Chris Semansky's Essay 'Theme For English B'

1077 Words5 Pages

Chris Semansky’s critical essay on “Theme for English B” unravels what the poem Langston Hughes composed is about. Semansky gives many arguments as to what each part of the poem signified. For example, he explained that Langston’s poem could have been an act of rebellion to educate the teacher by the student. Also, it was to illustrate the student’s intellectual power and infinite identities. The “Theme for English B” was not only about who the student was in Semansky’s outlook, but also schooling the teacher about something much deeper than the surface. How, when the instructor examines the poem, he could either sense the students underlying meaning or not even notice it. Also, Semansky sheds light on the fact that the student is testing the …show more content…

What is he trying to understand? Simply an understanding. “It’s not easy to know what is true for you or me” is saying that they have different opinions, mindsets, and views that is going to be a key factor in comprehending even a little bit of what the student is revealing. Due to the student and the instructor being complete opposites, for the most part, “What is true for him might not be true for his instructor.” Because of these two unique individuals, the student will see truths in a different light than the instructor, and the instructor may feel as though his views and understandings of things as false. Furthermore, identity comes into …show more content…

He went to explain all the main and important points of the poem by Langston Hughes. His interpretations are quite accurate about “Theme for English B”, that Langston Hughes can even agree with. Semansky provides many points and even new views that may not have been seen at first. For example, the simple fact about it being a paper the student was supposed to make instead of a poem. Also, how there was possibly an act of self that could have been interpreted as an act of rebellion to the instructor. Furthermore, Semansky composed a well written critical essay about “Theme for English B” that I agree with and