A Dream Deferred 2
The poetry of Langston Hughes, the poet laureate of Harlem, is an effective commentary on the condition of blacks in America during the 20th Century. Hughes places particular emphasis on Harlem, a black area in New York that became a destination of many hopeful blacks in the first half of the 1900is. In much of Hughes' poetry, a theme that runs throughout is that of a "dream deferred." The recurrence of a"dream deferred" in several Hughes poems paints a clear picture of the disappointment and dismay that blacks in America faced in Harlem. Furthermore, as each poem develops, so does the feeling behind a"dream deferred," growing more serious and even angry with each new stanza.To understand Hughes' idea of the"dream deferred," one must have an understanding of the history of Harlem. First intended to be an upper class white community, Harlem was the home of many fancy brownstones that attracted wealthy whites. Between 1906 and 1910, when whites were forcing blacks out of their neighborhoods in uptown Manhattan, the blacks began to move into Harlem. Due to racial fears, the whites in the area moved out. Between 1910 and the early 1940's, more blacks began flooding into the area from all over the world, fleeing from
The next poem, somewhat shorter than the previous three, is"Comment on Curb," which also contains the more negative image of dreams being"kicked around" while hinting at the false illusion of hope that many had about Harlem. The poem, two stanzas long, states:"You talk like / they don't kick / dreams around / downtown." Unlike"Same in Blues,""Comment on the Curb" is entirely dialogue. The poem consists of one person speaking of how dreams are"kicked around" downtown, while the other suggests that such things do not happen in Harlem:"I'm talking about Harlem to you!" This poem, continuing with the image of dreams being abused to a great extent, demonstrates the view of Harlem as a place where dreams thrive. The title suggests that this type of dialogue occurred often, a comment made in passing, alluding to the idea that this view was a widespread and highly accepted one. "Comment on Curb" is a remark on the disillusionment of many blacks; it portrays their image of Harlem in an almost sarcastic manner, commenting indirectly on their unfortunate lack of information. The use again of the"kicked around" expression conveys the same type of anger that"Same in Blues" conveys: anger with the situation, anger with the anger with the lack of information blacks possessed, and moreover, anger with society's lack of respect for their dreams. Bailey, A. Peter and Edith J. Slade. Harlem Today: A Cultural and Visitors Guide - Online Edition.The final poem that utilizes the"dream deferred" theme is"Island." This poem describes an island located between two rivers, hence the title. The image of the island is negative and somber:"Like darker rivers / The streets are dark." The word"dark" can refer to either lack of light or the fact that the population is dark skinned; however, an expected first impression would be gloomy and foreboding, coming from the image of darkness. The poem continues, making reference to the many different colors that are in this"pie of a town:""Black and white, / Gold and brown." The reader might infer that people of many races reside on this island of many colors. The use of the phrase"Chocolate-custard / Pie of a town" seems somewhat sarcastic, as did the lines in"Comment on Curb." The lines create the ironical illusion of a happy place without worries or problems, the irony being that the island is not completely trouble-free. The irony increa
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Approximate Word count = 1602
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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