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Langston Hughes Early Autumn

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Throughout literature, various methods have been used to symbolize ideas and views. For example, reoccurring objects representing a character or certain colors creating atmosphere. In Langston Hughes’s short story, Early Autumn, the setting is used to reflect the characters, mood and theme of the story. To begin with, the weather and nature around them gives the story a gloomy, bittersweet* and melancholic mood. The setting is described as “late afternoon. Nearly Sunset. Cold.” (Hughes) Late afternoon gives the story a dimming aura. It implies that something is coming to an end. Aside from temperature, cold is used as an adjective to describe unemotional and unwelcoming. Making the mood of the story seem negative. The leaves falling “slowly …show more content…

When they talked about their kids “suddenly the lights came on up.” (Hughes) He’s experiencing joy and happiness, so the lights signify the brightness and lively emotions he’s feeling. When the girl left they “blurred twinkled blurred”. This shows that Bill has mixed feelings about her departure. He’s not sure whether to feel relived or sad, because when he first saw her he wasn’t excited. Mary’s emotions are shown by nature. Trees are repeatedly brought up around her. She was “desperately reaching back into the past” (Hughes), which can be a parallel to the roots of trees reaching into the ground. She felt sick when the leaves fell from the trees. This relates because the leaves falling is a sign that trees are dying and death is associated with illness. Lastly, the Hughes incorporates setting to the theme, which is change and time. The story is about change and transition. This is proven by the title, Early Autumn. During that time the seasons have just established change. The leaves falling also contribute to that conclusion. The phrase “turning over a new leaf” is used “when we experience significant change for the better.” (Leaf Symbolism). In terms of the story, this is shown by the situation that the characters are in. They left off on a bad note, then met up again parting with a different attitude. In conclusion, the way Hughes uses settings reveals the theme, mood and characters of the story. The theme of change

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