What would you do if on a dark night someone tried to steal your purse? Probably not what Ms. Luella Bates Washington Jones did. In this short but inspiring tale by Langston Hughes, we follow the path of a boy named Roger and his run in with a kind hearted woman named Ms. Luella Bates Washington Jones one night in the 1960”s. After reading this heartwarming tale, I have come to the conclusion that if you make decisions based on love and trust good things will happen. After Roger tries to pilfer her purse the lady interrogates him as to why he would do such a thing, and after getting a few grumbling answers she notices that he has not cleaned his face in a while and decides to wash it herself. This shows just how much love is in that one lady's …show more content…
Here we see some of the kindest acts that occur in the story. These choices will affect both of them for the rest of their lives and if they make decisions with love and trust we know that they will turn out well. When in Ms. LBWJ’s room Rodger spots a chance to bolt out the door and run. She won’t catch him, he can be gone within seconds, but he chooses not to because he trusts that she will cause him no harm. If he had bolted he would not have gotten the food and enormous amounts of love provided by Ms. LBWJ. If he had left he also would have missed out on $10 (which was a lot back then) for some blue suede shoes. This was a good decision that he made based on trust which benefited him greatly. After eating the two are on familiar terms, Ms. LBWJ asks Rodger why he wanted to steal her handbag and he responds by saying he wanted the money to buy new shoes. Then she surprised him by saying “ I was young once and I wanted things too” after pausing she continued “ You thought I was gonna say but, didn't you? I didn't because I understand” After hearing that she knew what drove Rodger to stealing and that she had done it once, Rodger really opened up and started talking more freely. This let Ms. LBWJ know Rodger better, which motivated her to give him money. By trusting each other better things happened to both parties. Without trust they each would have been left either misunderstood and angry. Now they
Although Langston Hughes’ “Why, You Reckon?” is a short story, it encapsulates differences between races and classes in American society. The story highlights the desperate and hopeless lives of poor African-Americans in Harlem, New York, who would do anything just so they can fill their stomachs. Hughes adds a contrast by putting in a white man who uses his money and privileges to try to experience the exuberance of Harlem but fails to do so. Written in 1934, during the peak of racial divide in America, Langston Hughes’ “Why, you reckon?” shows that real experiences, not money, contribute to happiness.
The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement during the 1920s and 1930s, in which African-American art, music and literature flourished. It was significant in many ways, one, because of its success in destroying racist stereotypes and two, to help African-Americans convey their hard lives and the prejudice they experienced. In this era, two distinguished poets are Langston Hughes, who wrote the poem “A Dream Deferred” and Georgia Douglas Johnson who wrote “My Little Dreams”. These two poems address the delayment of justice, but explore it differently, through their dissimilar uses of imagery, tone and diction.
This essay will summarize and reflect upon 5 individuals who were born into, and grew up in the United States of America under slavery. Lucinda Davis, Charity Anderson, Walter Calloway, Fountain Hughes and Richard Toley each have a compelling story to tell about the time when black Americans were not looked at as citizens and were not free to make decisions that were afforded to white Americans. Although their stories are brief and do not reflect all of the daily hardships that were faced by slaves during that time in our Nation’s history, they are, nonetheless, powerful in their message. Fearing above all else a beating that would result from a perceived act of disrespect, the fact that each of these individuals survived is an example of the human spirits desire to survive in the direst of situations and the ability to overcome insurmountable odds.
Hughes, Langston. The Negro mother, and other dramatic recitations. Freeport, N.Y.: Books for Libraries Press, 1971. Print.
