ipl-logo

Langston Hughes's Cargador De Flores, Diego Rivera

2162 Words9 Pages

A man struggles, unable to rise to his feet. A woman toils, unable to support her companion. A fuchsia basket torments, unable to consider the damage it inflicts. A society discriminates, unable to give its workers equality. In his painting Cargador de Flores, Diego Rivera denounces subjugation by portraying two commoners and their constant struggle to survive. Rivera employs these workers as a representation of the proletariat class of Mexico, and by utilizing his illustration to depict the working people of his country, he applies this artwork to exhibit the efforts of the Mexican laborer. Furthermore, the artist contrasts the blossoms with the workers who bear their weight. The florets are illuminated with a rich coral and gold arrangement, …show more content…

Hughes furthers the views of Rivera by criticizing the elite of New York City at a time when the rest of society suffers through a haughty advertisement for an upscale Manhattan hotel. As he describes the extravagance of the Waldorf-Astoria, he proclaims, “Dine with some of the men and women who got rich off of your labor, who clip coupons with clean white fingers because your hands dug coal, drilled stone, sewed garments, poured steel to let other people draw dividends and live easy” (Hughes 32-36). In this section of the poem, Hughes asserts that the established class exploits the worker for its own gain. This system allows the most fortunate individuals to indulge in the luxuries of the Waldorf, but it oppresses those who dedicate themselves to laboring for the aristocracy. Advancing his assessment of the strict inequality of his time, Hughes illustrates that the gentry is often indifferent to the plight of the commoner. In the depiction of the apartments available at the Waldorf-Astoria, he questions, “$10,000 and $1.00 are about the same to you, aren't they? Who cares about money with a wife and kids homeless, and nobody in the family working?” (45-48). Hughes utilizes this portion of his writing to exhibit the absolute separation between the two societal factions. To the wealthy, unemployment and homelessness are distant issues, but to the poor, these problems display their prominence every day. This disparity is reminiscent of the workers in Rivera’s painting; the hopelessness with which the laborers are portrayed suggests a significant disconnect between the working class and the higher classes of society, which is symbolized by the beauty of the

Show More
Related

  • Politics And Life In Tejas: Painting Analysis

    580 Words  | 3 Pages

    Furthermore, chapter 2, Politics and Life in Tejas examines the political life that Garza’s family was involved during the 1950’s. During this time period schools were still segregated and if they were integrated they still practiced segregation norms. It was difficult for Garza to be treated less than human during adolescent. The image I have selected from this chapter is Cakewalk, 1987. The medium of this painting is oil on canvas, 36x48 inches in size.

    Read More

  • Going To The Olympics Romero Analysis

    789 Words  | 4 Pages

    Romero puts the city's culture for cars at center stage in his mural by showing the cars going down the road on the way to the Olympics. Also he shows the culture of loving cars by putting hearts above each car as the drive. The bright colors show how when the people of Los Angeles drive they are happy and are in a good mood. The colors set the mood of the mural by highlighting the happiness of the people, the love of the cars and city and the way people enjoy their lives in this big city. The mural was destroyed while it was under the cities not so watchful eye.

    Read More

  • Manual Labor Over Making Lattes Summary

    525 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the one hand, “los pobres”, relates the personal experience of Richard Rodriguez, the motifs that encouraged him to spend one summer doing manual labor and his perspective about doing manual labor. In the other hand, “why I choose manual labor over making lattes”, the author, Aaron Leaf narrates a very different perspective and experience with manual labor. Even though they are different, both of them can give us some clues about why people do manual labor. In Richard’s text, the cultural background is important: his parents are Mexican, work hard to get him a decent education and try to give his son a different life; those factors collude to make Rodriguez ambivalent about his identity.

    Read More

  • Diego Rivera's Murals In The Film 'Man At The Crossroads'

    835 Words  | 4 Pages

    Because of wars, financial crisis, terrorism and race issues, Rivera's Mural has something that makes many of us hopeful that one day we all will be united and be able to grow as a community. Rivera's ideologies give significance to breakthroughs of technology and opinions, but it shows how this can be better if we come together. The Mural of "Man at the Crossroads" should not be of one at a crossroad but rather a path of unity where one does not have to choose two great paths. Rivera's message was seen as means to question the validity of science or religion, capitalism or communism, or utopia or dystopia as a means to make people think what was really right, and the answer was anyone of them if you had a strong case to back it up (Anreus 210-211). In conclusion, "Man at the Crossroads" by Diego Rivera is quite a piece that shows that Man can have both if they decide to unite.

    Read More

  • Gender Roles In The House On Mango Street

    1476 Words  | 6 Pages

    In Mexican American society , women are deemed inferior to men, evident in traditional family roles, the male is the head of the family who provides for the family , while the woman stays at home to look after the children she is expected to provide for her husband . In the third vignette of ‘The House on Mango Street’ titled ‘Boys and Girls’ the reader is informed of the division between men and women when Esperanza refers to herself and her sister Nenny , and her brothers, “They’ve got plenty to say to me and Nenny inside the house. But outside they can’t be seen talking to girls”. The male dominance begins at a very young age.

    Read More

  • Macaria's Daughter Analysis

    1149 Words  | 5 Pages

    In the altar’s center is “a plaster image of the Virgin of Guadalupe, quarter-life size, its brown Indian face staring down on the woman” (Paredes 23). The implication of the stare is of criticism as the Virgin, symbolic of an ideal Mexican womanhood, looks down on Marcela, whose Anglo features starkly contrast with the Virgin’s, and whose actions are in opposition to the values that she represents. This carefully constructed scene is meaningful. Marcela’s lifeless body lies between the bed and the altar, and opposite to the altar is Marcela’s shrine dedicated to Hollywood movie stars. These are the visual images of the opposing forces that characterize the Mexican-American struggle for resistance against American cultural hegemony.

