|
|
Post by morganmassino on Feb 1, 2016 0:55:05 GMT
Another poem by Langston Hughes that deals with the American Dream is called "Harlem." (Read the poem here ) The poem is named after Harlem, New York and the Harlem Renaissance, a movement that took place from the 1920s to the 1930s that created a new cultural identity for blacks. Through this movement black people were able to express themselves more, and many black literary figures, such as Langston Hughes, emerged. This gave blacks a greater sense of belonging in American society and gave them hope for the future. "Harlem" discusses the gradual decay of a "dream deferred." This dream could represent the hope for acceptance, equality, and success in America (part of the American Dream), and Hughes acknowledges that his dreams and the dreams of other blacks will not come true in a society full of discrimination and segregation. While the ideas of acceptance and of equal opportunities were obviously nice to Hughes, he knew that this dream was not to become a reality in his time; this dream was ignored by many and, therefore, had no chance of coming true. What sort of issues and barriers keep people from achieving the American Dream today? Do you believe that there is one definition of the American Dream or does it vary from person to person? |
|
sko
New Member
Posts: 14 
|
Post by sko on Feb 2, 2016 1:20:08 GMT
To answer your questions, I believe that the American Dream must vary from person to person because no two people are alike. Though we all desire the same, basic fundamental needs (food, shelter, etc.), one of the important aspects of the ideal American Dream is happiness. What makes a person happy depends on the person.
Because I don't believe that the American Dream is one set "definition", it's hard to come up with issues and barriers, but I think that people in general keep others or themselves from achieving the American Dream. Take the early 20th century, like you said. African Americans strived to reach their own American Dream, but others, the white Americans, refused to see them on an equal level. The discrimination and segregation created by the people barred African Americans from reaching their dream.
|
|
|
|
Post by morganmassino on Feb 2, 2016 2:13:49 GMT
I agree! People always seem to be in a constant competition with each other, viewing others not as people but as obstacles that they have to overcome in order to "succeed" in life. Take school and the American education system as an example. Every student wants to do well and some go to extremes to get the grades they want. Some will refuse to help a student in need of assistance because they fear for their own ranks in school and feel the need to be as "successful" as possible, even if it means leaving others behind in the process.
This idea of dominance in school can be seen on a much larger scale in society; everyone is always competing and throwing others under the bus in order to get what they want. There was much more discrimination against blacks in Hughes' time than there is today, and Hughes points out the inferiority of black citizens. White Americans felt the need to be superior in any way possible and they suppressed blacks, among other groups, in order to give themselves a false sense of status in society. White people believed that if they gave more rights to black citizens, their own sense of status would decrease. The barrier that was created between races inhibited blacks from achieving the same dreams that others in America strove to attain.
|
|
|
|
Post by gabi.eglinton on Feb 4, 2016 1:35:34 GMT
The poem, "Harlem", is very interesting to me. I came across it while doing research for the mini-research project and I was struck by the similes and syntax in it. In this, the "dream" sounds more like a nightmare, conveyed by grotesque vocabulary and off-putting imagery. I think that Hughes aimed to display this dark truth of the Harlem Renaissance: even though so much progress was being made, nothing had changed. Yes, African Americans felt more pride and beautiful art did emerge, but the Jim Crow laws were not lifted until years later. The "dream" of freedom and equality was within reach, but became cast aside, or "deferred".
|
|
|
|
Post by tatummcp on Feb 4, 2016 2:30:02 GMT
This poem is really interesting! Langston Hughes has son many poems that touch on this topic but each one has a slightly different meaning and is portrayed in such a unique light. To me this poem is really saying that if the American Dream is put off any longer for anyone (ex. If African-Americans are not treated the same as whites) it may just be forgotten and equality be ignored. In the poem I looked up Hughes was trying to say that African Americans realize that it has been a hard journey, but if they stop working for their dream now it will not do them any good, especially because they have been fighting for it for so long. In each poem Hughes is trying to reveal the difference between the American Dream and the way African Americans were treated but in my opinion reveals it through different points of view to really get his point across.
|
|
|
|
Post by crandallethan on Feb 4, 2016 14:11:40 GMT
In response to Morgan's final question nothing sums up the American Drean more than that the beauty is I the eye of the beholder. Of course in Walt Whitman's "I Hear America Sing" he perceives that the Anerican Dream is great as any successful male at that time period or any time period would. However, in Langston Hughes's "I, Too" , it's clear that the Dream is far from from a reality for many people because of the flaws in its philosophy. With racism burning in the hearts of many Americans it was hard for blacks to simple just work hard and create a pile of wealth and success. Truly, The American Dream has limitations, because of the ability of some who achieved it to keep others from reaching those same heights not simple because of racism which was the main reason in the 1920's but potentially greed of money and power. In the end the American Dream has proven to not be open to everyone.
|
|
|
|
Post by gabi.eglinton on Feb 5, 2016 2:00:21 GMT
Tatum, that was very insightful! Building upon your note on the fighting nature of Langston Hughes and other African Americans, I believe that he used poetry to convey hope. As I mentioned before, the U.S. still oppressed his race. However, after reading "Dreams" (another famous poem of his)I'm sure that he was trying to spread hope into the lives of others. It is short, but to the point and rather easy to analyze. He states that one must "hold fast to dreams" or else life becomes a "broken-winged bird/that cannot fly". Birds often symbolize freedom and power, but they may be rendered useless to nature if they possess a broken wing. They will be dragged down by this hindrance, incapable of soaring like birds are meant to. This is much like the African Americans of Hughes's time. If their hope became battered, the wings of freedom could never be spread. Hughes intended to convey how vital resilience is in the (seemingly hopeless) fight for human rights.
|
|
|
|
Post by elizaneights on Feb 5, 2016 5:29:11 GMT
i think that the American Dream today is reaching individual success, and that can be whatever each person thinks is successful enough for them. Today's society seems to admire people that are happy with what they have and don't feel the need to keep competing to get unnecessary wealth, so I think that today's American Dream is about working hard to reach a point where you are happy with where you are, but not going farther than that.
I agree with Morgan that the poem "Harlem" is about people's dreams not actually being attainable. The treatment of blacks was getting better when this poem was written, and Hughes saw this, but also knew that during his lifetime, there would be no major change that would allow blacks to be as successful as whites. They were already starting from a point where they had less wealth, education, and opportunities than whites, and this made it very difficult to reach the same success level as them even if they worked much harder.
|
|
