Theme of English B

Through his poem “Theme for English B”, Langston Hughes expresses his will to exterminate discrimination by proving that despite different skin colors, Americans all share similarities and learn from each other. Langston wrote the poem in 1900, when black Americans were not considered Americans. He talks about a black student being assigned to write a paper about himself. The audience is thus the student’s professor – the representation of the white Americans. Since the professor said: “let that page come out of you---Then, it will be true.”, the student began wondering “if it’s that simple”. He then describes himself to explain why it isn’t simple: he is “twenty-two”, “the only colored in class”, and lives in the poor community Harlem.

The well known poet Langston Hughes was an inspiring character during the Harlem Renaissance to provide a push for the black communities to fight for the rights they deserved. Hughes wrote his poetry to deliver important messages and provide support to the movements. When he was at a young age a teacher introduced him to poets Carl Sandburg and Walt Whitman, and they inspired him to start his own. Being a “darker brother,” as he called blacks, he experienced and wanted his rights, and that inspired him. Although literary critics felt that Langston Hughes portrayed an unattractive view of black life, the poems demonstrate reality. Hughes used the Blues and Jazz to add effect to his work as well as his extravagant word use and literary

Langston Hughes was a poet with many artistic abilities. His writing and drawings established the lifestyles of many African Americans during this time. In a poem called “I, Too” Hughes express his feelings as an African American, a brother, and someone who deserves to fit in society. He states “I, too sing America” (1039). Hughes saw himself as an individual who has a voice in America even though his skin is a little darker. In a poem called “Democracy” Hughes states: “I have as much right as the other fellow has to stand on my own two feet and own the land” (1043). Hughes was speaking for every African American whom were still dealing with segregation, racism, and freedom.

In two of his poems, Theme for English B and I Too, Langston Hughes was able to depict the idea that African Americans are no different, but are American just like anyone else. He wanted to show the importance of melding cultures

Russell, “Theme for English B” and “The Negro Speaks of the River” both written by Langston Hughes. I see some differences between him and Douglass. Douglass doesn’t hide his meanings behind his words and his narrative as much as Hughes does within the words of his poem. Hughes likes to make you think about what he means whereas Douglass likes to get straight to the point. Another thing I noticed about Hughes in his “Theme for English B” poem, is that he says “Sometimes perhaps you don’t want to be a part of me. Nor do I often want to be a part of you”. Unlike other former slaves and a lot of african american authors, Hughes says he wouldn’t want to be a part of a white culture, even though it would have made his life much easier back then. I know that from works I have read in the past, blacks would often times wish themselves white because of the easier lifestyle and more freedom. I see similarities in Hughes and Douglass as they want to get their points heard, but also Hughes points are a lot more hidden between the

Langston Hughes is one the most renowned and respected authors of twentieth century America not simply one of the most respected African-American authors, though he is certainly this as well, but one of the most respected authors of the period overall. A large part of the respect and admiration that the man and his work have garnered is due to the richness an complexity of Hughes' writing, both his poetry and his prose and even his non-fictions. In almost all of his texts, Hughes manages at once to develop and explore the many intricacies and interactions of the human condition and specifically of the experience growing up and living as a black individual in a white-dominated and explicitly anti-Black society while at the same time, while at the same time rendering his human characters and their emotions in a simple, straightforward, and immensely accessible fashion. Reading the complexity behind the surface simplicity of his works is at once enjoyable and edifying.

During the 1920’s a new movement began to arise. This movement known as the Harlem Renaissance expressed the new African American culture. The new African American culture was expressed through the writing of books, poetry, essays, the playing of music, and through sculptures and paintings. Three poems and their poets express the new African American culture with ease. (Jordan 848-891) The poems also express the position of themselves and other African Americans during this time. “You and Your Whole Race”, “Yet Do I Marvel”, and “The Lynching” are the three poems whose themes are the same. The poets of these poems are, as in order, Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, and Claude Mckay.

     Langston Hughes and Bob Dylan are two poets from different eras in modern American poetry. Although Bob Dylan is more characterized as a songwriter, I see much of his work as poetry. In this essay, I will discuss Hughes’ poem “Harlem [1]” and Dylan’s “Times They Are A-Changin”’ as commentaries on are culture, but from different backgrounds.

One of the foremost poets of the Harlem Renaissance was Langston Hughes. Many of Hughes' poems are about the act of writing poetry, justifying African-American poets' right to speak and create verse, which was denied in previous eras. The act of literacy for African-Americans was depicted as a radical, self-conscious act in Hughes' output. This is explicitly seen in Hughes' poem "Theme for English B." The poem very literally portrays a young, African-American man (presumably Hughes himself) being given an assignment by a white teacher to write about himself. The poet is forced into a paradox he is in a white-run institution, using the language of whites, and yet he must speak about himself truthfully:

Countee Cullen and Langston Hughes, both great feats of the Harlem Renaissance. Although they have that similarity, there are many differences. Not only is this in how they grew up, but also in their writing styles. One of the Famous poems “Harlem” by Langston Hughes, shows more of an inner struggle rather than a struggle between races. On the other hand Countee Cullen shows in his poem “Tableau” that the world is being divided by both races. Through this representation Innocent and Captivated Children are looked down upon behind closed curtains.

Sometimes a critical part of identifying who we are derives from our historical background. For may, the struggle to be heard in a society serves as a prevalent similarity among many. Three literary works represent this sense of pride found through the tension faced by blacks in America. The notorious poets Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen are respected as being voices that emanate the pride and experiences identified among most African-Americans.

Langston Hughes is an author that originated from the Harlem Renaissance literary movement during the 1920’s. This was a time in history when African American authors were on the rise. During this era, African American authors attempted to describe the life of African Americans in the most perfect and ideal way possible, but Hughes depicts African American life in his poems the way he sees his role in society. In his poem, “Dreams”, Langston Hughes describes the life of African Americans as lacking fullness due to a shortage of dreams. In the poem, “Dreams”, Langston Hughes uses metaphors and personification to show how miserable a life without dreams can become.

When I first read Langston Hughes' poem "Theme for English B", I did not particularly like it. But after reading it a second time and discussing it in class, I came to appreciate the poem on several levels. The way Hughes describes the setting of Harlem/New York is brief, but evocative. He also gives us insight into the thoughts and emotions of the main character, the young "colored" student, and ends the piece with several thought provoking passages.

Langston Hughes’ challenging background, ethnicity, and era of life can all be thought of reasons as to why his style of writing relates among discrimination and unsettling topics. Although his writing can be said to bring hope to the African Americans, his style can be frightening and daunting when taken the time to read his pieces. They may not seem real, but they are his way of interpreting and informing the future of what African Americans, like himself, had to go through and what they had to experience. Although some of his writing pieces tell about horrible and sad times of the African American people, throughout his poems he brings hope and peace for the culture. The pieces he wrote may not be pleasant to read, however, the past

Anyone familiar with American literature will certainly be familiar with the work of Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou. The authors wrote about the struggles of African Americans and their experience through their rough period of time. With their passionate hostility against racism both Hughes and Angelou gave hope to all oppressed African American. Both poets lived during the Harlem Renaissance, as it was known at the time as the blossoming of the (New Negro Movement). Its objective was to give a rise to black culture and the black race whom were mistreated and neglected back then.