Much of Langston Hughes poetry is poignant look at the discrimination between African Americans and white America during the Harlem Renaissance. However, there are several poems that show the contradictions of the American dream, particularly in " Let America be America Again."
When I think of America the first thing that comes to mind is the land of opportunities (work, education, etc) and the American dream (a white picket fence, 2 and half children, and a dog). This is also the mind frame of many immigrants who migrate to America. However, this dream is not ideal, and perhaps not for everyone. In Hughes poem, the speaker talks about how America is not a place where he or she can feel at home, given that the beliefs system of American is contradiction . The speaker states, "O, let my land be where Liberty/ Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath/ But opportunity is real, and life is free, Equality is in the air we breath." Here, the speaker talks about what America has to offer: freedom, opportunity and equality. However, in the the following stanza the speaker states, "There's never been equality for me, Nor freedom, in this "Homeland of the free." If we put this in the context of the Harlem Rennisance we can see the contradictions given that the rights of African Americans were non-existance. They were treated as second class citizens, who were often beaten and killed for being black. The fact that that occured shows that equality and freedom was not for everyone during that time period.
In addition, the speaker describe who he or she is: " I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart/ I am the negro bearing slavery's scars/ I am the red man driven from the land / I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek / And finding only the same stupid plan/ Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak." Here, the speaker shows the struggle of the underdog who are simply trying to survive in a nation where only the "white" man has power. Yet, it is the white m,an who has money and power. I personally think this lines here show the point of the overall poem which is that we live in a world where ones socio-economic status, race, and gender determine ones place in society. This of course contradicts the meaning of America, which is suppose to be land where everyone is equal, but the reality of life and the poem prove otherwise.
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Lizzie,
ReplyDeletegood interpretation of the theme and picking out words to illustrate that. we'll go deeper soon
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I was also really intrigued by the "Let America be America again" poem. I was interested in his asides and how in the beginning of the poem they break the bliss of this fantasy America that he creates. But he breaks away from the asides and gives into the truth of America when he gets personal and describes more realistically what America is and what or who the speaker is as well.
ReplyDeleteRegarding this quote: "Here, the speaker shows the struggle of the underdog who are simply trying to survive in a nation where only the 'white' man has power."
ReplyDeleteI think it should read only the "rich white" man has power. Hughes seems to be trying to show his own egalitarian stance by saying that the "poor white" is also one of the minority ("I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart") in that they are uneducated and have been "fooled" and manipulated into their prejudices. I have always believed that prejudice is based less on race than it is on financial wealth. The group that has the money has the power and, unfortunately, makes the rules.
H.K. Rainey
/ I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek / And finding only the same stupid plan/ Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak." These lines are exactly what America portrays itself to be in reality. This country is constructed of the intersection of immigrants lives, beliefs, practices, religions, and much more. America did not become a melting pot, it was already one before it was acclaimed to be. I laugh when people try to say otherwise because we have some much history that proves that point exactly. I think you made a very good point in this blog.
ReplyDeleteHeather,
ReplyDeleteyou're right, but let it be understood without saying it. the working poor and underclasses of all races have struggles that don't measure up to power. however, the issue of color is different, there is economic prejudice and race prejudice, albeit not mutually exclusive. it doesn't serve to have them compete.
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