“Harlem” describes the American Dream, because of the unfavorable environment to which African Americans were exposed to making it hard for them to achieve their goals. Hughes criticizes the mistreatment of the Black community by Whites through his writing. The poem highlights issues likely to arise if part of a population has to put their aspirations and objectives aside. Through different techniques, “Harlem” has clearly shown problems, which African Americans were facing. Hughes has successfully utilized various poetic elements within his work to protest against the oppression of African Americans.
The poem was written during the “Harlem” Renaissance when Black writers were expressing their opinions on social injustices which were happening in their community. Moreover, they wrote about mistreatment and racial discrimination against black people. In this sense, they sought answers to the question, “What happens to a dream differed?” (Hughes, Line 1). Therefore, “Harlem” tends to show how African Americans had lost hope after their dreams were crushed due to White men’s mistreatment.
To address the question posed in the poem, Hughes creates a set of similes that assist in seeking answers to the aforementioned question. Notably, a simile can be defined as the comparison of different things which have common unique attributes. His suggestions create an image that highlights how African Americans felt when the poem was written. For example, to give a vivid description of their emotions, Hughes asks whether their dreams “… dry up like a raisin in the sun?” (Hughes, Lines 2-3). The author answers this question using a simile, which is hard for the reader to understand. He asserts that “Maybe it just sags like a heavy load” (Hughes, lines 9-10). Through this statement, Hughes insists on his idea of the devastating circumstance African Americans are exposed to by the Whites. The author can create a visual picture of how heavy the problem is in this section. Based on these examples, Hughes allows the reader to have a clear image of the situation by examining the demoralizing circumstances African Americans are going through to be able to feel their emotions and understand their plight. The similes clearly show sentiments of lost hopes and depression that a Black man has to endure while trying to achieve the American Dream.
To describe the availability of the American Dream between African Americans and the whites in American society, Hughes uses imagery. One can realize that; the poem is made up of different circumstances in which the author compares the American Dream to normal life experience by the use of similes. For example, Hughes utilizes words that are familiar and normal to people such as “raisin” (line 3), “sore” (line 4), “rotten meat” (line 6), and syrup (line 8). On that note, the incorporation of simile in the poem gives a symbolic illustration of the “dream deferred,” hence improving meaning of the words employed by the author. Towards that end, the stylistic representation in the poem creates a situation that allows the reader to relate to the differences regarding the American Dream between the two societies in America (Annas and Rosen). Towards that end, the audience can understand that the American Dream was only attainable by the White people while remaining a mystery to African American groups.
In addition, the poem uses rhetorical questions to pass its intended message to the reader. Most of the sentences in the composition are rhetoric apart from one “What happens to a dream deferred?” (Hughes, line 1). The reader is introduced to the author’s thematic concern and then he expounds on the rhetorical questions to give plausible answers to the issue (Hughes, line 1-8). “Harlem” forms an image comparing the “dream deferred” to normal issues in life which everybody is familiar with through the questions.
As one reads the poem, it is fascinating to observe the continuous use of rhetorical sentences. Indeed, various examples are revealing the idea of the “dream deferred” in the mind of the audience. For instance, there is a rhetorical stance in the last line “Or does it explode?” (Hughes, line 11). Notably, this question is presented in italics and active voice, although it is different from the rest of the responses in the subsequent parts. Imperatively, they help in the application of different tones of the poem and create a sense of improved curiosity about the intention outlined in the rest of the stanzas. Therefore, the use of this style ensures that the author’s message has the intended effect on the reader’s comprehension.
Moreover, the poem “Harlem” has incorporated the use of repetition. The author has successfully used this strategy to improve and make his message understandable, memorable, and clear to the audience. For instance, the words “does it”, “like”, and “or” are used repetitively by the author throughout the poem. By use of such an approach, the reader can feel a musical sense as they read the composition (Annas and Rosen). In this manner, the poem remains in their mind and heart, and they can remember every line of the poem easily. Additionally, the application of this style makes “Harlem” motivational by allowing the audience to think more about what every sentence contains, and also encouraging the reader to see the importance of the author’s message.
Hughes improves the poem’s ability to look at the possibility of every suggestion made and whether it is a better answer to the original question through repetition. Furthermore, it enables the reader to assess the accuracy of every answer given and decide on which answer is better than the other (Annas and Rosen). It also makes it possible for the audience to actively participate in the poem. Moreover, lines 3, 6, and 8 in the first stanza create musical reiteration that forms some flow, hence establishing the rhythmical ambiance of the poem.
It is also worth noting that “Harlem” displays an image of hatred and lost hope in a particular group in society. From the discussions, the author has made good use of rhetorical questions, repetition, and rhyme to portray its message. Components of imagery have been combined to enable the audience to get the message of hopelessness and suffering by African Americans during that time. For example, the reader is introduced to the issue being talked about in the poem through the question “What happens to the dream deferred?” Then the idea is followed by a variety of probable feedbacks, which aim to improve the difficulties experienced for the Blacks to achieve the American Dream.
Towards the end, the reader can feel the impact of hate and lost hope just as the victims. Apart from showing these answers in an investigative way which creates a clear image of the situation, the author’s choice of words also makes it easier to pass his message. One can experience a repetitive and figurative effect based on this choice and use of words. Therefore, the reader gets to feel how the elements help in creating a vivid picture of the suffering in their mind and establish an emotional connection. The audience can understand each effect of the experiences African Americans were going through during the Harlem Reconnaissance.
Furthermore, “Harlem” also gives information regarding the struggles that African American communities were subjected to achieve their American Dream. The poem describes how they sustained mistreatment and overcame oppression and still managed to realize their dream (Annas and Rosen). “Harlem” enables the intended audiences to create a picture and visualize the struggles that sometimes people have to face to accomplish their objectives and goals in life.
Overall, “Harlem” has effectively utilized poetic devices to communicate Hughes’ message especially through the use of similes. Notably, this approach has enabled the author to protest about how African Americans were being mistreated by Whites. It gives its intended meaning to the target audience, by using styles such as imagery, rhetorical questions, repetitions, and rhyme. All these elements work together to ensure that the reader can feel every struggle experienced by the blacks. Precisely, the author has also made it possible to realize his idea based on several suggestive answers showing what is likely to happen when population groups cannot achieve their dreams compared to their counterparts.
Works Cited
Annas, Pamela J., and Rosen, Robert C. Literature and Society: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Nonfiction. 4th ed., Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2006.
Hughes, Langston, “Harlem.” Selected Poems of Langston Hughes, 1994.