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Post by matthewzhang on Feb 1, 2016 20:27:17 GMT
The american dream can be seen throughout the whole passage in the poem "I, Too". This poem discusses the american dream of the African Americans in american society. "Tomorrow, / I'll be at the table / When company comes." This passage demonstrates how African Americans were segregated and left out of activities and social gatherings the whites were involved in. Those couple of lines in the passage also discuss their dreams of becoming part of the nation and climbing out of the segregated group in the social ladder. The line in the beginning of the poem, "I, too, sing America.", speaks to American society about how African Americans are just as American as white people; the only difference between them is the color of their skin. "Besides, / The'll see how beautiful I am / and be ashamed- / I, too, am America". This stanza of the poem emphasizes how whites will regret their decision of segregating African Americans in the first place and how the decision of letting blacks into American society will be a beautiful thing. Overall, this poem is able to create a theme of acceptance and emphasize how it is the dream of African Americans to become part of the American family.
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Post by joshualiu on Feb 5, 2016 20:53:22 GMT
Great ideas Matt! So basically, I interpreted the poem as Hughes having hope that one day, African Americans will have the ability to achieve that greatly desired American Dream, despite the stigma associated with their race. In one line he says, "But I laugh, and eat well," which uses sarcasm to show his view that Americans can't yet see the value of African Americans, even though they're in every way just as equal, but he knows it's true, so he mocks and scoffs at the parochial opinions that much of society held at that time. But he knows that someday, his race will be in the running to achieve that dream, and his works attest to that view, as his literature has become widely known and read, proving that African Americans can be just as successful.
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Post by morganmassino on Feb 6, 2016 3:26:15 GMT
You both make great points! In the poem it is also evident that Hughes describes a more realistic view of American society by acknowledging the discrimination against blacks; he does not portray an idealistic society like Walt Whitman does in "I Hear America Singing". While Whitman's poem shows that hard work leads to reward, Hughes' poem focuses on the inequality of the races. However, Hughes is hopeful for the future and makes it clear in "I, Too" that he believes that the discrimination and segregation will soon come to an end and blacks will be treated equally.
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Post by ashen99 on Feb 6, 2016 19:58:59 GMT
One thing I noticed was how Hughes used the kitchen in his poem. He describes how blacks were always relegated to the kitchen, basically treated as lower-class citizens. Then, when he dreams about when blacks become accepted into society, he says "coming out of the kitchen". Langston might be alluding to how blacks worked in the kitchen in the city or maybe how the kitchen helped them achieve the American Dream since that was a steady source of income. Whatever the case, the symbolism of the kitchen is very much significant, open to various interpretations. What social context do you guys think the kitchen has?
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Post by ndefilippis on Feb 7, 2016 5:45:20 GMT
One thing I noticed was how Hughes used the kitchen in his poem. He describes how blacks were always relegated to the kitchen, basically treated as lower-class citizens. Then, when he dreams about when blacks become accepted into society, he says "coming out of the kitchen". Langston might be alluding to how blacks worked in the kitchen in the city or maybe how the kitchen helped them achieve the American Dream since that was a steady source of income. Whatever the case, the symbolism of the kitchen is very much significant, open to various interpretations. What social context do you guys think the kitchen has? Alan, I think Hughes using the kitchen to show how African Americans were confined to being "behind-the-scenes." In Hughes' time, there was a lot of segregation against African Americans, even though they were allowed to participate in society. I think Hughes is using the kitchen to show that African Americans still did hard work in society, but they were not allowed to prosper in the fruits of their labor, i.e. they couldn't eat at the dinner table. |
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Post by jordanhilker on Feb 7, 2016 5:59:17 GMT
One thing I noticed was how Hughes used the kitchen in his poem. He describes how blacks were always relegated to the kitchen, basically treated as lower-class citizens. Then, when he dreams about when blacks become accepted into society, he says "coming out of the kitchen". Langston might be alluding to how blacks worked in the kitchen in the city or maybe how the kitchen helped them achieve the American Dream since that was a steady source of income. Whatever the case, the symbolism of the kitchen is very much significant, open to various interpretations. What social context do you guys think the kitchen has? Alan, I think Hughes using the kitchen to show how African Americans were confined to being "behind-the-scenes." In Hughes' time, there was a lot of segregation against African Americans, even though they were allowed to participate in society. I think Hughes is using the kitchen to show that African Americans still did hard work in society, but they were not allowed to prosper in the fruits of their labor, i.e. they couldn't eat at the dinner table. I agree that the reference to the kitchen truly emphasizes the "behind-the-scenes" work that the African Americans did. I believe that the kitchen symbolizes the segregation line for African Americans. While they are in the kitchen, they are looked as lower and treated unfair. Langston Hughes hopes to one day to "be at the table," meaning that he hopes to one day be treated equal. Overall, the reference to the kitchen shows the line that Hughes one day hopes to cross. |
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Post by echeng on Feb 7, 2016 20:51:17 GMT
Overall, this poem is able to create a theme of acceptance and emphasize how it is the dream of African Americans to become part of the American family. Another important aspect of the American Dream is the hard-work that accompanies this goal-setting. The collective African American effort to gain equality and "become part of the American family" is seen throughout the Civil Rights movement. People like Malcolm X, Frederick Douglass, and Martin Luther King Jr. were leaders who set the model for their fellow citizens to follow. They boldly advocated for the abolition of slavery (Douglass) and the equality of all Americans (Malcolm X and King Jr.), unified in their common goal of assimilating into American society and being treated as equals. Clearly evident today, their hard work and passionate perseverance have come a long way; however, we are still dealing with some racial issues to this day. |
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Post by juliamann on Feb 8, 2016 21:47:26 GMT
Overall, this poem is able to create a theme of acceptance and emphasize how it is the dream of African Americans to become part of the American family. Another important aspect of the American Dream is the hard-work that accompanies this goal-setting. The collective African American effort to gain equality and "become part of the American family" is seen throughout the Civil Rights movement. People like Malcolm X, Frederick Douglass, and Martin Luther King Jr. were leaders who set the model for their fellow citizens to follow. They boldly advocated for the abolition of slavery (Douglass) and the equality of all Americans (Malcolm X and King Jr.), unified in their common goal of assimilating into American society and being treated as equals. Clearly evident today, their hard work and passionate perseverance have come a long way; however, we are still dealing with some racial issues to this day. Emily and Matt, I agree with your opinions on "I,Too". When I first read this poem I noticed a tone of willingness to fight. The speaker, Hughes and all African Americans at the time, are frustrated at how they are being treated, for obvious reasons, but they are also ready to fight for the right to be apart of "singing America" that is spoken of in Whitman's "I Hear America Singing". This fighting is seen through people like Rosa Parks and MLK Jr, who were willing to put everything they had on line for a chance at equality. The line "Tomorrow, I'll be at the table when company comes", shows that hope that people of color had for a chance at equality with the white people that ran the nation. |
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Post by stepheneubanks on Feb 9, 2016 2:59:32 GMT
I fully agree with you Matt, that the blacks of this time also had an American Dream, except their dream was to just simply be accepted into society. This has obviously changed in today's society where everyone, despite race or gender, has basic rights of the United States. In those days the goals of many blacks and immigrants was not wealth or a lavish life style consisting of everything you ever wanted, but instead wanted equality and average jobs. Times have changed and so has the view on the American Dream that people want to accomplish.
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