Let America Be Again Hughes Analysis

America is known around the world as united and free… at least that’s what people say. As Americans, we say these things, but from many perspectives America seems quite flawed. For example, we say we are united, but take a look at our government, we are politically divided. Lets just say, America is viewed in many different ways. Throughout the poems, “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman and “Let America Be America Again” by Langston Hughes, two opposing views are represented. Whitman sees America as a joyful and ecstatic place for the working class of America, whereas Hughes sees America as a place that does not meet his expectations. In my perspective, both men are correct; I see America as a strong country with some room for improvement. As previously stated, in Whitman’s “I Hear America Singing,” America is being described as a joyful place to live and work. Whitman does not attract the reader to the cheerful tone let off through rhyme, but through repetition. He repeatedly says the word “singing,” representing the happy workers of America heading off to work. For example, he writes, “The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands” (Whitman). Illustrating that one does

In contrast with Whitman's poem, Hughes sends his message about America with rhyme and some imagery. He demonstrates his resentful and negative tone as being disappointed with America. For example, he writes, “Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed” (Hughes). Depicting that America is not what everyone believes it to be. By saying this, Hughes implies that America isn’t truly united and free. His interpretation is that America let him down, and led him to believe what wasn’t true. However, his main aspiration is for America to truly be united and free. He believes that America can improve to become the America we claim it to