Summary Of Let America Be America Again By Langston Hughes

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.

The poem I, Too, Sing America written by Langston Hughes shortly after World War II in 1945, is a lyrical poem about the neglected voices in America as a response to the Poem “I hear America singing.” During this time, African Americans were oppressed in society and they did not have equal rights to Caucasians. This poem expresses Langston Hughes hope for the future where black people are not oppressed when equality is achieved between races. This poem helps assert Langston Hughes’ ideas of racial pride, hope, and equality. Many black people fought in the war and after it ended, they still did not have equality, which caused questions of why they were not equal if they fought against another country.

Historically countries, such as America, have muted and failed to addressed the social injustices against minority groups. Although America is considered to be the “melting pot,” it continues to face issues regarding freedom and justice for all of its citizens. Langston Hughes, who was a writer and social activist, wrote poetry during the Harlem Renaissance which addressed the social issues facing African Americans and minority groups. Allusion, anaphora, and rhyme scheme are employed by Hughes in his poem, “Let America Be America Again” in order to show how false America’s claims of equality and “Justice for all” are.

"I Hear America Singing" focuses on the glories of America, showcasing the happiness and joy that is present on a daily basis. This is clearly evidenced in one of the lines from Whitman's poem: "Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs." However, "I, Too, Sing America highlights the darker side of American life during this era. Unlike Whitman, Hughes' poem takes a much more serious tone, that forces the reader to consider the other side of the coin. This is poignately illustrated in the line, "And be ashamed -" which points to the "they" that will be ashamed in the future for how "they" treated the African American

My dream is of a place and a time where America will once again be seen as the last best hope of the earth. (Abraham Lincoln) In the poem "Let America Be America Again," Langston Hughes paints an affecting and diverse stanza, displaying peaceful passages to angry outbursts. His resonance seems confessional, as he is speaking about his own exposure and communicating for all the unheard Americans. Hughes addresses how America considers to be, has shifted to them to think, and could pursue to be again.

Many people around the world come to America for a better life. America “land of the free” is known for its vast opportunities and equality for all individuals. Although if we look back in history, there was a time where living in America did not welcome opportunities or equality for all individuals. Many dealt with this hardship by protesting. One means of protesting was writing. Writers took their pens to paper and expressed words to combat the massive oppression, discrimination, and racism that was being faced by many. One such writer was Langston Hughes. He was an inspirational African American poet trying to become accepted during the segregation of the 1930s. During his life he wrote many poems expressing his views on America around him. In response to the segregation of many ethnicities, Hughes wrote “Let America Be America Again”. This poem reveals although immigrants and minorities seek opportunities and equality, they cannot achieve the dream unless they

“There’s never been equality for me, nor freedom in this homeland of the free.” America never was America to me! Both poems were written about the American Dream and how it benefited some people, while not so much for other people and the two poets wrote about how America seemed at the time they were living. “I Hear America Singing” and “Let America be America Again” are two popular poems from history and they have their similarities.

Is the American Dream really available for everyone? In the poem “Let America be American Again”, Langston Hughes tries to get the point across that the American Dream isn’t open for everyone. He describes the hopeful immigrants who seek America for a new start but arrive to find only that America “The Land of the Free” is full of mighty people who dominate the weak. Hughes depicts the downtrodden Negroes who bear who bear many scars, physically and mentally, of the seeming to have no end slavery. Even in present day America, black people still do not have all the equality rights they deserve and long for. Hughes also invigorates people to get back Americans’ freedom. He promises that all of the blood, sweat, and tears the hard-workers of America

A paraphrase from the text is when Langston Hughes writes, “Besides,They’ll see how beautiful I am” (paragraph 4). Hughes is explaining how people should judge people by their characteristics not by their color of their skin. Consequently, this poem shows how America is progressing to freedom and equality because now people focus based on your attitude in order to judge you. In Langston Hughes’ poem, “ I Too Sing, America” it demonstrates how people have the same rights as others and not be judge by their skin

The beginning of the poem implies the land, mines, office towers, and factories belong to the rich, but the end of the poem implies all these things belong to the American people as a whole. The most obvious display of repetition is at the beginning and end of the poem. In the beginning of the poem, it says, “That the land might be ours, And the mines and factories and the office towers” (Lines 14 and 15). It goes on to say “That the plants and the roads and the tools of power be ours” (Line 17). The second example of this repetition is at the end of the poem, “Takes land, Takes factories, Takes office towers, Takes tools and banks and mines” (Lines 58-61).

This stanza is also important to the poem

In the two poems, “I Hear America Singing,” and, “I, Too,” there are many similarities and differences that show us that know matter what is happening you have to stand up for yourself and do what you love. We see this in the two poems, “I Hear America Singing,” and, “I, Too” when the authors, Walt Whitman and Langston Hughes, both talk about what America was a like in the 1900s, and how people were doing jobs that they had liked to do. We can see how a African American man would stand up for himself and we see this in the poem “I, Too” because we are able to see how he was able to stand up to everyone else and prove he was able to be treated like anyone else.

The 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.

The speech begins by inciting religion. The speech complements America, and thanks God for it. It commends God for both the land and the American people. The speech then goes on to describe the history of America, where the American people spread across the land, bring the flag and distributing their country. The history leads to the question of

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.”