While he is proud to be American, Langston Hughes does not hesitate to point out its flaws in both “I, Too, Sing America” and “Let America be America Again.” In both poems, there is a rather prominent undertone concerning problems within America, with a certain focus on racial prejudice. For example, in “I, Too, Sing America”, Hughes describes a situation where the narrator of the poem is sent away to eat dinner in a separate room because, “[He is] the darker brother” (“I, Too, Sing America”). This shows the narrator’s experiences with racial discrimination, a rather long-time flaw the United States possessed. However, hope is shown for when there will be a day when the narrator is not sent away, determined that those who did him wrong “[Will] see …show more content…
Likewise, “Let America Be America Again” embodies Hughes’ conflicting feelings regarding the United States. As argued by the parenthetical refrains throughout the poem such as, “(There’s never been equality for me, / Nor freedom in this “homeland of the free.”)” (“Let America Be America Again”), America was never this epitome of freedom. In fact, Hughes argues that the country merely “markets” this idea, and fails to deliver the actual expectation. In the parenthetical refrains, he declares that “(America never was America to me.)” (“Let America Be America Again”), showing that his true experiences in America never matched the fairytale-like description of “The Land of the Free.” In reality, the United States was quite the opposite from what individuals expected, filled with inequalities and dead dreams, a world, “Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak” (“Let America Be America Again”) for those that weren’t previously well-off. Additionally, his use of repetition further emphasizes Hughes’ argument, as seen in the lines “(America never was America to
In 1935, a famous poet by the name of Langston Hughes wrote a poem called “Let America be America Again.” (Hughes, Langston. "Let America Be America Again." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, 25 Oct. 2016. Web. 28 Feb. 2017.) In this poem we notice the use of personification, repetition, and symbolism to understand the contrasts Hughes is making with the reality of America and the hopes he has for America.
In I, Too, Sing America when Langston Hughes writes of a darker brother who is told to eat in the kitchen you know that he is talking about African Americans. In this poem Langston Hughes writes a stanza that changes your idea of what the poem is about. He says “ Tomorrow, I’ll be at the table when company comes. Nobody’ll dare say to me, “Eat in the Kitchen,” then”. This line is is clearly stating the main idea of the poem right there. It’s telling us of how now there is segregation, but one day in the future all men will be equal.
“Let America Be America Again” becomes personal for the audience which is what makes this poem so easily appreciated and enjoyed. The poem refers to the many races and backgrounds by referring to, “the poor white, fooled and pushed apart” or “the Negro bearing slavery’s scars” (Line 19 and 20). Whether the reader is poor, rich, white, black, or Indian the poem goes in detail of how for better or worse everyone makes up America. With Langston Hughes being African American, he obviously witnessed and endured racism and hardships, but he broadened the discussion by not only mentioning the Negros, but of the poor whites and the “red man” to make
Langston Hughes declares that America should be America again. He starts to say in the beginning, "America was never America to me." He says America should go back to being the dream that the dreamers had, and be a "great strong land of love." There should not be kings or tyrants or people being crushed by someone above them. The speaker repeats, "It never was America to me." Hughes wants his land to embody liberty - not just by wearing a false patriotic wreath on its head, but through pervasive opportunity and equality. The speaker claims that he has never experienced freedom or equality in
Determination is a key necessity to being an American. Within Langston Hughes’ poem “I, Too, Sing America” he states, “Tomorrow, I’ll be at the table when company comes” while telling a story about an African American man who even after continuously being discriminated against still remained hopeful and determined that one day things would change for him. Also in Hughes’ poem he writes, “Nobody’ll dare say to me, “eat in the kitchen”” by that statement he once again shows the character's determination and courage that once he gets what he wants nobody will take it from him. Langston Hughes’ “I, Too, Sing America” further exemplifies the ways that in America, in order to get what you desire you must the determination to fight for it.
“Let America Be America Again” takes a sullen, down-hearted approach. Hughes evokes all of the wonderful, patriotic images of America, but also makes the reader question these images. The reader is forced to remember some of the atrocities that are also America. Throughout the poem Hughes asks rhetorical questions to cause the reader to pause and think. For some America never lived up to it’s reputation, and for these some Hughes uses the anaphora “I am the” and continues to list all of the people who were never able to obtain the American Dream, “I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil. I am the worker, sold to the machine. I am the Negro, servant to you all.” The poem’s mood is that America should return to what it was designed to be rather than what it ever actually was. Hughes ends the poem with a concept that is not unknown to American’s, Hope, Hughes ends his poem with hope
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
There is a very powerful message in Langston Hughes poem I, Too, that message is we are all Americans no matter what differences we have. During the Harlem Renaissance, African Americans were treated just like Africans, even though they were born in America. All of them at that time were born and raised in America, that should make them American. Hughes says in his poem “I, too, sing America”(1). Hughes says he is American just like
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.
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.
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
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