Langston Hughes Dreams Essay

Dreams: Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes was born on February 1, 1902 in Joplin, Missouri. Hughes was probably the most well-known literary force during the Harlem Renaissance. He was one of the first known black artists to stress a need for his generations to embrace the black jazz culture of the 1920s, as well as the cultural roots in Africa and not so distant memory of enslavement in the United States. In November 1924, Hughes finished his book of poetry, subsequently he wrote his second novel in 1930 and won the Harmon Gold Metal. He later died of prostate cancer on May 22, 1967. Furthermore, one of Hughes most famous poem, “Dreams,” is to be found in thousands of English textbooks across America. Memorized by countless children and adults,
There is no person alive that isn’t filled with dreams, goals, and ideals. These things are a part of life and human nature. We all have the inbred desire for a good life. Dreams are vital to the life of every person. Without dreams, there is nothing to plan or look forward to. A phrase I found appealing from this poem is “Hold fast to dreams”, with dreams comes great responsibility. It is just not enough to dream and forget about that dream. Many people dream, but only some wake up and work for it. It is essential to work hard for your dreams. Without this hard work, a dream will only remain a desire in the subconscious mind and will never be achieved. I personally believe Hughes wants his readers to realize the importance of holding on to our dreams, which is why he uses the phrase “Hold fast to dreams” twice in the poem. If people do not hold on fast to their dreams possibilities are that they will get locked away in the back of ones’ imaginations and are never to be seen again. Another phrase that lured me into reading the poem is “a barren field frozen with snow”. To me, Hughes used this phrase as a comparison to a dreamless life which gives this poem such a powerful meaning. The definition of a dream is hope, an inspiration, an aim so ultimately this poem suggests that a life without dreams
The poem simply entitled “Dreams” is a great example of imagery, however when Hughes best uses imagery is when he relates lost dreams to a “barren field frozen with snow.” Hughes compares a loss of dreams to a barren field while expressing that without dreams, nothing can happen, because being like a barren field, nothing will ever grow. Moreover, without dreams, there will be no ambition to chase. There will be no goal to reach. We will all be nothing without dreams. Not having dreams is like following an invisible shadow. We must know what we want to do and follow that ambition. We can’t achieve anything in life without goals, and for these goals, we need to dream. Another element I appreciate is the message of aspiration. Hughes uses the whole poem to show people the importance of goals and dreams to be psychologically healthy. Dreaming helps you to get an attitude of doing better or constant improvement. Constant improvement is very important. We must go that extra mile to reach our goals. Failures may come, but an attitude to keep moving on and trying to improve is thoroughly achieved by dreams. Dreams are the fuel that keep energizing you to go further. Even if there are many obstacles in life, you need to keep moving further and trying to be better than who you are. It’s like Hughes said, “for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.” Overall, I found this poem compelling because it can relate to