“Champion of the World” In the excerpt, “Champion of the World,” Maya Angelou recalls of a specific time when growing up during the African American oppression. In paragraph one, Angelou uses the method of description in order to indicate that a crucial event is about to begin. She uses phrases from the passage such as, “The last inch of space was filled,” and “Uncle Willie had turned the radio up to its last notch so that youngsters on the porch wouldn’t miss a word,” so that the reader can visualize how closely packed the store was. African Americans from far away distances had even arrived in order to watch the fight (107). Their willingness to disregard personal space and distance shows the importance of the Brown Bomber’s fight to the
The purpose of “Why, You Reckon?” by Langston Hughes is to accurately display, through the times of that century and human emotion, that despite money, power, and the color of your skin there can still be an unhappiness of the soul. There is evidence in the beginning of the short story of two men’s unhappiness in life the symbol of them being uncontent was their hunger. “Man, ain’t you hongry.... Well, sir, I’m tellin’ you, I was so tired and hongry and cold that night.” (253- 254).
A relationship between a father and a son is a sacred bond, one created at birth and strengthened over time. This paternal relationship is core to the value of family, a likewise bond of faith and trust. Such bonds are tested during times of hardship and pain, seen most clearly during times of war. During the events of World War II, and the gruesome events of the Holocaust, this truth was never more true. Through works such as the memoir Night, by survivor Elie Wiesel, and the artistry of the 1997 film Life is Beautiful, directed by Roberto Benigni, these times of hardships are kept alive in common memory.
"Overview: "I, Too"" Poetry for Students. Ed. Sara Constantakis. Vol. 30.
The narrator shows a higher sense of pride and shows his ambition to express his legitimacy as a an American citizen and as a fellow man in the United States, in a way threatening his slave owners to cross the line of the respect that belongs to him. Hughes, through the narrator, discloses, “They’ll see how beautiful I am/ and be ashamed” (16-17). This statement is a declaration claiming equality, stature and independence (“I, Too” 100). In Langston Hughes’ “I, Too,” he uses metaphors to symbolize the feelings of African Americans who seeks to raise their status to acceptability in America. One example of a metaphor in “I, Too” is in the excerpt, “They send me to eat in the kitchen/ When the company comes” (3-4).
“Any fool can make something complicated but it takes a genius to make it simple.” The person who said this quote and many more was a famous song writer named Woody Guthrie. Some people even believed that the song “This Land Is Your Land” should have been the national anthem. Woody Guthrie wrote this song in 1940 because he believed people can only be themselves. Everything he did was to try to build people up and not bring people down.
The poem Langston Hughes wrote in 1936 called “Let America be America again”. Langston Hughes an afro American in the United States of America. Langston Hughes' philosophical idea was equality in the United States of America. The first way Langston Hughes shows his philosophical idea of equality is by showing he wants everyone to be treated fairly and have the government not allow people to be racist to the Afro-Americans, Indians, and other immigrants located in the United States of America. The second way Langston Hughes shows his philosophical idea of equality is by showing his desire and dedication towards of achieving equality and shows off his dedication of hard work to achieve his dream but can’t due to of the barriers he has to overcome
The theme of the poem, “Let America Be America Again” by Langston Hughes is about equality. There are multiple reasons and quotes hinting to why it's about Equality. For example, Hughes states in his poem, “There has never been equality for me, nor freedom in this “homeland of the free”” (15-16). From this quote we can see that he thinks everything isn’t equal. He put quotes around the homeland of the free to make it seem sarcastic.
“Nobody living will ever stop me.” Woody Guthrie wrote hundreds of famous songs. One of his famous songs was “This Land is Your Land.” He sang this famous song in 1940. He spread his opinion all over the USA.
The poem "Birmingham Sunday" by Langston Hughes addresses the tragic 1963 bombing of the 17th Street Baptist Church in Alabama. Through the poem, Langston Hughes reveals the innocence and tragedy of the girls’ deaths and the racial violence of the time. When Hughes writes about the bombing, he uses the phrases “spattered flesh” and “bloodied Sunday dresses” (). The diction used helps paint an image of the bombing aftermath which shows how gory and tragic this event was. The bloody dresses heavily contrast with the idea of Sunday School, a place associated with safety and learning.
The poems, “Lineage”, by Margaret Walker, and “Helen Keller”, by Langston Hughes have many similarities and differences in the theme, imagery, and figurative language. The theme in Walker’s poem is about how grandmas are very tough, and you should respect your elders, while the theme in Hughes’ poem is about when times are hard, find your inner strength. A similarity between the two themes is that both idolize and admire strong women that have the power to find strength through dark times. For example, Walker’s poem states, “...full of sturdiness and singing. My grandmothers were strong”.
In the early twentieth century, the Harlem Renaissance flourished. This movement was an African American cultural awakening, especially in the creative arts. The movement was never controlled by a specific school of thought, however, it was distinguished through discourse and laid the groundwork for later African American literature. Although much of the movement concentrated in the Harlem district of New York City it was not confined there. Many African American musicians, artists, and writers blossomed as instigators for this cultural awakening, like Zora Neale Hurston, Claude McKay, and of course Langston Hughes to name a few (Hutchinson, p.1).
A central theme in the short story “Thank you Ma 'am” by Langston Hughes is a little kindness goes a long way. One act of kindness can change a person’s life forever. Her unnecessary kindness made a major impact on Roger and changes him. As the story progresses, we see that Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones shows empathy and kindness for Roger. That kindness appears to pass onto Roger near the end of the story.
Langston Hughes was a poet that particularly focused on Harlem communities, the American Dream, racial discrimination, and the jazz age. However, “April Rain Song” by Langston Hughes does not relate to any of these topics. This poem does not fall into his usual categories, it is simply just a song about rain. Some people would argue that there is a relationship between this poem and the Harlem Renaissance because he did live there at about the time this poem was written. They say that this poem was inspired when Langston Hughes was watching a rail fall over the urbanized city.
In the poem “For Poets”, by Al Young, the theme is the challenge of stepping out of your comfort zone and seizing moments in life. Young expands and argues his theme through the literary devices used in the poem. These literary devices include symbolism, hyperbole, and metaphor. Al Young portrays life’s obstacles, our society’s attitude towards self expression, and experiencing nature. In conclusion, life is a big obstacle and in order to live it, you must go out of your comfort zone and try your best to give it all you’ve
