Langston Hughes Essay, Research Paper
Triple P s Extra Credit
The Negro Speaks of Rivers by Langston Hughes is an amazing epic poem
showing the depth of a person s soul. It actually gave me the chills while reading it. It is
an intimate and personal piece. When I looked up the history of Hughes I felt even more
inspired. He was an African American man who was born in Mississippi in 1902. He
wrote this poem while he was a senior in High School. That is amazing! He became
involved in many racial issues fighting for his culture. The Negro Speaks of Rivers is
just one example of how tremendous of a man Langston Hughes really was. This poem
has deep historical and racial meaning.
The poem is written in first person, by Langston Hughes. Although I do not think
he is only speaking of himself, but on behalf of all African Americans. I think that he is
referring to his race and all of its generations. He is speaking to a general audience. I can
imagine that he is a handsome dark skinned man, wandering around lonely, just
searching for answers. The tone of the poem is very quiet and solemn. It does not change
throughout. The speaker does not change either. The language of the poem really makes
it interesting. For example, this poem relies on a lot of repetition. The three words in the
first line, I ve known rivers: appears throughout the poem three times. Also the third
line, My soul has grown deep like the rivers repeats as the last line of the poem.
Secondly, word choice is also important. For example, I’ve known rivers: Ancient, dusky
rivers.” The “ancient dusky rivers” can be referring to one of many things. “Dusky”
meaning dark can refer to the color of the African people’s skin. “Dusky” having more of
a grim connotation can refer to the past of African-Americans in a white society. Finally,
“dusky” meaning unclear could refer to the future of African-Americans in this society.
Metaphors are also used. For example, As ancient as the world and older than the flow
of human blood in human veins. Throughout the poem Hughes is comparing himself
and his soul to the river. The meter of the poem is dactylic. The first syllabol is stressed
followed by two unstressed. The style of the poem is free flowing. There is no rhyme
pattern.
The poem brought many images to mind. I pictured a man walking around a
beautiful river. Also I saw many people in the river using it to bathe and cook. The poem
made me feel sad, ashamed, and inspired. It made me think about how the world once
was and how much society has changed. When I interpreted the poem I found that
Hughes picks a river of signaificance in that particular time period. Beginning with the
Euphrates river through the Mississippi river in that particular time period. The reference
to the Congo River and hut probably refers to African tribes from long ago, some of
which may still exist. The pyramids and Nile River reference is probably that of the
African people working as slaves to build the pyramids for the Egyptian Pharaohs.
Finally, the reference to Abe Lincoln and the Mississippi River deals with the Civil War
and the struggle for freedom of the slaves in the Southern United States. Lincoln’s
determination to end slavery was said to have started when, as a young man, he visited
New Orleans for the first time. This is the narrative of hard times African Americans
dealt with.
This entire poem, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” by Langston Hughes really
impressed me. I felt as though I was really getting a chance to peek into a tiny part of the
speaker’s soul and could see just how deep it ran. Hughes goes on and on about the rivers
of the world and how they are so vast and deep. Hughes is indirectly expressing how deep
and vast his soul has become throughout his life, a life filled with turmoil and suffering,
even though he probably has not been able to travel the world, as the rivers do.
Associating his soul to the rivers is like letting his soul flow free, like the rivers.
Другие работы по теме:
Langston Hughes And His Significance As A
Black American And As A Poet. Essay, Research Paper Langston Hughes was famous for his poetry, which helped to fuel the civil rights movement. His poetry also earned him fame but he still seemed to remain financially disabled. He didn’t get much recognition for his poetry until after he died.
Langston Hughes Essay Research Paper Poetry in
Langston Hughes Essay, Research Paper Poetry in Motion – Langston Hughes Langston Hughes was a poet that lived from 1902-1967. He was a very distinguished poet of the Harlem Renaissance, the great out pouring of african-american art. The poetry of Langston Huges is very different, yet it held the reader’s attention.
Langston Hughs Essay Research Paper He
Langston Hughs Essay, Research Paper ? He was called ? Shakespeare in Harlem,? The blues poet, the ?Simple? man on the street, The voice of Black Harlem ? (Tolson 1) Possessing qualities unlike any other, Langston Hughes believed that there was no difference between the common experiences of Black America and his own personal experiences. ?His life and work were enormously important in shaping the artistic contributions of the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920 ?s ? (Tolson 1) Hughes wrote vividly about the life, luxury, and hardships of the poor black working class.
Shattering The Darkness Essay Research Paper SHATTERING
Shattering The Darkness Essay, Research Paper SHATTERING THE DARKNESS In the poem “As I Grew Older ” by Langston Hughes, a young man is thinking about his goals and that he cannot achieve them because of racial prejudice. The theme of the poem is that prejudice is used to keep people from accomplishing their dreams.
