Langston Hughes Poetry a Reflection of the Essay

Langston Hughes Poetry

A Reflection of the American Dream in Langston Hughes's Poetry

The Harlem Renaissance was an artistic, literary, and cultural movement that emerged in New York, specifically Harlem, shortly after World War I and into the 1930s. One of the most prominent poets to arise from the cultural movement was Langston Hughes. Hughes's poetry explores the generational differences that have emerged and how though it may seem that there have been obstacles that have been overcome through the years, many things do not seem to change. Through his poetry, Hughes was able to demonstrate how each generation strives to be better than the last and the disappointment that may be encountered when one may not be able to achieve their dream.

In the poem "Mother to Son," the narrator encourages her son to continue to fight against the current and to not allow all her hard work to be discarded. The narrator states, "Lif for me ain't been no crystal stair," meaning that the path to success she encountered was unclear and that it was a difficult and possibly dangerous climb that she had to make in order to get to where she is. Moreover, the narrator hints at the difficulty of her journey through her description of the stairs; the stairs had "splinters/And boards torn up/And place with no carpet on the floor -- Bare" (Hughes, 4-7). Regardless of the stairs' dilapidated state, the narrator states, "all the time/I'se been climbin' on/And reachin' landin's/And turnin' corners/And sometimes goin' in the dark/Where there ain't been no light" (9-13).The narrator's journey has not been easy adn she encourages her son to continue to fight on her behalf and for the betterment of others.

"I, Too" also explores one's need to overcome adversity. "I, Too" touches upon the issue of segregation and discrimination against African-Americans throughout history. In this poem, the narrator explains how he has been treated differently and how it has affected him. Because he is labeled as the "darker brother," he has been forced to hide in the kitchen. The narrator does not appear to mind this treatment and rather sees it as….....