A Dream Deferred
The poetry of Langston Hughes, the poet laureate of Harlem, is an effective commentary on the condition of blacks in America during the 20th Century. Hughes places particular emphasis on Harlem, a black area in New York that became a destination of many hopeful blacks in the first half of the 1900ís. In much of Hughes' poetry, a theme that runs throughout is that of a "dream deferred." The recurrence of a"dream deferred" in several Hughes poems paints a clear picture of the disappointment and dismay that blacks in America faced in Harlem. Furthermore, as each poem develops, so does the feeling behind a"dream deferred," growing more serious and even angry with each new stanza.
To ...
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from all over the world, fleeing from the racial intolerance of the South and the economic problems of the Caribbean and Latin America. Eventually Harlem became an entirely black area. However, this town once filled with much potential soon became riddled with overpopulation, exploitation, and poverty. Thus, what awaited new arrivals was not a dream; rather, it was a"dream deferred" (Harlem Today).
Hughes' first poem"Harlem" clearly outlines the"dream deferred" theme, setting the pace for the poems to follow. The first line of this poem is"What happens to ?" In the case of this poem, the dream is of the promise of Harlem, and what blacks hoped to find there: opportunity, better living conditions, and freedom from racial intolerance. When blacks arrived in Harlem, though, their dream was deferred; instead of the opportunities they had envisioned, they were faced with overcrowding, exploitation, and poverty. At the beginning of"Harlem," the mood that accompanies "" is a questioning ...
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Morning," emphasizing the rude awakening that awaited the blacks upon their arrival in Harlem with the use of details that paint a more realistic picture and create a more serious feeling about"" in the reader ."Good Morning, " unlike"Harlem," contains direct references to the city. These direct references help the reader to understand the reality that lies within the poem. The speaker has"watched Harlem grow / until the colored folks spread." Hughes refers to Harlem as a"dusky sash across Manhattan:" he describes the masses of blacks flooding into Harlem from places such as Puerto Rico, Cuba, Georgia, and Louisiana. The poem changes moods with the lines"I've seen them come dark/ out of ...
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A Dream Deferred. (2007, September 13). Retrieved December 23, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/A-Dream-Deferred/71091
"A Dream Deferred." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 13 Sep. 2007. Web. 23 Dec. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/A-Dream-Deferred/71091>
"A Dream Deferred." Essayworld.com. September 13, 2007. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/A-Dream-Deferred/71091.
"A Dream Deferred." Essayworld.com. September 13, 2007. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/A-Dream-Deferred/71091.
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