DickinsonS And HugheS Poems Comparison Essay Research
Paper Emily Camberg Reading Poetry 124L Paper One 11/8/99 After reading both “Tell All the Truth but Tell It Slant” by Emily Dickinson and “Harlem” by Langston Hughes, I determined that the main difference between the two poems is both poets’ use of diction. Dickinson makes use of abstract diction in her poem, using words like bright, delight, superb, and dazzle.
Sythesis OrwellHughesMilgrim Essay Research Paper DecisionsMany people
Sythesis, Orwell,Hughes,Milgrim Essay, Research Paper Decisions Many people find it difficult, if not impossible, to defy the unspoken tradition of modern authority. Stanley Milgrim s Perils of disobedience shows that an otherwise sensitive, good-natured citizen can easily be transformed into a tool, and perform actions that one would never do if given enough time to reflect.
Lagston Hughes Essay Research Paper Mother to
Lagston Hughes Essay, Research Paper Mother to Son In Langston Hues poem Mother to Son, strong poetic elements are used to express the feeling he has about the past, present, and future as an African American. Although all the elements in this peaice of work do not stand out, they due exist. They help Hughes bring his message across both subtly and strongly, all depending on how, Mother to Son, is interpreted.
Langston Hughes Essay Research Paper What was
Langston Hughes Essay, Research Paper What was the dream that brought our ancestors to America? It was rebirth, the craving for men to be born again, the yearning for a second chance. With all of these ideas comes the true American dream Freedom. This is the condition in which a man feels like a human being. It is the purpose and consequence of rebirth.
Nature And The Human Soul Essay Research
Paper Langston Hughes uses nature in several dimensions to demonstrate the powerful struggles and burdens of human life. Throughout several of Langston Hughes poems, the sweeping imagery of the beauty and power of nature demonstrates the struggles the characters confront, and their eventual freedom from those struggles.
Symbolism In Langston Hughes
’ “On The Way Home” Essay, Research Paper Although race is a constant theme in Langston Hughes’s writings, critics note his ability to write about essentially racial themes while delineating the
The Theme For English B Essay Research
Paper In the poem “Theme for English B,” by Langston Hughes, he talks about the African American struggle for equality. The poem starts off with a professor giving his students a paper to write about whatever subject they want. The instructor says to th students, “let that paper come out of you then, it will be true.” In the paper, Hughes explains everything that comes from his heart, just like his professor wanted him too.
Theme For English B
– Different, But The Same Essay, Research Paper In the poem, Theme for English B, Langston Hughes points out that we are often reluctant to admit that our similarities are often more common than our differences. Even though he is colored, he is still just like his white instructor in many ways. The colored man may appear to be different from the white man on the outside, but we are all the same on the inside.
Comparison Of Langston Hues Peices Essay Research
Paper The short story ?Thank You, Ma?am? and the poem ?Mother to Son?, both by Langston Hughes are similar yet differ in many ways. In the following paragraphs I will explain the similarities and the differences.
Life Of Langston Hughes Essay Research Paper
James Langston Hughes was born February 1, 1902 in Joplin, Missouri to parents James Nathaniel and Carrie Mercer. He attended Columbia University and was a member of numerous organizations including the Authors Guild and Omega Psi Phi. His career as a poet, novelist, short story writer, playwright, song lyricist, radio writer, translator, children?s book author, and lecturer included 35 published plays, 1 screenplay, 2 operas, 3 songs, and numerous amounts of poetry, prose, and other literature.
Blackness Essay Research Paper BlacknessWhat is it
Blackness Essay, Research Paper Blackness What is it to be black? What is it to be white? Why are so many people looking to fit under a color s stereotype? To be born black is no longer the only factor or standard of blackness. Langston Hughes is a highly celebrated and commended author of the Harlem Renaissance.
Theme For English B Essay Research Paper
In the poem “Theme for English B”, by Langston Hughes, Hughes talks about the African American struggle for equality. This is a common subject for Hughes. In many of his poems he speaks about blacks and the injustices that they face. Another common subject for Hughes is the town, Harlem, which is also mentioned in “Theme for English B.”The poem starts off with an instructor giving his students a paper to write, the instructor says to the student, “let that page come out of you-Then, it will be true.” The poem is continued as the paper that Hughes is writing.
The South Essay Research Paper The South
The South Essay, Research Paper The South The South has many objects associated with it, to where it is considered either a beautiful place or very disturbing. In The South , Langston Hughes describes his feelings of the south from the point of view of a black man who
Visions And Voices Essay Research Paper Visions
Visions And Voices Essay, Research Paper Visions and Voices The biographical film of Langston Hughes is both informative and entertaining. It approaches Hughes s life with insightful observations from the people that personally knew him. The film goes into detail on his family background and early life before his poetic success, and continues through his life in Harlem, his literary achievements, and legacy.