George and Lennie seemingly contrast each other throughout most of the story, constantly arguing about Lennie’s actions. After the two fight about Lennie needing ketchup for his beans, the author writes, "But I wouldn't eat none, George. I'd leave it all for you. You could cover your beans with it and I wouldn't touch none of it" (12). Lennie’s innocent offer to give up ketchup for his friend, resolving their argument, also establishes that extending acts of friendship is an astounding way to overcome differences. Certainly one must not only be kind in order to gain acceptance, but persistent in attempts to establish friendship. Lennie is another perfect example of this when he befriends Crooks: “Lennie’s disarming smile defeated him. ‘Come on in and set a while,’ Crooks said. ‘ ‘Long as you won’t get out and leave me alone, you might as well set down.’ His tone was a little more friendly” (69). Analogous to Lennie’s tenacious attempts to win Crooks’ trust, one must be resolute in order to accept those with differences. Constant acts of friendship show compassion and clear purpose in actions, ridding any stereotypes or misunderstandings in a
Steinbeck shows that people will trust others because of their personal prejudices. Because of his mental disability, Lennie often acts in inappropriate ways that cause both him and George to lose their jobs. George complains to Lennie that “I got you! You can’t keep a job and lose me ever’ job I get. Jus’ keep me shoving’ all over the country all the time. An’ the worst. You get in trouble. You do bad things and I got to get you out” (Steinbeck 11). Just like in Weed, a town that they have once worked at, Lennie and George has to hide from the townspeople because Lennie grabbed a woman’s dress in panic. Although Lennie acts with innocent intentions, the people around him simply do not spend the time to understand them. As soon as they move into the new farm, the boss and Curley display suspicion and even open hostility toward Lennie. They make their judgments about him before even trying to have a chance know him better. Even Crooks, also abandoned by society, regards him with contempt and disdain when Lennie first tries to enter his room. Lennie has no intention of hurting the other people, yet the people around him always feel uncomfortable around h...
Whether or not the men have a stable friendship with others determines some of their actions. George and Lennie’s friendship is very strong, so they base off their actions on the other persons. The have been staying together for many years. The two moving around and living together is great for Lennie, because due to
The first and most foremost thing that would come to mind when reading this story is how caring Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones was, that she took in the boy and nurtured him; she tried to teach him between right and wrong. She gave him food, a nice conversation, and even a chance of escape, which he chose not to take, but these methods are still an immoral way of handling the situation. If a boy were to come up to an everyday woman on the streets, that victim would not be as sensitive as Mrs. Jones was to the boy she caught. To teach a young man that if you steal and you are going to get special treatment is not an effective method of punishment.
Langston Hughes was an activist for the African-American community and made significant artistic contributions to the Harlem Renaissance throughout his career. In one of his most famous poems, “Harlem [Dream Deferred]”, he addresses the limitations and oppression of African Americans after the Great Depression. Many African Americans dreamed of equality, but often times that dream became neglected and pushed aside. In his poem, Hughes responds to a question about a deferred dream with a series of vivid similes, inquiring what happens to a constantly ignored dream.
It tends to permeate their thoughts and becomes an unshakable burden. In the poem “Harlem,” Langston Hughes, through literary technique, raises strong themes through a short amount of language. The poem begins with a question: "What happens to a dream deferred?” The speaker of the poem at this point is unnamed. By not knowing the speaker, the question is strengthened, as the deferred dream is the dreams and desires of all the people within the African American community.
Thesis: The poems “Negro”, “I Too”, and “Song for a Dark Girl” by Langston Hughes was written around an era of civil inequality. A time when segregation was a customary thing and every African American persevered through civil prejudice. Using his experience, he focuses his poems on racial and economic inequality. Based on his biographical information, he uses conflict to illustrate the setting by talking about hardships only a Negro would comprehend and pride only a Negro can experience, which helps maintain his racial inequality theme.
The Collection Poems of Langston Hughes, Rapersad, A. & Roessel, D. ( Eds.) (1995) , New York, Vintage Books
Even though the book has its rough spots, Steinbeck portrays the true bond of friendship that even people as close as siblings have. Throughout the story, George and Lennie stand up for each other, understand one another, and George always knows what is best for Lennie. George did not want to kill Lennie, but at the same time, he did not want him to have to suffer the horrible consequences; he knew that Lennie’s death would be beneficial to Lennie in the future. Furthermore, George knew what was best for Lennie and decided to kill him for his own good.
Alicia McCrea Mrs.Franco Reading 8-1 13 March 2018 Author’s Purpose: Langston Hughes African Americans have been struggling with abandonment from their own society, since the beginning of time. Since the beginning, African Americans have been treated unfairly, people making them feel unimportant or non useful, leaving them sheepish in the eyes of others. Langston Hughes speaks about the rivers for it’s symbol of civilzation, linking himself to his ancestors and their important historical, religious and cultural sites throughout the world.
Langston Hughes “The ballad of a landlord” had an ironic twist when the speaker ended up in jail. The landlord thought that the man was lawfully wrong because he “threaten the government.” The landlord didn’t fix the speakers house because of the color of his skin. This poem can be useful today because of the racial tension that is happening today. Many African American face problem with social injustices every day just because the color of their skin isn’t like everybody else’s. The community gets profiles as soon as they enter the room. Langston Hughes poem is one that brings the audience along to inform them that the African American community is still dealing with a problem with something as simple as living in an