Comparing Poems 'Let America Be America Again And Negro'
Claudrecus Ellis
Professor Marashi
English 109
19 March 2013
Against All Odds
In the poems, “Let America Be America Again” and “Negro” by Langston Hughes, the voice of the narrator appear to be bold and pitiful. The tones of both poems are anger and bitterness from the minority groups in America towards the majority group. The themes of each poem vary in ways but they are also similar pertaining to the way that African Americans do not have equal opportunities in America just like the other minority groups living in America. In “Let America Be America Again”, Langston Hughes illustrates that America is not the land of the free like it is advertised. In “Negro”, Hughes also castigate America but from the point of the view of an African American.
The pity and boldness in the voice of the narrator in, “Let America Be America Again” is easily noticed by the reader of the poem. Hughes feel that African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics, and Asians all deserve the same opportunity to the live the American Dream just like the Caucasian-Americans but instead the minorities always get the “short end of the stick”, even though they put in the same or greater efforts. Lines …show more content…
Hughes touches on the experiences in his life in many occasions when he talks about the life a Negro, slave, worker, singer, and a victim. Hughes spoke on being a slave in lines 4-6 when said, “I’ve been a slave: / Caesar told me to keep his door-steps clean. / I brushed the boots of Washington.” On lines 14-17 Hughes emphasizes the difficulties of Negros all over the world when he says, “I’ve been a victim: / The Belgians cut of my hands in Congo. /They lynch me still in Mississippi.” He illustrated the even though slavery is over in America that the African-Americans have freedom but they have to fight for their lives because of the hatred they face in the southern
Professor Marashi
English 109
19 March 2013
Against All Odds
In the poems, “Let America Be America Again” and “Negro” by Langston Hughes, the voice of the narrator appear to be bold and pitiful. The tones of both poems are anger and bitterness from the minority groups in America towards the majority group. The themes of each poem vary in ways but they are also similar pertaining to the way that African Americans do not have equal opportunities in America just like the other minority groups living in America. In “Let America Be America Again”, Langston Hughes illustrates that America is not the land of the free like it is advertised. In “Negro”, Hughes also castigate America but from the point of the view of an African American.
The pity and boldness in the voice of the narrator in, “Let America Be America Again” is easily noticed by the reader of the poem. Hughes feel that African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics, and Asians all deserve the same opportunity to the live the American Dream just like the Caucasian-Americans but instead the minorities always get the “short end of the stick”, even though they put in the same or greater efforts. Lines …show more content…
Hughes touches on the experiences in his life in many occasions when he talks about the life a Negro, slave, worker, singer, and a victim. Hughes spoke on being a slave in lines 4-6 when said, “I’ve been a slave: / Caesar told me to keep his door-steps clean. / I brushed the boots of Washington.” On lines 14-17 Hughes emphasizes the difficulties of Negros all over the world when he says, “I’ve been a victim: / The Belgians cut of my hands in Congo. /They lynch me still in Mississippi.” He illustrated the even though slavery is over in America that the African-Americans have freedom but they have to fight for their lives because of the hatred they face in the southern