Preview

Let America Be America Again Langston Hughes Analysis

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
224 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Let America Be America Again Langston Hughes Analysis
My dream is of a place and a time where America will once again be seen as the last best hope of the earth. (Abraham Lincoln) In the poem "Let America Be America Again," Langston Hughes paints an affecting and diverse stanza, displaying peaceful passages to angry outbursts. His resonance seems confessional, like he speaking about his own exposure and speaking for all the unheard Americans. Hughes addresses how America considers to be, shifted to them, and could pursue to be again. In the beginning of the poem, Langston Hughes converses about what the American Dream is to him and who believed it. Let it be the dream it used to be (2) The American Dream was noted to be, the land where you obtained complete peace and equality for all. His concerning

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    In the poem “Let American Be America Again” by Langston Hughes, the author portrays America as a place where people try to escape their old life of oppression and struggles to this so called “American Dream”. But, what they find is “the same old stupid plan of dog eat dog”. Hughes sees that American is being seen as a ideal utopia while he actually views America as a place where there are too many obstacles in the way to achieve the American Dream. The dream is only stood in the way by the obstacles we create. For the dream to come true, change must happen.…

    • 393 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the excerpt from “Let America Be America Again” by Langston Hughes, the speaker explores his own dream for America because he wants the greatness of America to return, but he accepts the reality of America and embraces it. He wants equality and equal opportunity for everyone, but states that his experience with equality and freedom exist not for him. The description given by the speaker shows a “pioneer on the plain” seeking a place where they can live freely (3). In reality, the pioneers face inequality and will not live this “American dream” in the idealized land of the free depicted as a “great strong land of love” (7). But, they will become objects of segregation and will not live this sweet American dream. His use of my and…

    • 188 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Langston Hughes’s poem” Harlem”, ask a great question, what happens to a dream deferred? We start out early in our lives with an endless amount of dreams for the future. Dreams for ourselves and dreams on a global scale. As children we dream of being a fireman, a police officer, teacher, or an astronaut. On a global scale we dream of peace and equality. What becomes of those dreams when they are postponed and overdue?…

    • 302 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hughes’ writings generally focused on African-Americans and the opportunities that they deserved to have. In “Let America be America Again”, Hughes believes “there’s never been equality for me, nor freedom in this homeland of the free” (Hughes 14-15) and if he did not do anything to try and change that then he failed the goal that he set. America as a country was created on the basis that all men shall be equal, however African-Americans did not share that right. In the same poem, Hughes said that he wanted for the people to “Let America be America again / Let it be the dream it used to be.” (Hughes…

    • 776 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “America will be.” Langston Hughes Let America be America again. These two poems “I hear America singing “ and “Let America be America again” are two poems one by Walt Whitman and another by Langston Hughes written about the new coming of America. They both introduce the new changes of America, one of how the people enjoy their part in America greatly, and on about is this truly the dream of what America should be. Both of the poems show how America is place for better opportunities,and how it could be better.…

    • 371 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    and the new had many roots and was inevitable. A new sense of awareness washed…

    • 686 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In “Let America be America Again”, Langston Hughes speaks on his opinions of the American Dream. Throughout the poem, Hughes compares his hopes and dreams for America with the reality of life for those outside of certain cultural, religious, and societal groups. This is a dramatic and diverse poem, fluctuating from peaceful moments to angry explosions. The author starts by mentioning of the key vision of America, where there is the hope for liberty and equality. Yet for the oppressed races, American life has been one of persecution. Writing now in the first person, the author empathizes with all struggling Americans, "I am the farmer/ the worker/ the Negro/ I am the people." With the gift of optimism, the writer urges "We, the people, must reclaim the land/ and make America again!"…

    • 413 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    America, the United States, the freedom land, the American dream, or was it just a place to live, separation of class and money, and still people living in poverty. Two poems, ‘’I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman and “Let America Be America Again” by Langston Hughes determine whether America was a dream for everyone or not. If the front people try to force this country to be or the truth about how people live determine if it’s a dream or not.…

