Annotation Of 'Gross Immigrants' By Langston Hughes

1558 Words7 Pages

When you think about immigration a lot of things run through your mind. Thoughts both positive and negative from “Oh cool those are different people, interesting” to “Gross immigrants”. There’s a negative conation associated with the immigration process and the concept in totality. With everything involved with immigration the thing that always gets lost in translation is the conditions that they’re escaping in their homeland. Every immigrant is leaving their current situation for a better life, and can be in whatever form they deem better. They could be leaving because they way of living is harsh, for a better education, to better raise their children, to make money the list goes on and on. But many of the issues regarding way of life in every …show more content…

Literature gives insight into the lives of the oppressed and gives the reader a second-hand experience of what pains and labors minorities face. Langston Hughes one of the many great poets utilized his pen to further tell the story of the oppressed, and deliver the message of equality amongst all. “Cora Unashamed” was a short story about a house slave named Cora who worked for the Studevants family. She was the definition of what slavery was, being treated as less than a human. Being forced to do will of your oppressor, being treated with zero respect, and if you stand up for yourself your life was in danger. Cora is immigrant, and immigrants usually become servants for white people. “The Studevants thought they owned her, and they were perfectly right: they did. There was something about the teeth in the trap of economic circumstance that kept her in their power practically all her life -- in the Studevant kitchen, cooking; in the Studevant parlor, sweeping; in the Studevant backyard, hanging clothes” (Line 7). This quote shows the mentality of both parties involved. The white folk or the Stuvedants thought they owned Cora, and Cora thought the same. Being it where the economy is setup for the white individual to thrive, it keeps minorities hesitant from taking on the economic system in pursuit of success. Its setup for us minorities to fail in any other categories besides sports, drugs, and entertainment. Cora is one of the many that went through this treatment so that conditions will get