Theme For English B Literary Devices

Langston Hughes was an African American poet whose poetry was influential during the Harlem Renaissance. He often wrote about the struggles that were facing African Americans. His poem “Theme for English B” is about a twenty-two year old African American’s response to his white instructor’s writing assignment. He is told to, “Go home and write / a page tonight / And let that page come out of you / Then, it will be true,” (2-6). Since his instructor is white, and the speaker is his only black student, the speaker uses the assignment as an opportunity to write freely about how he feels about the two races. In this poem, Hughes communicates that people with two different experiences can come together because of the same interests and beliefs, much like the instructor and the speaker can, through the use of allusion, tone, and free verse.
Throughout the entire poem, the speaker alludes to many places in New York, as well as a few pop-culture references. One thing he is alluding to is the YMCA, or as he calls it, “the Harlem Branch Y,” (14). This is intriguing since the YMCA is a type of

Throughout the poem, there is no structure, making the poem more laid back and nonchalant. In addition to not having any meter to the poem, only select portions of the poem rhyme. Most prominently, the instructor’s assignment rhymes perfectly: “Go home and write / a page tonight / And let that page come out of you / Then, it will be true,” (2-6). Similarly to Shakespearian language, the more intelligent and higher ranked person speaks in rhyme. As the poem progresses however, the speaker begins to use end rhyme more often: “I guess you learn from me— / although you’re older—and white— / and somewhat more free / This is my page for English B” (------). His increase in structure contributes to how throughout his assignment, he becomes more confident, and therefore begins to write more like his