Langston Hughes Research Paper

The Harlem Renaissance was a period in American history, which occurred in the 1920s in Harlem, New York. The cultural movement was an opportunity for African Americans to celebrate their heritage through intellectual and artistic works. Langston Hughes, a famous poet, was a product of the Harlem Renaissance. One notable piece of literature by Hughes is “Dream Deferred”. However, the discussion of African American culture isn’t limited to the 1920s. Paul Laurence Dunbar showed the potential struggles of being African American in his poem “We Wear the Mask”, written fifty-five years prior to “Dream Deferred”. Both poems share similar tones and themes. “Dream Deferred” by Langston Hughes can serve as a sequel to “We Wear the Mask” by Paul Laurence Dunbar through displaying a cause and effect relationship which highlights the strength of neglect and disguises.

Hughes ' comprehension of his aunt 's explanation about salvation revival was based on his concept because he was so young; therefore, it made him come away and feel differently about God. Hughes was eager to see what his aunt told him that if he was saved from sin, then he will see a light and something will happen to him inside, and God will be with him from then on (Hughes 549). Hughes was so young to understand the faith feelings, so when he went with his aunt to the church revival, he was expecting to see what his aunt and many great old people have said to him about seeing a light, feeling something good inside and meeting Jesus in the church. Moving to the exact target that Hughes was looking for, which to meet Jesus as a person

In “Salvation,” Langston Hughes presents his momentous coming-of-age story as a dark and saddening ending to his childhood that provides the reader with understanding of the loss of innocence; and faith he faced and how it impacted who he came to be. Hughes makes a strong implication that children become less and less innocent over time. Hughes himself proves that through the tone of his entire essay. It begins with a light toned; yet still ironic introduction, but ends with a dark, depressing final line. Hughes supplies his reader with multiple literary devices such as imagery, flashbacks, and irony to present this comparison of his younger self and his older self.

That’s the beautiful thing about irony. You expect one thing to happen and then the complete opposite ends up taking place instead. Hughes went into church that day with the expectation that he was going to see Jesus because that’s what everybody told him was going to happen. Instead, he left disappointed, guilty and even disbelieving in Jesus all together.

Langston Hughes was a very famous poet but also a dreamer during the 1920s when discrimination and racism were main problems in the society. He was a civil right activist who proposed the idea of equal opportunities between all races by writing poems, books, and playwrights; many of his famous literatures affected Americans in many crucial ways. Hughes’s main idea against the society was equality however he discovered that it is difficult to change people’s “norms” and stereotypes. Therefore, his humorous and serious type of writing effectively appealed to many audiences which eventually played a big role of achieving racial equality and equal opportunities.

Langston Hughes used rhetoric words in his story “Salvation,” to provide foreshadows, and emotional appeals to his struggles in becoming religiously saved. Hughes began his story by stating “I was saved from sin when I was going on thirteen (179).” The irony in this opening is that Hughes initially believed in the presence of Jesus, but unexpected pressures pushed him to betray and deceive his faith. The setting of Hughes struggles took place in a religious ceremony in his Auntie Reed’s church. In this service, many young children like Hughes were gathered to be spiritually cleansed by the light of Jesus.

“Salvation” is a short story by Langston Hughes describing a boy when he discovered a significant truth about faith and religion. The last paragraph of “Salvation” functions as an epiphany for the boy. An epiphany is an experience of sudden and striking realization. It can also mean the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi. This event helps shape the boy’s religious understanding far differently from what his Aunt Reed believes.

One thing in common him and his mother had was to stick with religion as a resolution to cure them spiritually. As mentioned, “Mommy took great pride in our relationship with God.” (McBride 53), although, James was young he was still curious about things of his miracle , but he definitely looked up to him and even more as he grew with understanding of his

Langston Hughes short story “Salvation” epitomizes what is an internal struggle for many people, especially children, who want so badly to believe what they have been taught all their lives by their relatives, elders in the church and the preacher; that to have a relationship with God, you must be saved and only then will you be able to see him. Hughes’ Aunt Reed paints such a vivid picture of that idea beginning in the story’s second chapter: “My aunt told me that when you were saved you saw a light, and something happened to you inside! And Jesus came into your life! And God was with you from then on! She said you could see and hear and feel Jesus in your soul.”

Langston Hughes 's shifting attitude toward salvation in his essay was disappointing and at the same time upsetting. He 's disappointed and upset because he was forced to believe in the situation that something will happen to him inside before he accept Jesus but instead it did not happen. Most of the time we are pressured to accept an idea of what others belief, not because we agree to it but instead we intentionally do it for them to stop asking. Some felt the guilt after, and do something about it but most of the time we just let it go and move on.

In Langston Hughes short story Salvation, he reminiscences about his Auntie Reed’s churches attempt to “save” him at the age of twelve. The preacher holds a distinctive affair for the children which he calls “bringing the young lambs to the fold.” Each child sits on a mourner’s bench and slowly but surely each one stands, are received by the preacher, and subsequently saved by Jesus. Langston observes while all his peers stand up and are saved, while he sits and waits for Jesus to truly reveal himself; however, he is dumbfounded when another boy named Wesley blasphemes and is not subsequently struck dead. Langston had sat at the mourner’s bench for a considerable amount of time and was badgered by the grinning Wesley who sat proudly on the platform above.

This piece of figurative language has a big impact on the text because it is pretty much saying that the moments that happened in the camp made him lose that connection with his god, soul and made him feel like his dreams were never going to happen cause he was just sitting in that camp doing labor for several months. This affects the reader cause this shows more of how the camp really

People have come to misunderstand the gospel because they want to believe what they think is right. He says "In this state we're not living in the grace of Jesus, Were trying to maintain our

In the poem “I, Too”, the author Langston Hughes illustrates the key aspect of racial discrimination faces against the African Americans to further appeals the people to challenge white supremacy. He conveys the idea that black Americans are as important in the society.

‘Oh! My dear sweet Lord Jesus asleep in a manger! What we goin’ to do now?’” (Steinbeck 413) The whole family is confused.