Langston Hughes Poetry Essay Essays

Langston Hughes Poetry Essay Essays Langston Hughes Poetry Essay Paper Langston Hughes Poetry Essay Paper allows the poem to flow freely, allowing Hughes to emphasise the theme within. Imagery is displayed by the simile used in lines 15-16 when freedom is described as a strong seed planted in great need to accentuate the longing of wanting to belong to society. In the Theme for English B Hughes exemplifies the segregation further by word choice such as coloured (Line 7) and white (Line 27), which represent hierarchies depending on skin colour. In each poem emotive language is used by Hughes to achieve a direct link to themes, such examples of this are let the page come out of you (Theme for English B, Line 4), democracy will not come (Democracy, Line 1) and I Too Am American (I Too Sing America, Line 17). The poems titles help to convey the tone by positioning the reader to sympathise the African Americans. I Too Sing America depicts that whilst he is black, he too sings the national anthem of the country he is from. Democracy holds the reflection of the justice system and how black people are treated inferior to white society. Through these literary features, Hughes helps the reader to view the segregation of white and black society. The themes in Hughes poems, Theme for English B, Democracy and I Too Sing America, position the reader to sympathise with Black society. Common themes held in all three poems are discrimination, racism and segregation which position white people to be the perpetrators of injustice, whilst black society as the victims. In Theme for English B the narrator exclaims that black people like similar things to white society such as to eat, sleep, drink, to be in love, work, read, learn and understand and life (Lines 21-22), posing the reader with the question as to how the races differ. I Too Sing America speaks of the discrimination at being made to eat in the kitchen (Line 3) and mistreated but then of hope, hope for change when he will be at the table (Line 9) and accepted as part of white society. Democracy allows the reader to empathise with the African Americans, accentuated by the themes of longing, acceptance and tiredness. In lines 10-12 it is stated I tire so from hearing people say tomorrow is another day showing the loneliness experienced by African Americans. It is through these themes Hughes positions the reader to view the segregation of white and black society in America in his poems. In his poems, Theme for English B, Democracy and I Too Sing America, Langston Hughes exposes the segregation of white and black society throughout Americas history. The illustration of social class is enhanced by the use of literary features, themes and creation of atmosphere and tone. The perspective chosen by the author, from the view of an African American, exemplifies the emotions portrayed within. Throughout these poems, Hughes positions the reader to view the unjust times African Americans have faced throughout history and hardships they still face today.