    • 368 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Throughout his poem, Hughes leads his readers on a journey of renewal, remembering his source of hope. As he completes his picture, he challenges everyone to join in his crusade, saying “We, the people, must redeem / Our land . . / And make America again!” (Hughes, 1936). Likewise, Trump lists numerous ways that America and her people have fallen short of the original ideals and goals that formed the dominate society’s democracy in the 1700s. Yet, woven in all of the accusations, woes and challenges that face the nation, Trump holds a firm stand of hope and promise, saying “Together we will Make America Great Again!” (Presidential Announcement, 2015) It’s almost as if he had Hughes’ poem in mind as he wrote his speech. Here are two completely different men, one Black and one White, one raised at home and one raised by “a village”, one a poet and the other a politician. One who lived, yearning to see the national progress that the other seems to take for granted. They have two completely different writing styles, points of view and tone. However, at the end, they come to the same, universal conclusion: There exists the opportunity for change and the hope to make it…

    • 460 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The new found connotation of America is negative. People need to open their eyes to realize that the American Dream is right underneath them. In this case Langston Hughes writes:…

    • 711 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Langston Hughes, a famous American poet, became a popular writer around the 1900’s. He was first recognized for going against classical ways of writing and using “jazz poetry” or “black rhythm”. In his poems, he usually displayed messages or ideas others could not share such as the poem, A Dream Deferred. Hughes poem Let America Be America Again was written in 1935 during a time of poverty and racism. He used the poem to tell a story of the less advantaged part of the people. Langston Hughes hopeful yet devastating poem, Let America Be America Again, uses imagery, repetition, and flashbacks to compare present day America to past America while also describing the American dream and the struggles to reach it. He also describes the values America's…

    • 710 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Langston Hughes poem titled “Dream Deferred” is a poetic masterpiece explaining how delaying our dreams we only result in them diminishing or getting lost overall. Langston Hughes was is an African-American poet and social activist who was born on February 1st in the early 1900s (1902). Growing up and eventually becoming a social activist in New York. Langston Hughes was a subject of racism and being told “no” for him living in the years before the 1960s were racism was some what tolerated in America. Langston Hughes might have believed that his dreams wouldn't grow because of his situation and that the inspiration came from people around him like his parents who weren't able to follow there dreams. The poem resembles how serious postponing…

    • 983 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Langston Hughes Analysis

    • 483 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Farrah Almedi, Annie Johnson, and Ernesto all have one thing in common. They have all gone through things that motivate them to take on difficult missions. Farrah had to move to Pakistan, with a prosthetic leg. Annie Johnson had to overcome racism, and being a single mother with two children. Ernesto, Moved to America from Mexico not knowing any English. What motivates you to take on missions?…

    • 483 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Langston Hughes was a poet in the early 1900’s. He was an African American poet which during this time his was discriminated by the color of his skin. His poem dreams deferred is obviously about his dreams to be free. “Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?” If they gave up their dream of equality the wouldn't be where they are today, they would lose all life and passion they had left. “Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over-- like a syrupy sweet?” This dream that Langston Hughes had of equality wouldn't just become better if they didn't try. If African Americans back then gave up and said it wasn't worth it to dream, it wouldn't just become better just because they tried. Dreams are hard to achieve sometimes, but quitting doesn't get you closer to achieving it than hard work. Many people work so hard just to accomplish a dream just like this next…

    • 1127 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Importance of Dreams

    • 464 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Another comparison that Langston Hughes makes that shows just how important he thinks dreams are is when he compared letting a dream go to life being like a “barren field, frozen with snow.” He means that not only is having dreams important, but holding onto them is just as important as having them. If one lets go of his dreams, than life will not be worth living. It will be boring and dismal if one gives up on their dreams. He will feel like a failure for not achieving his goals. Instead, of giving up, one should strive to obtain his dreams and make them into a reality.…

    • 464 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays