Preview

Response To Walt Whitman's Poem 'I, Too, Sing America'

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
322 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Response To Walt Whitman's Poem 'I, Too, Sing America'
Claim: Walt Whitman writes a poem about hearing America singing as he details in a poem of a typical American life and how it is portrayed. Langston Hughes seemingly responds to Whitman's poem with I, Too, Sing America which compares different races in America. The response poem was not necessarily about race but focused more on the aspect of how America is one no matter what. Each and every person, living in this country has equal rights and represent America equally. Whitman uses different occupations as examples of usual Americanism and Hughes replies with his aspect of the role of colored people in America.

Support 1: Whitman pictures that America is like a song made up of many different voices singing which are the different people he
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Comparing Langston Hughes And I Hear America Singing
    • 242 Words
    • 1 Page

    Comparing Langston Hughes And I Hear America Singing

    Often American authors imply what it is like to be an American in their poetry. Essentially, Langston Hughes and Walt Whitman share similar thoughts in their literature. In “I, Too” and “I Hear America Singing”, the authors use textual evidence to support their opinions on America. In Walt Whitman’s poem, “I Hear America Singing”, Whitman explains how hard labor in America is music to him. Whitman says “I hear America singing, the varied carols i hear”, meaning how these jobs differentiate, but they all come together as one large working society. In comparison, Langston Hughes discusses society in his poem “I, Too”. Hughes wrote his literature in an era of time where racism and segregation was strong. Hughes states how he wasn’t allowed to…

    • 242 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Compare And Contrast I Hear America Singing And Angela De Hoyos
    • 369 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Compare And Contrast I Hear America Singing And Angela De Hoyos

    “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman, “To Walt Whitman” by Angela De Hoyos, and “I, Too, Sing America” by Langston Hughes. Walt Whitman was an American poet born on May 31st, 1819. Whitman is mostly known for using free verse during the Transcendentalism era. Angela De Hoyos is a Mexican poet born in January 23, 1940. She is mostly known as a chicana poet. Langston Hughes was an African American poet who was born in February 1st, 1902 and is known for talking about black culture, literature, and emotions in his poems. Whitman, De Hoyos, and Hughes all share similarities and difference in how people work around the work.…

    • 369 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Langston Hughes I Hear America Singing
    • 203 Words
    • 1 Page

    Langston Hughes I Hear America Singing

    The biggest difference in the poem’s is that Whitman’s expansive sense of inclusiveness and Hughes sense of isolation and exclusion. In “I hear America Singing” doesn’t mention race or color, while “I too sing America” does. He states in “I hear America singing” that black…

    • 203 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    America Singing 'And Let America Be America'
    • 249 Words
    • 1 Page

    America Singing 'And Let America Be America'

    The poems “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman, And the poem “Let America Be America” by Langston Hughes are both similar because the two poems talk about America. The poems are also similar because they’re about how America is a good place, and you can sense that.…

    • 249 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    I Hear America Singing And I Too
    • 239 Words
    • 1 Page

    I Hear America Singing And I Too

    Even though, “ I, Too” and “I Hear America Singing” both explore the idea of racial inequality, they are conflicting towards each other because of the perspective each poem is written in. For instance, “ I, Too” is written in the perspective of an African-American man, whereas the perspective of “I Hear America Singing” is seen from a Caucasian point of view. Hughes states, “ I am the darker brother” (line 2) and “But I laugh,/ And eat well,/ And grow strong.”(lines 5-7). Contrarily to Hughes declaration of not being hindered, Whitman writes “mechanics” (line 2), “the carpenter singing”(line 3), “the mason singing” (line 4), “the boatman singing” and “the deckman singing” (line 5), “the shoemaker singing” (line 6). These lines written by…

    • 239 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Comparing I Hear America Singing And Let America Be America Again
    • 547 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Comparing I Hear America Singing And Let America Be America Again

    Walt Whitman's "I hear America Singing" and Langston Hughes's "Let America be America Again" are both similar and different in many ways. The two poems have similar themes, but different styles. The purposes are not alike in any way, they are both trying to portray different issues and topics.…

    • 547 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Comparing Poems 'Let America Be America Again And Negro'
    • 872 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Comparing Poems 'Let America Be America Again And Negro'

