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Recommended: Equality Essay
The short story that stood out the most to me would be “One Friday Morning” by Langston Hughes because he discusses many social injustices that are still present in today’s society. The biggest theme in this story is the problem of discrimination, inequality, and prejudice. Hughes, in my opinion, did a great job presenting these themes through the story. He really showed the emotional toll that Nancy Lee had to go through when she found out that she didn’t get the scholarship based on her color. Nancy Lee was very discouraged when Miss O’Shay delivered the bad news to her. Another theme that stood out to me would be a new a start for everybody, but especially for African Americans. The painting that Nancy Lee painted is the biggest representation for the new start. The line at the end of the story when Nancy Lee thought to herself “That is the land we must make” (Hughes), in relevance to making the country justice for all, I felt brought the whole story together. This is because it ties in starting a new start for African Americans and bringing equality together all in one statement. …show more content…
When she first got the news that she got the scholarship, it was cloudy, gray, and raining. Even in the story Nancy also started to get nervous, “Nancy Lee’s thoughts were suddenly gray, too” (Hughes). After she received the news of winning the scholarship, of course her attitude changed and she was thrilled. Then she got the news that the committee took away her scholarship because of her color, it was a bright sunny April morning. Hughes adding irony to the story helped readers to sympathize with Nancy or even relate to the emotions that she is going
In the third theme, it was in their culminating interest to sweep slavery under the rug. Even though they knew it was an important issue, they also knew bringing it to public would wreak havoc on the new but feeble government. In the fourth theme, Ellis illustrates how the founding fathers used the advantages described in the previous themes to romanticized the interactions they had. They were very intelligent men who knew what kind of decisions they implemented would be important moments in history.
1) The major theme of the book is respectability. In the 1950 's Rosa Parks became the symbol for black female resistance in the
The writings of the two authors, Langston Hughes and John Steinbeck address examples of how literature reflects society. Furthermore, the main idea is how the stated essential question related to modern day writers and how it reflected upon tragic events such as the great depression & racism toward Africans. For example in “Cora Unashamed” by Langston Hughes. He mentions how Africans had to go through hardships and were looked down upon, relating back to how literature was shaped. In the story, there is an African girl named Cora lived in an amoral time period where poverty was commonly encountered countless hardships. Near the end, Cora becomes pregnant and is looked down upon due to the fact she was uneducated and black when it is quoted
The world wants us to take part in things that we might not want to but we feel pressured by society or yourself. In the story, Salvation, Langston Hughes implied this perfectly. “I was saved from sin when I was going on thirteen. But not really saved” (McMahan, Day, Funk, and Coleman 279).
Langston Hughes's stories deal with and serve as a commentary of conditions befalling African Americans during the Depression Era. As Ostrom explains, "To a great degree, his stories speak for those who are disenfranchised, cheated, abused, or ignored because of race or class." (51) Hughes's stories speak of the downtrodden African-Americans neglected and overlooked by a prejudiced society. The recurring theme of powerlessness leads to violence is exemplified by the actions of Sargeant in "On the Road", old man Oyster in "Gumption", and the robber in "Why, You Reckon?"
“Choices made, whether bad or good, follow you forever and affect everyone in their path one way or another.” J.E.B. Spredemann. The theme I chose to analyze is choices and consequences. For this type of writing assignment, I’ve decided to choose the following readings. The poem titled Harlem was written by Langston Hughes in 1951. I also choose to write about the play A Raisin in the Sun written by Lorraine Hansberry. My reason for choosing the poem as well as the play. While doing research, its noted that Lorraine Hansberry took the title of the story. From a line in Langston Hughes poem “Harlem”.
The Harlem Renaissance inspired, and was inspired by some of the greatest poets, musicians and artists of the century. Among these great minds, were the poets Langston Hughes, and Claude McKay. Though motivated by the same hardships, people, and events, the works of both Hughes, and McKay show glaring differences in the perspectives of the authors. Upon reading “Harlem” by Hughes, the audience may easily see the author’s more peaceful call to action. In contrast, after reading “If We Must Die,” one can infer that McKay prefers to call his audience to obvious (physical) action. Langston Hughes’s poem portrays a more passive overtone, while Claude McKay’s poem is more aggressive. There are, however, a few similarities between the two works of
who rises above these facts and has a perception that shows the man to have
Black poetry is poetry that (1) is grounded in the black experience; (2) utilizes black music as a structural or emulative model; and (3) "consciously" transforms the prevailing standards of poetry through and inconoclastic and innovative use of language.
Langston Hughes gives us an African American view on many issues that were important during this time. He writes in a very sarcastic manner when speaking of the Freedom Train.
In life, we are often confronted with boundaries created by society and ourselves. In our limited understanding of what those boundaries represent, we find ourselves confined by our ego. Racism and prejudices have plagued society for many years, and many of us have been judged and condemned for expressing our true selves. How long must it take for us all to be accepted as beautiful beings, all perfectly capable of greatness and joy?
Light skinned blacks or what Anne calls them “mulatto” or yellow often like to think of themselves to have a high social status being that they are no better than the other blacks or whites. Hence, the notice of the skin color represents the theme disunity that is happening in the black community. And that fact that so much of these blacks almost look like they are white also proves the other theme of racial distinctions being nothing but absurd since they are socially constructed on the idea of having no real basis in physical realities. Lastly, because the light skinned blacks are prejudice against the dark skinned blacks, Anne herself becomes suspicious towards the light skinned blacks that she too is prejudice which serves the overall theme of how destructive prejudice can
The main point, Langston Hughes is trying to make is that this is not what he believes what the Harlem Renaissance was supposed to be. To put this into more context, the Harlem Renaissance, during the era of the “Roaring 20s”, should have seen the advancement of African Americans in both rights and culture. However, it was instead an artistic movement from the Whites who enjoyed the rise of African American culture originating in Harlem, New York. On the same token, Hughes believed this is not what the “New Negro” persona should have became. One notable example, Hughes uses is the Cotton Club on Lenox Avenue. He claims that the place had turned into “... a Jim Crow club for gangsters and monied whites”,
Analysis of Langston Hughes’ poem “Theme for English B” Mr. Langston Hughes poem is a struggle to define identity. It is the recognition that the makeup of what is truly American comes from an unavoidable mixing of cultural influences. Mr. Hughes did not want to reject or discount White culture; on the contrary, he wanted to learn from it. Langston Hughes also recognized that it was a two-way street, and that African-Americans also had productive contributions to present to America from which our overall “American” culture would benefit.
In the short story Early Autumn by Langston Hughes, we saw an interaction between Mary and Bill who haven’t seen each other in awhile. We can conclude that they used to be old lovers based on the interaction between them. How would someone feel if they ran into their ex after a long time and they weren’t interested in them? Hughes uses imagery and dialogue to convey that Bill is not interested in Mary.