way of life, both poems convey the of American triumph and success.

America is a country that has been through many different times of trials. Wars and disease have spread across that nation several times. During times of depression, though, a group of people seems to always emerge from the destruction. That group of people are the poets and writers of America. Through trial and strife, writers are able to find inspiration for their works, and are able to give readers hope for a better day. Walt Whitman was an amazing writer who wrote several poems concerning the great United States of America, talking about the people that have built the nation up from the dust. But, a group of people that Whitman forgot to write about on most occasions were the slaves and black people of which America thrived. Langston Hughes was a black man in the 20th century that took note of Whitman's poems, and their lack of recognition towards his people. Whitman wrote a poem called, "I Hear America Singing," in which Hughes wrote the poem, "I, Too Sing America," in response. In the poem by Hughes, there are several different ways that the writing interlaces with Walt Whitman's.

     The voice of one person can send a profound sound into the hearts of people to help liberate one’s mind. That profound sound is seen through poetry. The creative structure and style of poetry creates a different form of writing that can either have rhythm, alliteration or have a direct message. In the poem “I Too Sing America”, by Langston Hughes had a significant message in that he desired to voice his expression on the issue of black oppression in America. Langston basic themes focused on the American Dream and the possibilities of hope and advancement were constantly present in his poetry. The tension between the unrealized dream and the realities of the black experience in

Since the founding of the United States of America, immigrants have always been welcome to pursue for a better life on the soil of the United States, which is known for freedom and also called the land of the free. The symbol of liberty on Ellis Island called The Statue of Liberty, which was gifted to the country from France, has an engraved sonnet by the famous American poet Emma Lazarus which writes, "Give us your poor, your tired, your huddle masses yearning to breathe free..." Which defines the country and opens the arms of the United States to immigrants. With the country opening its arms, the number of immigrants entering United States soil have increased immensely. With such a vast number of immigrants attempting to gain access into the

The Statue of Liberty in New York harbor, a destination for many of the early American immigrants, reads an inscription, ?Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore, Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" (National Park Service, 2016). This excerpt from a poem by Emma Lazarus encompasses the American spirit that led to the American Revolution and separation from England. America was a country comprised of immigrants who came to the New World to make a home of peace, safety and, as the statue stands, liberty.

One example that shows how the Statue of Liberty represents the idea of immigration is when Emma Lazarus writes about what she thinks the Statue of Liberty’s message stands for. According to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Foundation, in 1876, a sculptor named Frederic Auguste Bartholdi was assigned to design the Statue of Liberty. Because the Statue of Liberty was a gift from France, the United States agreed to build a pedestal for the statue, but since there was a financial lack in both countries, the United States held an art and literary auction to raise funds for the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal. In 1883, Emma Lazarus was asked to create a poem to raise funds for the statue’s pedestal which would be placed in New York. Emma Lazarus says in The New Colossus, “Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name/ Mother of Exiles….‘Give me your tired, your poor/ your huddled masses yearning to breathe free/ the wretched refuse of your teeming shore/’” (Lazarus 5-12). When Lazarus says, “Mother of Exiles” she represents that the Statue of Liberty is a symbol of immigration because the statue is the woman who is well known for taking people that have been kicked out of the country they were living in. When Lazarus says these strong key words, “huddled masses yearning to

"Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor..." from the Emma Lazarus poem "The New Colossus" lists as one of the most famous verses in American history. It is ironic that Lazarus wrote it in1882 in celebration of the erection of the Statue of Liberty which has become the iconic symbol of America as a welcoming beacon for a "nation of immigrants." The Statue of Liberty was dedicated only four years later.

Not like the Colussus of Rhodes, the statue of liberty is a welcome to America, rather than conquering limbs astride from land to land. Emma Lazarus The New Colossus 1883

In the acclaimed poem "The New Colossus" American artist Emma Lazarus composes, "Give us your poor, your tired, your clustered masses longing to inhale free ". Engraved inside of within a symbol of flexibility, the Statue of Liberty, this announcement has come to characterize the nation of the United States of America. Indeed, even before its presentation of autonomy in 1776, the United States was a safe house for those looking for a superior life. Running to this nation by the thousands, settlers over a significant time span have traveled to the place where there is the free trying to get a way of life based upon the United States' idea of "life, freedom, and the quest for bliss." With more individuals entering the nation, the United States

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.

What motivates people to leave their home country, travel thousands of miles to a country with a new language and culture, and live petrified that their immigration status will be discovered? The United States is considered a land of opportunity where one can start a new life with a better quality of life compared to that of their birth country. A poem by Emma Lazarus titled “ The New Colossus” is famous for depicting the Statue of Liberty as a symbol for hope. The last line of the poem reads “ Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breath free. The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Emma Lazarus’ poem, The New Colossus, depicts America as a welcoming harbor for all immigrants seeking freedom. She begins her writing by contrasting Greece and America. Different from the tyrant Greeks, she perceives the United States as gentle and hospitable. While the Greek conquer land to land, America sits as an open door, welcoming the migrants and foreigners. In the poem, Lazarus says: “A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles.” In this example, Emma Lazarus is referring the Statue of Liberty to a Mother of Exiles. This means she is welcoming and sympathetic to all types of settlers and outsiders. By using this comparison, Lazarus is claiming that America is a country of immigrants, meaning all citizens originally migrated to the United States from somewhere else. The sirens of America sing about the Mother of Exiles to all newcomers, promising them a new beginning. They claim to welcome all outcasts and rejects, regardless of any flaw. Throughout the second stanza of Lazarus’ poem, she implies that exiles are in need of freedom. For this reason, Lazarus writes: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” Here, she indicates America is the golden door to prosperity and freedom for all cultures and foreigners. The sirens of America sing this alluring motto to the incoming settlers. The “golden door” - Lazarus compares this to Alice Island - is where they lie, enticing and tempting migrants from all over the world. Throughout The New Colossus, Emma Lazarus suggests the American Dream is amiable and welcoming to settlers,

Poetry allows the writer, the reader and even those listening to get a deeper sense of being. It gives us the opportunity to break free from simple and boring routine. If done correctly a poem will done correctly a poem will be able to stir emotion, and create wonder. In order to this however all the part that make up a poem must be in sync. Its tone, diction, imaginary, rhythm, symbolism and subject matter are all critical areas. A good poem will draw an emotional reaction from its audience, whether those are light and upbeat or darker more serious feelings they will come away with a new experience, changed by what they just experienced. Two such poems that embody what a good poem should be are “Lady Lazarus” by Sylvia Plath and “Harlem”, also published as “Dream Deferred” by Langston Hughes. These poems elevate the experience for reading, listening and writing poetry, and serve as an excellent reference for a poem should be.