    Read More

  • Avocado Lake Gary Soto Analysis

    1578 Words  | 7 Pages

    “Oranges,” “The Seventieth Year,” and “Avocado Lake,” showcase Soto’s ability to move a reader using an emotional story without the use of rhyme or rhythm. Through Soto’s poetry, he indicates the traits that define Mexican-American community

    Read More

  • Let America Be America Again, By Langston Hughes

    504 Words  | 3 Pages

    Langston Hughes and America Langston Hughes, as renowned poet, a leader during the Harlem Renaissance, and a man of color, had written poetry during a particularly difficult time for people of color. Considered a founding father of Jazz Poetry, using various techniques, and styles of poetry to convey story in a rhythmic style. Many of Hughes’ poems focus heavily on America or the American dream. While reading “Let America be America again” it is evident that this poem is a description of the American Dream, “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.”

    Read More

  • Racism In Harlem By Langston Hughes

    182 Words  | 1 Pages

    Langston Hughes promotes tolerance and an understanding of racism in his poem “Harlem.” The poem questions what happens when people’s dreams are deferred, or postponed. He asks the readers if the dream dries “like a raisin in the sun” or if it “stinks like rotten meat” or if, instead, “does it explode” (Hughes 201). This use of negative imagery shows the reader what will happen if others, namely the African Americans Hughes wrote about, cannot reach their dreams. Dreams are a piece of people’s identity because it shows what they want out of life, so if their dreams shrink or rot, so too does the dreamer.

    Read More

  • Darkness And Confusion Analysis

    433 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the story In “Darkness and Confusion” slums of Harlem, a black man lives at the top of an apartment building with his portly wife and unruly niece, where he struggles to make ends meet. William Jones lives his life with little control on what happens because he is an uneducated black man living in the 1930’s, and his family does not take his point of view into consideration. Working the meager job of a maintenance worker for a druggist in on fifth avenue William Jones spends the majority of his day sprucing up the store and stocking the shelves. Hardly making any money at all, William is restricted to live in the inexpensive upper levels of buildings.

    Read More

  • Social Struggles In Luis Valdez's Los Vendidos

    587 Words  | 3 Pages

    Social Struggles in Los Vendidos Racial differences and their effects on economic and social status are important, often controversial issues in America. These topics have inspired many artists to create pieces that convey their ideas about race, although it is sometimes difficult to pick out the political messages in these works. The social-class lens is one tool that readers can use to see the author’s commentary on economic power and social-class and the inequities they can create in our society. One play that was written primarily to target such problems and how they relate to Mexican-Americans is Luis Valdez’s Los Vendidos.

    Read More

  • How Did Vincent Van Gogh Influence Art

    1960 Words  | 8 Pages

    A bull and a horse can be seen in his painting but they do not seem to portray a particular meaning so instead their interpretation is upon the audience, making it vary and have a lot of contradictions. The two animals also feature in a continuous but complex relationship in other pieces by Picasso, an example being “the dream and lie of Franco”. There is an expression of protest in by the posture and shape of the bodies in Guernica. The painting also portrays chaos and pain through the sad mood set by the artist’s use of black and white. Furthermore, Guernica’s destruction as well as the harsh force of civil war is represented by the crumbling walls and the buildings on fire.

    Read More

  • Barcelona Blues: Pablo Picasso, The Early Years

    856 Words  | 4 Pages

    These details, along with the psychologically tense position and attitude of his figures, all serve to portray Picasso’s statement about social life: poverty has not gone anywhere, and the general inaction that precedes this disturbing issue only serves to silence the voice of the working class once again. It’s like the photo that Picasso drew of a man on what seems to be a mountain, and three figures looking up at him. Next to the figures he writes: “ Muy importante. Hos hable de cosas muy importante. De dios y de arte.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Jim Goldberg's Rich And Poor

    1003 Words  | 5 Pages

    For instance, one of my favourite photographs at the exhibition was the first one that I encountered where they not only reveal the economic differences but the dreams and hopes of these individuals. On the one side, there is a photograph of Vickie Liguria, a servant, who remarks on her 40 years of serving and how she feels about having talent, yet no opportunities. On the other side is a photograph of her employer Sylvia Stone who states that she used to dream of being a wife and a mother that writes and is glamorous, but she now desires a place in her community. The contrasts of Vickie and Sylvia’s aspirations are telling because one has had a good life that was provided to them through opportunities that lead to economic and social status, yet the other is impaled by the cycle of having no chances to prove herself, thus she forced to do a job that doesn’t reflect who she wants to be. Both women are different racial, economically and socially, yet they feel this strong desire to actualize their dreams, however, only one has the economic and social advance to do so if they so choose.

    Read More

  • Singer The Son Analysis

    1227 Words  | 5 Pages

    Each one’s eyes asked with disappointment: IS THIS AMERICA?”The author himself is cognizant of all the turmoil and pseudo – values that sway the New York metropolis life; and yet, he fervently wishes that his son be impressed with New York’s skyscrapers, its bustle, its modernity, its intimidating atmosphere. Since the foul weather that day hampers the materialization of that wish, he grows despondent: “It hurt my dignity that New York should show itself to my son so gloomy and dingy. I had a vain ambition to have him see immediately the nicer quarters of the city. " But for the son just now back from the war with the Arabs, after his close encounter with the lurking dangers in the battlefield, New York's pomp and glitter, its dazzling lights on the Broadway hold little value : "He looked and was silent.

    Read More

More about Langston Hughes's Cargador De Flores, Diego Rivera

Open Document