Hughes's Poem example essay topic

Langston Hughes's writing showcases a variety of themes and moods, and his distinguished career led his biographer, Arnold Rampersad, to describe him as "perhaps the most representative black American writer". Many of his poems illustrate his role as a spokesman for African American society and the working poor. In others, he relates his ideas on the importance of heritage and the past. Hughes accomplishes this with a straightforward, easily understandable writing style that clearly conveys his thoughts and opinions, although he has frequently been criticized for the slightly negative tone to his works. One of the most predominate themes seen throughout Hughes's poetry is that of discrimination.

Hughes was a leader and spokesman for all underrepresented and mistreated societies, and he frequently questioned and criticized the established beliefs of the majority. He was especially outspoken for African Americans and the working poor. Hughes's poem "Ballad of the Landlord" addresses the issue of prejudice in the sense of both race and social class. The lines "My roof has sprung a leak / Don't you 'member I told you about it / Way last week?" indicate both the speaking tenant's predicament and the landlord's disregard for an individual he obviously views as inferior. Upon confronting his landlord about the issue, the tenant is immediately arrested and tossed in jail. With the lines "Man threatens landlord / Tenant held no bail / Judge gives Negro 90 days in county jail", Hughes clearly conveys his frustration with the plausibility and injustice of such a situation.

Hughes provides a more personal account of the discrimination he endured because of his race in "Poet to Patron". With the lines "What right has anyone to say / That I / Must throw out pieces of my heart / For pay?" he relates his resentment that he must sell his own thoughts and feelings, an integral part of his being, simply to afford food to survive. Hughes's reference to a "perfumed note" again illustrates the disdain he believes the overbearing aristocrats feel for his people. Hughes frequently addresses the notion of heritage and the importance of remembering the past in his writing. He elaborates specifically on his own understanding of African American culture and ancestry. In his poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers", Hughes compares his knowledge of his people's past with the depth of a river.

The lines "I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than the / flow of human blood in human veins" convey the extreme age and richness of human society, including his own culture. Hughes writes that his "soul has grown deep like the rivers", indicating that he has learned to respect and admire the customs, beliefs, and history of African Americans and their forbears. His belief in the importance of respect for one's culture and its past seems especially significant when considered alongside his role as an advocate for African American rights. Even the greatest opinions and philosophies would benefit little, however, if their author could not adequately convey his or her ideas to others. In this regard, Hughes succeeds by eloquently relating his thoughts and feelings through his poetry. With his direct and often conversational writing style, Hughes ensures that his readers can easily grasp the themes he wishes to convey.

His intended audience was not, of course, the highly educated, wealthy people he felt scorned his race and social class, but the common, working men and women who lived with their contempt. Hughes presents his poems, such as "Mother to Son", in a language and voice that his readers can relate to. Such lines as "Don't you fall now -- / For I'se still go in', honey / I'se still climb in' / And life for me ain't been no crystal stair" served to assure his readers essentially that he was their equal, and that he understood the difficulties they faced. However, perhaps because of his unfortunate experiences or unwavering convictions, much of Hughes's poetry has a noticeably negative tone or mood. This is very apparent in Hughes's poem "Too Blue", in which he describes an individual so depressed that he cannot even find the will to commit suicide. Hughes writes, "I don't know where to turn / I don't know where to go / Nobody cares about you / When you sink so low", perhaps even expressing his own mindset at one point in his lifetime.

Langston Hughes was undoubtedly an inspiration to many poor and African American individuals throughout his life. He served as a strong voice of reason when his people sorely needed an advocate, and his poems on heritage and ancestry may have inspired many to reflect upon their roots. He did so with a straightforward, down to earth mannerism that allowed people to connect with his ideas that never would have otherwise. While his era his passed, and his battle against racial discrimination ultimately won, Langston Hughes's works will continue to inform and enlighten disadvantaged and downcast individuals for years to come.