Analysis Of I Hear America Singing

Langston Hughes’s poem I, too published in 1926 speaks at great length about the American identity: to be an American is an issue that transcends race, and all Americans should be treated equally. Writing from the perspective of an initially subservient African American, Hughes presents a story that begins in oppression and ends in triumph. A throwback to the prior institution of slavery, the setting of I, too is confined to a single slave-owner’s house; yet, it paints an image of struggle, growth and unity like none other of its time. It is no surprise that this poem is written by an African American, specifically Hughes, who was born on February 1, 1902. His father left the family for Mexico when he was young to escape from the prominent racism in

In Whitman’s poem I hear America Singing, the first line immediately shows a parallel of I, too: “I hear America singing.” On the other hand, Whitman’s poem doesn’t empower blacks, but Americans as a whole. He describes the working class and unifies Americans with their corporate singing. The first line of I, too - “I, too, sing America” - serves as a response to Whitman’s sentiment: except that blacks too, are Americans, and should be a part of this American pride that Whitman emphasizes so much. The speaker also wants to be American, and Hughes highlights this concept brilliantly with this allusion toward Whitman. Next, we see that the speaker is the “darker brother.” This is an indication of Hughes’s style as the speaker admits he is “darker,” which conforms with Hughes’s intention to “express our individual dark-skinned selves without fear or shame.” On the other hand, the speaker is still a brother: he is still a part of the family, which represents America. The word choice of “darker” also represents how blacks tended to be overshadowed by notions of white