What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore-- And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over-- like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode? This essay will investigate two poems‚ ’Harlem’ by Langston Hughes and ‘Altar’ by Marilyn Chin and analyzes the topics‚ the themes and figurative languages‚ especially in the use of figurative language. The aim of this paper is to compare
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American Dream The American dream has no set definition because it means something different to each person‚ for some its freedom and equality but for others it could be wealth and success. It varies person to person but it always has the same foundation which is that they are given the opportunity to reach their goals. The Declaration of Independence is the declaration that secured our freedom from England and in it our founding fathers stated “that all men are created equal‚ that they are endowed
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Many people have dreamed their dreams since they were young‚ constantly believing that if they reach them they’ll achieve complete happiness. For many people‚ they follow a certain path with their dream in mind‚ and gear everything they have towards achieving it. Sometimes‚ however‚ when life gets in the way‚ people are required to push their dreams to the side in order to focus on things that are more important at the moment. If people have to do this for a long period of time‚ it usually begins
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However‚ this stiff structure juxtaposes the nostalgic‚ yet sorrowful‚ tone and simplistic diction of the poem. This mixture of forms and expression allow Hughes to effectively communicate his social commentary by conveying his modern ideas in a typical intellectual format. In her article “Langston Hughes’s Transnational Literary Journeys: History‚ Heritage and Identity in ‘The Negro Speaks of Rivers’ and Negro‚’” Sharon Lynette Jones argues Hughes’s poetry connects African
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Langston Hughes is a key figure in the vision of the American dream. In his writings his African-American perspective gives an accurate vision of what the American dream means to a less fortunate minority. His poetry is very loud and emotional in conveying his idea of the African-American dream. Most of his poetry either states how the black man is being suppressed or is a wish‚ a plea for equality. He does not want the black man to be better than everyone else‚ but just to be treated equal. Able
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The poetry of Langston Hughes‚ the poet laureate of Harlem‚ is an effective commentary on the condition of blacks in America during the 20th Century. Hughes places particular emphasis on Harlem‚ a black area in New York that became a destination of many hopeful blacks in the first half of the 1900ís. In much of Hughes’ poetry‚ a theme that runs throughout is that of a "dream deferred." The recurrence of a"dream deferred" in several Hughes poems paints a clear picture of the disappointment and dismay
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Similes – Dream Deferred Writing Assignment Name: Brandon Long Date: 6/27/11 Read the Langston Hughes poem "Dream Deferred" again: Dream Deferred What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up Like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore-- and then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over-- like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load Or does it explode? Look up definitions for the words defer and fester and write
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A dream cast aside can rankle a person’s will in the deepest of ways. It tends to permeate their every thought and becomes an unshakable burden. In the poem “Harlem (A Dream Deferred)” by Langston Hughes‚ the language used describes how a suspended goal can frustratingly linger. The writer first poses a question: “What happens to a dream deferred?” He then compares a postponed dream to a dried up raisin or a festering sore‚ giving a reader the idea of how treacherous it can be to put off one’s goals
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Reflecting back on the three poems I read in class A Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes has to be one of my favorites now. In this poem the writer talks about the various ways of what may happen to a dream being postponed. Before i had read it I did wonder from the title what do I think happens to a dream being delayed‚ which i answered in my head if there are people like me and haven’t accomplished a certain dream I guess Id just give up on it or just wait till the right time to try and achieve the
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Analysis of the Poem Negro The poem “Negro” by Langston Hughes was written in 1958. This was a very significant time when the Civil Rights Movement and African American development. Hughes tells a very informative story of what he has been through as a Negro‚ and the life he is proud to have had. Hughes gives great examples with expresses his emotional experiences and makes the reader think about what exactly it was like to live his life during that time. Hughes uses specific words‚ which allows the reader
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