A Dream Deferred in Langston Hughes' "Harlem"

In his poem “Harlem”, Langston Hughes utilizes various poetic elements in order to describe what happens to a dream when it is put on hold. Whether a dream is taken away or simply unobtainable, the effects of a delayed dream can be detrimental. In the poem, the speaker lists possibilities of what might happen to such a dream. All of the possibilities ultimately imply that a dream is less likely to come true if not acted upon immediately. Langston Hughes incorporates examples of sound quality, imagery, and figurative language into his short poem “Harlem”, to illustrate how a “dream deferred” essentially begins to disintegrate the moment it is postponed.

Hughes incorporates various examples of sound qualities throughout his poem to add emphasis to certain words and lines of the poem. In the opening line of the poem the speaker asks, “What happens to a dream deferred?” (l. 1). The phrase “dream deferred” is an example of alliteration and emphasizes the universal theme of the poem, the fate of a postponed dream. Multiple examples of end rhyme occur throughout the poem such as “sun” and “run” (l. 3 and 5). The rhyme scheme of the poem is ABCDCEFEGHH. By incorporating examples of alliteration and making certain lines of his poem rhyme, Hughes forces the reader to pay more attention to the importance of these particular lines.

By providing numerous examples of imagery, Hughes establishes not only a visual image for the reader, but also kinesthetic and olfactory images. Regarding the question of what happens to an ignored dream, the speaker asks, “Does it dry up / like a raisin in the sun?” (Hughes l. 2-3). This visual image allows the reader to view a dream shriveling up and losing its luster. The speaker offers another possibility...

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...ded to obtain a better understanding of what happens to a postponed dream.

No matter what race, gender, or age, everyone has had a dream at some point in their lives. This poem addresses the idea of what could happen to those dreams if they get put on hold. The likelihood of a dream coming true is dependent upon how much effort is geared towards transforming a dream into reality. If there is no work put into achieving a goal or dream, the dream will eventually fade away. Through the use of sound quality, imagery, and figurative language, Langston Hughes addresses the universal idea that a dream that is not pursued will eventually transform or completely wither away.

Works Cited

Hughes, Langston. “Harlem”. 1951. Approaching Literature: Reading + Thinking + Writing. 3rd ed. Ed. Peter Shakel and Jack Ridl. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. 1066-1072. Print.