Analyzing Langston Hughes 'Poem Theme For English B'

Kiara Rolle
Professor Theodore Worozbyt
English 2130
28 February 2017
Being Colored.
The poem “Theme For English B” written by Langston Hughes starts off with the instructor giving the student a writing assignment, but it is a very vague assignment. The instructor tells the student to “Go home and write a page tonight” (Hughes 710) but he doesn’t say what that page should be about. One of the many definitions of the word “theme” is “An exercise written on a given subject, esp. a school essay; an exercise in translation” (OED). In this case, it does not match with what the instructor says because the student was not given a subject to write about at all. The instructor then goes on to say, “And let that page come out of you-- Then, it will be

The word “colored” is the speaker’s way of describing his or her race, which would be African American. One definition of the word “colored” is “Of or belonging to any group of dark-skinned people, esp. African-Americans. Also, during the era of racial segregation in the United States: intended for or restricted to African-Americans” (OED). At the time the poem was written, as well as published, the word was used in a derogatory way. In addition, another definition of the word is “Having a colour or colours; that is or has been coloured. Also as the second element in compounds” (OED). Thus, saying that in order to be “colored” someone had colored the student, which is another way of saying the student was marked. To add, the word “colored” also means “Denoting a member of any dark-skinned group of peoples, esp. a person of sub-Saharan African or (in Britain) South Asian origin or descent; in earliest use with reference to South America. Now usu. considered offensive” (OED). The word appears again in the tenth line stating, “I am the only colored student in my class” (Hughes 710). It gives the reader an image as well as how alone the speaker is being the only African American in his class. Thus, going back to one of the definitions of the word “colored” and how during those times, “colored” people were separated from white people. They had separate water

Nicholas” (Hughes 710) he is not only talking about crossing a street, but he’s talking about crossing Santa Claus. One of the many definitions of “cross” is “To cheat or double-cross; to act dishonestly in or towards” (OED). When someone crosses St. Nicholas, or Santa Claus, it would mean that that person did something evil or bad, which would lead to coal in his or her stocking for Christmas. As a result of someone touching the coal, they are marked with black. This refers to one of the definitions of “colored” as in, to be colored, and as being of darker complexion, which was seen as a bad thing.
Moving on to line sixteen, the speaker says, “It’s not easy to know what is true for you or me” (Hughes 710). At the end of the line, the word “you” is being used, which would have the audience, us, to think that the speaker is talking to us personally. Since the poem is directed towards the instructor, the “you” the speaker is referring to towards the instructor, who then, also becomes a reader.
In lines twenty-one to twenty-four, the reader is then introduced into the theme of the paper that the student is writing. The speaker