Recently, my class read “I, Too” by Langston Hughes and “Dreams” by Nikki Giovanni. “I, Too” differs and is similar to “Dreams” in many ways. These two poems are written by two different authors. The subject of the poems is the same. The mood is similar and there is also a similarity between the styles in the poems. These two poems have many similarities and few differences. In both poems, the speakers reveal their feelings of inequality and their desire to be equal. “I, Too” by Langston Hughes is a poem about an African American man that expresses his desire to be equal to all other Americans, presumably the white majority. In the beginning of the poem, he writes, “They send me to eat in the kitchen when company comes” (3-4). In the end of the poem, he writes, “They’ll see how beautiful I am and be ashamed” (16-17). This line expresses his need and want for him to be seen as an …show more content…
The subject of both poems is dreaming of equality for African Americans and what it would be like if they had equal rights. Both poems are about what life would be like if and when they can prove to the other race, white or Caucasian, that they are one in the same. In “I, Too” by Langston Hughes, he states, “I, too, am America” (18). This quote means that he is also an American and he feels he should be treated the same. This line is expressing his desire to be equal to all Americans as he indicates that he is also an American, the same as them. In, “Dreams” by Nikki Giovanni, she states, “I used to dream militant dreams of taking over America to show these white folks how it should be done” (1-5). This line is expressing her desire to prove to the “white folks” that she is not only capable of doing what they can do, but maybe even a little better (4). Both poems express the author’s desire for equal