Let America Be America Be America Again, By Langston Hughes

In his poem, Hughes focuses on the prospect of what happens after dreams are delayed. He questions whether said dream “stinks like rotten meat, or crusts and sugars over— like a syrupy sweet,” describing how it could either spoil or age into something

The short but inspirational poem "Harlem" by Langston Hughes addresses what happens to aspirations that are postponed or lost. The brief, mind provoking questions posed throughout the poem allow the readers to reflect--on the effects of delaying our dreams. In addition, the questions give indications about Hughes' views on deferred dreams.

Only a half of century after the abolition of slavery, the African Americans began the movement of the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920‘s. Suppressed by whites, segregation, second-class citizen ship and a poor education Langston Hughes became one of the most inspirational poets of his time. Langston Hughes let the world know of his existence through his poetry. Ignited with passion, pride and knowledge of the journey through slavery and there after, Hughes used his poetry to paint the world through the eyes, ears and voice of an African American. His magnificent use of similes, metaphors, symbolism and imagery intensify just that. In Hughes poems “Harlem - A Dream Deferred” and “ I, Too” his use of these literary devices brings his poetry to life.

Langston Hughes was a major poet during the Harlem Renaissance period, who not only wanted to express the suffering but also the enjoyment of the time period. Hughes expresses his feelings, giving us the tone, in his poem “Harlem”, by addressing racism as well as oppression in a calm matter. Rather than accusing or addressing those at fault and whom he disagrees with, Hughes takes a different route and instead, in a roundabout way, questions the

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’ short poetry is popular work with so much on it in the media, but so much of it has only been vaguely analyzed. This analysis is one of thousands, but from a much different point of view. “Harlem” by Langston Hughes presents analogies based on his and his people's’ life struggles, which can be interpreted using historical context clues, and he uses powerful symbolism, as well as uses a theme very common in poetry.

Langston Hughes’s “Harlem” questions what would happen if one doesn’t fulfill one’s dreams. Hughes is an African American who wrote this poem in 1951. During this time, the African Americans didn’t have many rights so “Harlem” could have been written to show the experiences and thoughts that the African Americans had at the time. Hughes uses similes to appeal to the senses of taste, smell, and touch which creates a vivid image of what deferred dreams would “look” or be like.

The dreams of becoming a doctor or a teacher is over. The dreamer might be satisfied or may regret that the dreams from childhood are long gone. “Harlem” examines the dreams that are not followed and the tragic result of dreams that are deferred. Hughes opens his poem by

The poem “Harlem” Langston Hughes is recounting how dreams are a fundamental significance of persisting in this bigoted time during the 1930’s. Langston Hughes states in the poem “What happens to a dream deferred? That is, when you put off a dream, what happens to it?”, Langston goes on to describe how dreams are to a food, how African-Americans need dreams to survive discrimination against them. Langston Hughes states how a raisin dries up in the sun, stinks like rotten meat, or is it like a syrup. Hughes is describing how dreams are a motivation for humans to strive through life. He states how when they are overlooked or for latter purposes, they basically just die and will cause a negative vibe for every person around the dream.

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.

One of Hughes most famous poems, “Harlem(Dream Deferred)” had a great impact by posing lots of questioning. According to critic Tom Hanson, this poem is just that simple because it gives a bunch of undesirable answers to the same question, “What happens to a dream deferred?” Hanson also says how this poem refers almost completely to an unsolved problem (Hanson, Harlem). The poem gives four rather unpleasant interrogatives and one declarative answer followed by the sixth possibility, “Or does it explode?” which is supposed to be a question to make a reader really think. There are several ways to interpret the meaning of the final line, and the most sensible explanation is, the African American community is “deferring dreams” and in doing so their dreams explode in terms of the chance to act is gone. Some may say Hughes presented an unattractive view

Both “Harlem” and “That Evening Sun” avoid featuring the violent, dramatic depictions of racism typical of other creative works, but that does not lessen the impact of their messages on the topic. “Harlem,” for instance, begins with a deceptively simple question: “What happens to a dream deferred?” (Hughes 1). When viewed through a racial lens, a ‘dream deferred’ appears to allude not to violent and dramatic forms of racism, but rather the small disadvantages placed against African Americans via “harmless” laws and cultural norms. These laws and norms eventually add up to insurmountable odds that prevent African Americans from achieving their dreams. Due to the systematic racism African Americans faced at the time “Harlem” was written – and the slow efforts to eliminate this insidious form of racism – many had to give up their dreams of attending college, moving out of poor neighborhoods, or becoming financially stable. Their deferred dreams are described in the poem as having varying and disappointing fates

Poetry Analysis of “Dream Deferred” Jazz poet Langston Hughes adopts figurative language to convey his message to readers who are unsure about pursuing their dreams. In “Dream Deferred”, Langston Hughes depicts the danger of postponed dreams from the African American community in the 1920s Harlem Renaissance where dreams were left behind due to fear of discrimination. Hughes implements stylistic devices in his poem to develop the theme that deferred dreams may lead to negative outcomes. Hughes applies symbolism and similes to his poem to emphasize the terrible result of delayed dreams. For instance, Hughes questions if “[Dreams] dry up like a raisin in the sun” (2-3).

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.”

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