Early Autumn Essay Research Paper Early AutumnWhat
Early Autumn Essay, Research Paper Early Autumn What is love? So many people wonder, yet few really know. Love is blind, but if you are fortunate to find true love, you should cherish it and never let it go under appreciated because love is ever changing. In the short story Early Autumn by Langston Hughes, this ever-changing cycle of love is evident.
Dreams Deferred Essay Research Paper Dreams DeferredThe
Dreams Deferred Essay, Research Paper Dreams Deferred The poem, A Dream Deferred, by Langston Hughes, accurately and descriptively portrays the attitudes of African American people during the mid 1900 s. Hughes expresses the possible responses of African Americans to their dreams being deferred by means of metaphors and similes.
Commentary On Langston Hughes Essay Research Paper
Commentary on Langston Hughes Poem: Let America Be America Again According to a poem written by Langston Hughes tilted Let America Be America Again, he addresses the plight of America. He focuses his attention on the deferred dreams of those who dare to believe in the principles of equality and opportunity.
Salvation Essay Research Paper In the reading
Salvation Essay, Research Paper In the reading Salvation by Langston Hughs, there are many different underlying themes. There is the thought that even though it may be safer to be non-confrontational, it is not always the best approach. The adults wanting the children to be saved , portrays this. Being “saved”, involves an inner peace that results in a faith in a higher power.
Langston Hughes Essay Research Paper LANGSTON HUGHESBibliographyIn
Langston Hughes Essay, Research Paper LANGSTON HUGHES Bibliography In 1902, Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri. He grew up in many different places such as Kansas, Illinois, and Ohio. His birth given name was James Mercer Langston Hughes. Later he dropped the first two names. Mary Patterson Leary Carrie Mercer Langston Hughes, Langston s mother, was a schoolteacher.
Langston Hughes Essay Research Paper Bryan SnyderFebruary
Langston Hughes Essay, Research Paper Bryan Snyder February 19, 2001 Prof. Castro English 220 Langston Hughes The writing style of Langston Hughes is best described as reflective of the lyric style and format of the blues, a musical genre that became popular in America at approximately the same time as his poetry.
Langston Hughes Essay Research Paper Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes Essay, Research Paper Langston Hughes: Poetry to the People I had been a writer who wrote mostly because, when I felt bad, writing kept me from feeling worse; it out my inner emotions into exterior form, and gave me an outlet for words that never came in conversation.
Langston Huges Essay Research Paper Langston Hughes
Langston Huges Essay, Research Paper Langston Hughes Langston Hughes was born on February 1, 1902 in Joplin, Missouri. His father was James Nathaniel and his mother was Carrie Mercer Langston Hughes. His grandfather was Charles Langston, an Ohio abolitionist. As a young boy he lived in Buffalo, New York, Cleveland, Ohio, Lawrence, Kansas, Mexico City, Topeka, Kansas, Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Kansas City, Kansas.
Langston Hughes Essay Research Paper Fields 1When
Langston Hughes Essay, Research Paper Fields 1 When writing, one may take into consideration his or her surroundings such as living environment and for family and friends. One may reflect on experiences from the past and present. All these things together form the writer s style. Because of traveling overseas and living in Harlem, Langston Hughes used illustrative words and different musical rhythms in his poems and stories to show the life of Negroes.
Are People Obedient Essay Research Paper ARE
Are People Obedient Essay, Research Paper ARE PEOPLE OBEDIENT? By Queron Thompson Does everyone in society go against what they believe in merely to satisfy an authority figure? Stanley Milgram?s ?Perils Of Obedience? expresses that most of society supports the authority figure regardless of their own personal ideals.
Dream Deferred Essay Research Paper The poem
Dream Deferred Essay, Research Paper The poem, “Dream Deferred”, which was written by Langston Hughes in 1951 , described the trials that minorities in that time period underwent. Hughes uses heavy symbolism and imagery in this poem. The dream he discussed in the poem was futile at the time of his writing of the poem.
Poetry Paper 2 Essay Research Paper The
Poetry Paper 2 Essay, Research Paper The Journey Through Life Langston Hughes poem The Negro Speaks of Rivers presents an African-American man describing his personal experiences and the history of his race. In many of his works, Langston Hughes uses nature in several dimensions to demonstrate the powerful struggles and burdens of human life.
Negro Speaks Essay Research Paper The Negro
Negro Speaks Essay, Research Paper The Negro Speaks of Rivers The poem The Negro Speaks of River , written by Langston Hughes, speaks loudly of the creativity of black people who have in essence have a rich history beginning from the dawn of civilization. Langston Hughes was born in 1902 and past in 1967,and was the first writer to make a living off of his writing, during the Harlem Renaissance.