    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.…

    • 872 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Let America Be America Again By Langston Hughes Essay
    • 932 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Let America Be America Again By Langston Hughes Essay

    The dream that was never born, the promise of hope that was never promised, the right to be treated equal that was never given. Langston Hughes expresses his discomfort with the American ideals in his poem Let America Be America Again. The author details the aspects of a life that American is supposed to represent, the right of liberty and opportunity, yet Hughes lets its discomfort be known; The discomfort of a lie, a lie that promises equality for everyone, and the right to be part of the land of liberty an opportunity. The truth that America requires an established wealth to participate in its dream.…

    • 932 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    I Hear America Singing Analysis
    • 456 Words
    • 2 Pages

    I Hear America Singing Analysis

    The American Voice is represented by the theme of hard work. This is demonstrated in Walt Whitman’s poem when he states “morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown” proclaiming that Americans work all day long for a long period of time (7). This idea is also found in Walt Whitman's…

    • 456 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Let America Be America Again By Langston Hughes
    • 413 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Let America Be America Again By Langston Hughes

    In “Let America be America Again”, Langston Hughes speaks on his opinions of the American Dream. Throughout the poem, Hughes compares his hopes and dreams for America with the reality of life for those outside of certain cultural, religious, and societal groups. This is a dramatic and diverse poem, fluctuating from peaceful moments to angry explosions. The author starts by mentioning of the key vision of America, where there is the hope for liberty and equality. Yet for the oppressed races, American life has been one of persecution. Writing now in the first person, the author empathizes with all struggling Americans, "I am the farmer/ the worker/ the Negro/ I am the people." With the gift of optimism, the writer urges "We, the people, must reclaim the land/ and make America again!"…

    • 413 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Compare and Contrast
    • 423 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Compare and Contrast

    In Walt Whitman’s “I Hear America Singing,” and Claude McKay’s “America” the poets present a similar view of America, but they do so in a very different manor. While both show a love for America and focus on life in America, that is where their similarities end. Whitman’s view of America is up-beat and positive, focusing on the life of everyday people in America. McKay’s view of America is much more negative, and reveals the dark side of the American life. Each used various literary tools to portray their view of America.…

    • 423 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How America Should Be
    • 462 Words
    • 2 Pages

    How America Should Be

    Second, I will be explaining about what I think this poem means to most Americans. I believe that most Americans feel the same way that Langston Hughes feels about America. Because most people could relate to this poem, a lot of people have come to America in hope of freedom but don’t get it because not everyone is treated the same way. I also believe that Americans just want their voices to be heard and change the things that need to be changed, like having equal rights for everyone and not being judged by how much money people have.…

    • 462 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    What Does It Mean To Be An American
    • 770 Words
    • 4 Pages

    What Does It Mean To Be An American

    The poem “I, Too, Sing America” by Langston Hughes is a direct response to Walt Whitman’s “I Hear America Singing”. Whitman's poem is about those who make up America and he says how each worker sings their work, loud and proud. However, this does not include colored folks. Hughes, in his poem, states, “I, too, sing America./ I am the darker brother./ They send me to eat in the kitchen”.…

    • 770 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Comparing Whitman's 'I Hear America Singing' and Hughes' 'I, Too Sing America'
    • 273 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Comparing Whitman's 'I Hear America Singing' and Hughes' 'I, Too Sing America'

    Despite the fact that both poems are very similar, they also have a vast amount of differences. To start off, Walt Whitman’s poem is more formal and abstruse, and Langston Hughes' poem seems to be more straightforward, personal, and individual. Walt Whitman tends to focus more on strength as a whole, while Hughes' mainly talks about himself and how he interacts with society. "I Hear America Singing" also focuses mainly on the working force, but "I, Too Hear America Singing" focuses on segregation and slavery.…

    • 273 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Let America Be America Again, By Langston Hughes
    • 370 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Let America Be America Again, By Langston Hughes

    Whitman wrote, “I hear America singing.’’ The purpose of the poem was to tell the reader how the American dream was going when Whitman wrote this poem. Langston Hughes wrote,” Let America be America again.’’ The purpose of this poem was to tell the reader that not everyone could have lived the american dream. What i have gathered they can both agree on that they want america to get better. Since, “ I hear america singing,”and “Let America be America again” are similar and different. I can compare and contrast.…

    • 370 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics