The American Dream: Harlem By Langston Hughes
Kelvyn Perez
Mr. Martin
American Literature
24 January, 2018
One struggle to another The American Dream. This is what African Americans were looking for, when migrating in the early to mid 1900’s. The Great Migration, was a time period in which over six million African Americans and their families were moving up North. This took place from 1916-1970. During this time an explosion of African American paintings, poems and other creative works of art were created. Pieces of work created by African-Americans showed the struggle, pain and segregation they went through. The Great Migration, started a cultural mecca of African-American creative works. This was known as the Harlem Renaissance. Langston Hughes, was part of this renaissance and helped …show more content…
Making it as an African-American, was harder than it would be as a white person in America. The poem “Harlem” by Hughes’ captures the feeling of having the American dream as a black person. “Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun” (Hughes). This quote from the poem is able to explain what would happen if you don’t go for your dream. It would dry up and like a raisin, once dried up there's no way to bring it back to its full capacity. He ends the poem with the line; “Or does it explode” (Hughes). The dream will explode, if you don’t chase it and will become an empty nothingness. This poem showed what happens when you don't go after it and this is why African-Americans moved their whole life, to create a better …show more content…
Letter by Hughes shows the love one has for their mother that lives in the south. “Time I pay rent and get my food, and laundry I don’t have much left” (Hughes). This shows the struggle of migrating and trying to start up. “But here is five dollars for you” (Hughes). This explains although he doesn't have much he still wants to give to his mom because the main reason he moved was to create a better future for his family. “My girlfriend sends her love and say she hopes to lay eyes on you sometime in life” (Hughes). He has a partner, but there is not a high possibility of her meeting his mother. This shows the hardships that families go through. Some save all their money and spend it going to chase their dreams. This can lead to family members never seeing eachother again. Sacrifices were made to create a better future for African-Americans loved
Mr. Martin
American Literature
24 January, 2018
One struggle to another The American Dream. This is what African Americans were looking for, when migrating in the early to mid 1900’s. The Great Migration, was a time period in which over six million African Americans and their families were moving up North. This took place from 1916-1970. During this time an explosion of African American paintings, poems and other creative works of art were created. Pieces of work created by African-Americans showed the struggle, pain and segregation they went through. The Great Migration, started a cultural mecca of African-American creative works. This was known as the Harlem Renaissance. Langston Hughes, was part of this renaissance and helped …show more content…
Making it as an African-American, was harder than it would be as a white person in America. The poem “Harlem” by Hughes’ captures the feeling of having the American dream as a black person. “Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun” (Hughes). This quote from the poem is able to explain what would happen if you don’t go for your dream. It would dry up and like a raisin, once dried up there's no way to bring it back to its full capacity. He ends the poem with the line; “Or does it explode” (Hughes). The dream will explode, if you don’t chase it and will become an empty nothingness. This poem showed what happens when you don't go after it and this is why African-Americans moved their whole life, to create a better …show more content…
Letter by Hughes shows the love one has for their mother that lives in the south. “Time I pay rent and get my food, and laundry I don’t have much left” (Hughes). This shows the struggle of migrating and trying to start up. “But here is five dollars for you” (Hughes). This explains although he doesn't have much he still wants to give to his mom because the main reason he moved was to create a better future for his family. “My girlfriend sends her love and say she hopes to lay eyes on you sometime in life” (Hughes). He has a partner, but there is not a high possibility of her meeting his mother. This shows the hardships that families go through. Some save all their money and spend it going to chase their dreams. This can lead to family members never seeing eachother again. Sacrifices were made to create a better future for African-Americans loved