Langston Hughes Let Usa Be America Again Literary Devices
Langston Hughes is a poet known for his portrayals of black life in his time. This is evident in his poem, Let America Be America Again. Hughes uses his experience and reality of American Society to contrast the American Dream and what people want to accomplish. With tones of seriousness and hopefulness, Hughes conveys the ideas of freedom and equality. He mostly relies on his perspective, repetition, and imagery. He shows this in lines 1-4 when he says, “Let America be America again./Let it be the dream it used to be./Let it be the pioneer on the plain/Seeking a home where he himself is free." Hughes uses repetition and a slight rhyme scheme to grasp the reader’s attention. He uses words such as “pioneer” and “seek” to help the reader imagine …show more content…
He says, “Who said the free? Not me?/Surely not me?” He talks in first person to show how black people were not free and there was a problem with the equality of the US. Even though this poem is relatively old, it still can relate to the US today. Although striving for overall equality is impossible, we should treat everyone with respect, no matter their backgrounds. He further explains in lines 56-61. He said, “For all the dreams we’ve dreamed/And all the songs we’ve sung/And all the hopes we’ve held/And all the flags we’ve hung,/The millions who have nothing for our pay—/Except the dream that’s almost dead today.” He highlights how dreaming something into reality is difficult and the American Dream isn’t isn’t very achievable now. The last line shows how the American Dream is almost an imagination because of how unachievable and hard it is. He uses the words “dreams we’ve dreamed” to leave a lasting impression and thought on the reader. Competition is hard to beat and finding something unique to make a living isn’t the easiest thing to do. Everyone tries to achieve their ultimate American Dream, usually coming out unsuccessful. Also, because there is a lot of competition, wages aren’t the best for them. For example, teachers do not get enough credit for what they have to accomplish and do not get paid
Symbolism In Ben Rector's 'Song Of The Suburbs'
495 Words | 2 PagesThe “American Dream” in this case is symbolic for self-advancement and materialism. He chooses to use this phrasing instead of elaborately describing the climb of the corporate latter or the effects of spending more time at work than with family. Rector’s bridge says, “Are we just running in the dark or living,” which is one of the most evident examples of symbolism in this song. This is his way of saying live with purpose, don’t just conform to society, create your own opinions, and do not be afraid to be different. Unlike prose, he does not have a paragraph to describe his opinions, so he has to be deliberately with every word choice and concise.
Summary Of Let America Be America Again By Langston Hughes
1227 Words | 5 Pages“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.” In the poem “Let America Be America Again” by Langston Hughes, the reader here’s from two different speakers, and how they both seperately want America to change. One of the speakers wants America to go back to what it was before, while the other responds in small comments, building up to say the quote you read at the beginning. In the poem “Let America Be America Again” the author has two separate speakers with contradicting thoughts, the author relates to problems that were happening in the real world, and how the author’s rhyme scheme is a vital component to how this poem reads.
Compare And Contrast Thomas Jefferson And Harry Browne
2131 Words | 9 PagesHe talks about a time here where we used to be, a time in which we can get back if this country actually wanted it. The vision of America is that of some place people dream of living, a place where you are in control over your actions and not your government. This country is on a path leading to its own destruction because we are letting it instead of changing its direction. Like Walt Whitman says in I hear America singing "I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong." (Whitman).
Let Usa Be America Again Literary Devices
671 Words | 3 PagesMakayla Long Professor Van Epps ENGL 1102 13 February 2023 How Poetry affected America during the Harlem Renaissance Langston Hughes wrote the poem “Let America Be America Again” (1935) during the Harlem Renaissance period. Hughes used this poem to reveal his feelings towards the inequality in America. He used literary devices such as metaphors and repetition to show more about his theme of freedom and equality. Using these metaphors and repetition, Hughes gets his theme and feelings across in a very descriptive way.
Let America Be America Again Essay
827 Words | 4 PagesHe wants equality, and freedom which are the goals that the United States was claimed upon having. He craves a world with peace and equality. Hughes hints that people come to America to achieve their dreams because they were not able where they used to live. People dream of a place with freedom, to be able to chose and be accepted. It isn't only about tolerating situations but getting through them and being accepted for the decision they make and to not be judged by the decision they make.
Let America Be America Again By Langston Hughes
435 Words | 2 PagesWe can see that here as he states, “Whose sweat and blood, whose faith and pain, Whose hand at the foundry, whose plow in the rain, Must bring back our mighty dream again” (66-68). This quote has so much hope and dignity in it. To have confidence again that we can make the dream come true. Through hard work and teamwork this is
Let America Be America Again By Langston Hughes
959 Words | 4 PagesBackground Langston Hughes wrote “Let America Be America Again” in 1935 and published it in 1936. The poem discusses many topics, but the common theme is inequality. He mentions several groups of people that have been mistreated and discriminated against including Native Americans, African Americans, and poor people. The poem serves as a plea for better and equal opportunities for everyone.
The Significance Of The American Dream In The Revelation Of Louisa May
567 Words | 3 PagesThis conveys that your own American Dream is worth fighting for regardless of the adversity you may face throughout your life. Had Rod Wave pursued the American Dream, he wouldn't have strived to be a
Langston Hughes Let The Us Dream To Be America Again
378 Words | 2 PagesIn the beginning of the poem, Langston Hughes converses about what the American Dream is to him and who believed it. Let it be the dream it used to be (2) The American Dream was noted to be, the land where you obtained complete peace and equality
Comparing Poems 'Star Spangled Banner And' Let America Be America Again
1587 Words | 7 PagesIn the beginning of the poem, the mood is patriotic and optimistic; however, the poem soon takes on a more serious tone by reminding the audience that America never lived up to its promises for so many people, and instead let them down. Hughes describes what it would mean to really have the America that people say exists and dream about. Near the end of the poem, the poem’s mood changes again. This time, the poet remains hopeful and optimistic that the original dreams for Americans are still possible. He claims, however, that it will require taking the country back from those who continue to take advantage of others and prevent them from truly achieving the freedom the country had promised them and which they
Let Canada Be America Again Literary Devices
572 Words | 3 PagesIn “Let America Be America Again” Langston Hughes uses an abundant amount of imagery, tone and has a specific style of writing to show how America never was the “America” people thought it was. Hughes uses a lot of imagery when he explains jobs of certain people, “I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil. I am the worker sold to the machine. I am the negro, servant to you all…”.
Let America Be America Again By Langston Hughes
744 Words | 3 PagesThis quote appears in the poem, in the third parenthesis within the poem. Langston Hughes communicates in the poem by addressing how America does not act as it use to. Langston Hughes will say that America has no equality between African Americans and caucasians with the African Americans getting the short side of the straw. Writing the last part of the poem allows, Langston Hughes, to express how he remained affected by the inequality in America. For the short phrase “There’s never been equality” Langston adds the words “for me” at the end of the phrase, allowing readers to understand the main point of why Langston Hughes writes this poem (Hughes, Line 16).
How Did Langston Hughes Influence The American Dream
922 Words | 4 PagesAmerica is well known as the land of the free and the home opportunity. Although it is said everyone is equal in every way, that has not always been the case. Langston Hughes is a poet who tried to emphasize the idea of equality among all human beings. Hughes underlined the basis of the American Dream with what is and what should be in the societal era he lived in. In hindsight he believed his poems helped others realize the injustices that all minorities had to face during this era.
Three Major Themes In Langston Hughes's Poetry
1089 Words | 5 PagesThe second speaker also reshapes the first two lines of the entire poem into a plea to the majority. Beforehand, the first speaker uses those lines as a call for the old American spirit to be revived: “Let America be America again / Let it be the dream it used to be” (1-2). Both speakers change the meaning of the lines to express their thoughts on America. As a result, the poem expresses the desire for everyone to be treated equally in the land of freedom. The readers can relate to the speaker because they wish that everyone has equal rights in the country that proclaims itself to be the symbol of freedom.
Let America Be America Again: Irony
2588 Words | 11 PagesIn Langston Hughes’ poem “Let America Be America Again,” the speaker criticizes the absence of freedom and equality for marginalized communities in the country nicknamed the “homeland of the free,” that is the nation which promised freedom and equality for all, allowing the achievement of the American Dream. In addition to this, the speaker calls for a collective effort to restore America to its aspirational glory. The discrepancy denounced between America’s idealized values and the speaker’s disillusionment raises whether or not the notion of belonging is challenged. I will argue that literary devices such as irony and repetition are mobilized to vehemently denounce the disillusionment arising from the disparity between the idealized perception
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