Analysis Of Langston Hughes’ Poems: ‘let America Be America Again’ And `i, Too, Sing America`. 60201g

Analysis of Langston Hughes’ Poems: ‘Let America be America Again’ and `I, Too, Sing America`.

Both poems, written by Langston Hughes, have similar theme and message. ‘Let America be America Again’ is the expression of discontentment and disappointment of him, or you can say of the minorities that were stated in the ages of the poems: African-American, Indian, immigrants, and even the poor while ‘I, Too, Sing America’ specifically tells about a black slave which was discriminated upon and driven off to eat in the kitchen in humiliation (because that day those who ate in the kitchen are just slave and animal <smooph>). In ‘Let America be America Again’, the author criticize how America was at that day, and—maybe—this day. He saw that something was off with America, its not the real America everyone been dreaming of, it is not the Promised Land which filled with freedom in the air, and equality of human. Hughes saw that equality is just for the majority while the minority could not enjoy it. "Freedom for all" has always only ever come with the footnote, "some restrictions may apply." Hughes protested on how America made of, it was still controlled by the strong and rich, while the minority suffers. The immigrants came to grasp the ‘American dream’ but

they ended up in the same old evil chain and found that their dream almost died. They cannot enjoy the freedom and the opportunity that this country had even though they did the big job of building America. However, we could see that the people told in the poem did not want to give up. They still want to get their ‘American dream’, and had faith that someday America will be the true land of freedom and equality where mankind from many races gather and pursuit their happiness fairly. Come to the analysis of ‘I, Too, Sing America.’ It means that someone in this poem acknowledging himself as the people of America. He sings America anthem, and think of himself as American, but however, we can read a satire expression in the title of ‘I, Too, Sing America.” ‘I, Too, Sing America.’ Tells us about a black slave in his master’s house. He thinks he is not really different with the white, even in fact, he calls himself ‘darker brother’ but—ironically—he could not eat in the same place as them (the Caucasians). In a situation like this, one tends to assume that the man—who is oppressed—will live a miserable life, but in this poem, the opposite happens. The slave laughs at his slavery life, and it flogged him to vow that he will grow strong, and one day he will be the one who eat on the table and no one will dare to order him to eat in the kitchen when company comes. This poem, like ‘Let America be America Again’, depicts the hope and the strong

will of the minority (described as a black slave). They do not give up on their dream and step forward to grow big, strong, and smart, so in the future no one will discriminate them and they will proudly say that they are American, and sing America anthem with relieve.

Bibliography: - Cinders."Let America Be America Again". An Analysis of Hughes' Dialog And Its Relevence Today. Debate 2009. 10 August 2011. - "I, Too, Sing America Symbolism, Imagery & Wordplay". I, Too, Sing America. 10 August 2011.