Literature in general is a reflection of the life of the people, individuals, communities and societies. African American writers have engaged in a creative literary writing and explore identity, fragmentation, hardships and sufferings of the African descents in America. The history of African-Americans has been a paradox of incredible triumph in the face of tremendous human tragedy. The present study will examine the black experience in white America in late 19th century as well as through the twentieth century. In the light of that, this thesis is to provide an understanding of the role of black people have played in the history of the American nation and an assessment of why they were, until the relatively recent past, excluded from the
This is why the best of my work must be attributed to them; it stands as a testimony to the rich legacy of language and culture they so freely passed on to me in the word shop of the kitchen” (Contemporary Black Biography, 1995). Valenza Pauline Burke, later known as Paule Marshall, is an American novelist, whose novels emphasize the necessity for black Americans to regain their African heritage. She was born on April 9, 1929 in Brooklyn New York for Ada and Samuel Burke. Through her literature, she highlights the oppressive systems that are in place. Brown Girl, Brownstones, published in 1959, was Paule Marshall’s first novel which describes the life of Barbadian immigrants in Brooklyn during the Great Depression and then in World War II.
The poet describes herself as "a wandering poet" because of the workshops she holds around the world and being an inspiration for people at all ages. Her poems, mostly about her experience as an Arab-American poet and addresses a cultural issues through an ordinary events. Nye constantly insists on the possible co-existence between her two cultures, in contrast, she writes about the struggle of the Palestinians and how the Arab resist to cooperate or to coexist. Therefore, the conflict in her poems reflect the conflict she has about wanting to connect them and the pain she feels for the Arab, who doesn 't live in their country. Naomi Shihab Nye has exposed the need for coexistence in spite of resistance in
“I, Too” Poetry Analysis Poet Langston Hughes has written many great works including, I, Too. The poem was written in the nineteen twenties when Hughes, along with other African Americans, were facing segregation everywhere. This poem was one of the many pieces that was a part of the Harlem Renaissance, an African American movement in the fine arts. As the piece focuses on the struggles and hope for the future, it was definitely appropriate to be a part of the evolution of African American artists. The poet uses the context of the time period as well as other poets’ work and theme to enhance the poem and help the reader draw meaning and a lasting impact.
Throughout the poem Jordan uses repetition and in the oral performance uses her voice to enhance her message and feelings. The poem was written in a time where black people and women were dehumanized where those in power abused the power to gain more and those without power were continuously affected by it. Reading the poem and had an impact on me with the dictation of lexis, however all of these feelings were heightened when I listened to the oral performance. The poem starts of in the present tense “Even tonight and I need to take a walk” (Jordan 1) which gives a setting to the scene, in the opening few lines Jordan uses the repetition of “I” and “my” which made the poem for me more personal, the use of repetition in the opening part of the poem produced a deeper connection to the poem, repetition of the words placed emphasis and clarity of the words which came after “my body posture my gender identity my age…” (Jordan
This novel contains a number of autobiographical elements. While its historical context is clear, the literary context of the "Bluest Eye" is more complex. Morrison has been a major architect in creating a literary language for Afro-Americans. Her use of shifting perspective, fragmentary narrative, and a narrative voice. All of works also show the influence of
For example, authors could use a variety of imagery, repetition, structure, and history to achieve their theme. One author who exhaustively uses devices to reach her goal is Dolores Kendrick. Kendrick’s renown book of poetry, The Women of Plums: Poems in the Voices of Slave Women, contains a multitude of poems that encapsulate exactly how it felt to be a woman and a slave. Each poem is written by Kendrick and incorporates a different theme. One specific poem from the book, “Leah: in Freedom,” allows readers to experience the struggles of constant escapes and captures.
Poetry is the art of putting feelings on paper with specific diction, rhythm, and style that Authors choses to make readers comprehend what the speaker is trying to express. There are many famous American authors but one of my favorites is Emily Elizabeth Dickinson. She was born in Amherst, Massachusetts on December 10, 1830 and died in the same place but on May 15 of 1886. My favorite poem that she wrote is, “This is my letter to the world” because with my perspective of the poem I felt somehow identified with the feelings on it.. The voice of this poem is extremely personal because the speaker seems to be Emily herself making the poem more interesting to read and analyze.
“You’re the people’s poet,” said Malcolm X to Maya Angelou in a letter exchange. Indeed, Angelou was the people’s poet. She truly knew how to relate to others’ feelings and struggles, which the common themes in her work were identity, family and racism. For the longest period of her life, she has been a pioneer in the African American poetry and an advocate of the Civil Rights movement. Moreover, her ability to relate others may come from her own experience.
As a result of the Harlem Renaissance, Afro-American genre came up as a literary genre as ‘the spring of Afro-American voice’. They realized that their Utopian ideals would not be achieved without paying attention to the relationships between Black men and women. Alice Walker, a feminist writer also belongs to the same Black community and has undergone this class, social racism and sexual oppression and knows well the pain of the Black women. Through her writings and characters, she has portrayed the marginalized life of the Black women and revealed the typical Afro-American society. Her writings brought an awareness of the system of violent racism of the South and the effects of it on the Black.