Figurative Language In Harlem By Langston Hughes

The poem "Harlem" was written in 1951 by Langston Hughes and offers a theme in that of a warning: Those who cannot realize their dreams due to systematic oppression, will inevitably resort to violence. "Harlem" is a short, eleven line poem, consisting of three stanzas which are littered with literary and poetic devices such as imagery, italics, diction/syntax, figurative language, and rhetorical questions to name several. However, despite all the clever techniques Hughes deploys, his use of symbolism contributes most to defining, and clearly expressing, the poems main theme.
The poem begins with a one line stanza in which the speaker is asking a question that puts the reader on the spot: "What happens to a dream deferred?" (Line 1). The speaker
"Or fester like a sore--/And then run?" (4-5). With this symbol Hughes compares the dream deferred to a festering sore. When a sore "festers", it becomes septic due to the lack of care or cleaning, and quite literally, causing puss and bacteria to "run" down the body. Hughes uses this gross image to imply that, similarly, when a dream is left uncared for it too will become septic.
In the line following, Hughes test our senses by comparing the dream deferred to rotten meat. "Does it stink like rotten meat?" (6). Unlike the previous two symbols, this one Hughes doesn't believe to be true. If a dream had a rotten smell, such as rotten meat does after left out too long, we would dispose of it. Hughes however, is reminding the reader that this is a dream deferred, not a dream disposed of. Rotten meat is also a smell that is associated with death, another underlying message that works to develop the theme of the
"Or does it explode?" (11). Similar to the first line of the poem, Hughes leaves this question to stand by itself. However, unlike the first line, the final line is placed in italics, a technique used no doubt to force the reader to pay close attention to it. The final, and most important symbol, in the poem is the verb explode. The word explode connotes very different meanings, such as the violent explosion of a bomb, or a celebratory firework exploding on the Fourth of July. Hughes is asking us to wonder about what happens when something has been stressed under immense pressure and frustration to the point that it can take no more. But does Hughes intend us to envision a violent blast, or a vibrant explosion? Notice the first word in the quote above, "Or". Why doesn’t Hughes simply ask us his final question? The use of "Or" here suggest Hughes is turning away from the negative connotations with his previous symbols, and now using a positive one.But, he is also telling us that even when an object is forced to "explode", positive things can come from that explosion. This symbol drives home to final message of the theme Hughes intended this poem to have: