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The Boy And The Bayonet, By Paul Laurence Dunbar

1156 Words5 Pages

Bob Jeff 704 May 2024 The Power of Dreams in Literature How does literature show the power of dreams? Abraham Lincoln once said, “I will study and get ready, and maybe my chance will come.” (Page: 4, Paragraph: 1 and 2). His Motto, by Lottie Burrell Dixon, embodies this quote beautifully by showing how dreams can be a source of inspiration when Robert Hilton perseveres so that his dream of going far with his electrical experiments starts to become a reality. The Boy and the Bayonet, by Paul Laurence Dunbar, shows how dreams can be a source of perseverance. Even though Bud’s dreams of becoming a military officer are threatened by his mistake at the drill competition, he keeps striving to accomplish his dreams. Finally, the poem “The Negro Speaks …show more content…

The main character, Robert Hilton, has a dream to go far with his scientific inventions. He sees an opportunity to get a job, but because he is Black, he was initially underestimated because of the prejudice at the time. Robert Hilton explains, “Well, I’m interested in all kinds of electrical experiments, and have kept up reading and studying ever since I left school.” This demonstrates how one’s dream can encourage them to persevere. His dream was powerful, motivating him to go far; he didn’t limit himself even though there were fewer opportunities available to him since he is Black. Robert has a quote from Abraham Lincoln hanging on his wall, “I will study and get ready and maybe my chance will come” (Page: 4, Paragraph: 1). Later, Robert Hilton meets Durmont, who doesn't believe Robert is capable enough to help him. Robert persists and finally gets his chance to prove that he is capable, after all. Once Durmont sees how capable Robert is, he says,“‘Well, Robert, that motto you’ve got up there is a pretty good one to tie to. You certainly have studied; you have made yourself ready as far as your resources will permit, and I’ll be hanged if I don’t stand for the ‘chance.’ In the manufacturing of electrical instruments, you could have a great opportunity for inventive talent, and in my concern you shall have your chance, and go as far as your …show more content…

In the poem “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” Langston Hughes fantasizes about the freedoms his people had in Africa. He yearns to go back to that time, and even though it is not possible, he wants to relive that time. “I bathed in the Euphrates when dawn was young. I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep. I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it.” The Congo and Euphrates were influential to Langston Hughes' ancestors. It was once thought that, along the Nile, slaves were used to build the pyramids. His ancestors might have been among those slaves, but the Nile was also home to a flourishing civilization for thousands of years. Hughes imagines times when Black people were not discriminated against or enslaved. In speaking about the Mississippi the narrator imagines, “I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln went down to New Orleans, and I’ve seen its muddy bosom turn all golden in the sunset.” The narrator describes the Mississippi when Abraham Lincoln stopped slavery and the slave trade from continuing. This is powerful, to Langston Hughes, because when slavery ended, Black people were liberated, creating a momentous turning point for the country. Throughout history, rivers have been essential to civilization and Hughes’ people. Langston Hughes dreamt of rivers, which are like timelines, flowing from beginning to

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