Delayed Dream In The Poem Harlem By Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes tackles the philosophical question regarding the fate of a dream, and transforms the abstract idea of a memory into a physical object. He dives into how tragedy affects the human condition, and one's mental state. Titled Harlem, the poem offers an insight on a demographic of individuals who perhaps never experienced an accomplished goal. The Harlem renaissance in the 1920’s was an explosion of African American poetry, writing, and music in Harlem, New York. Hughes poem Harlem captures a time period when the dreams of African Americans either blossomed or became “deferred” as he states. Opening with a broad question regarding the aftermath of a broken dream, Hughes follows with three stanzas offering conclusions to the mystery. The suggestions he produces often have a negative connotation, and his descriptions are quite hyperbolic. The poem concludes with the proposal that a delayed dream could either stay with the dreamer for entirety, or “explode” . The fate of the reader is left up for interpretation. …show more content…
A broken dream is a very emotional experience no matter how one reacts to it, and Hughes demonstrates this with his various analogies. The life of an individual revolves around their passions, goals, and dreams. When these are taken away from one, they will experience great pain. This experience is a commonality amongst all people who had the courage to pursue something important. The theme of this poem is that loss and denial are part of the human experience and effect everyone differently. Hughes tries to demonstrate the trauma that comes as an aftermath of this event, and uses various similes to present it. While a negative part of human life, failure is key for development. Hughes teaches us that the pain caused by a broken dream must be endured in order to move on, grow, and become wiser from your
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