Early Autumn by Langston Hughes - Interpretation
In the text, there’s often said that people went past them. People and Space. It’s a metaphor for the time, which is gone since they was together, and for the distance which is now between them Why does the text always tell from autumn and falling leaves? It’s a metaphor for their relationship which can’t flourish anymore He thinks that she’s old; she thinks that he’s young She wants him back, but he won’t her back She looks old “She looks old”, that means that she is not happy anymore with her life. She did wrong things in the past and she can’t correct them. The title “Early autumn” applies to her life. Her spring is definitely over, the chances (of a happy love) is missed. He looks young He was bitter about women in the past, but in the meantime he has a happy life. He looks still young and regrets nothing. He talks about his women, while Mary is answering to the question “Whats with your husband” with “we have three children”. Her bus is coming but he don’t want to hold her back. For him the relationship is over since a long time. What about the lights? They symbolize their feelings. There is a refer to the sentence before. “We’d love it” – but when the bus is coming the lights begin to blur and everything is like before. Is Bill still loving her? Definitely not! Is Mary still loving Bill? She wants him back, she wants a second chance, she regrets that she left him. Who wants what? Mary: “Come and see us sometime” She thinks to a conversation, a dinner in a restaurant. Not with the family only the two Bill: “Any night. Lucille and I’d love to have you” He doesn’t give a damn about when they meet again. It’s just a old friend for him. He wants to dinner with his wife; Mary is never talking about her husband. “Autumn dusk” It’s too late. It’s over. The autumn as end-stage. As the last chapter. Is she able to turn the situation round? “Suddenly the lights came on up…” is this hope? “The lights on the avenue blurred, twinkled, blurred…” The