Poem Analysis: Harlem By Langston Hughes

Life’s big questions are scary to think about. Questions such as “Where will I go to college?”, “Who will I marry?”, and “What my will my future hold?” cause people to consider their lives and motivate them to do better. I have often wondered how much control over these answers I actually have. Basically, I want to know whether my fate is in my control or is predestined, which reveals my concern for my future and what I can do, in the present, to help make it better.
Pondering the future is not an unusual characteristic to have. It is natural to try to figure out what will happen to someone and why. This allows one to consider the realisticness of a dream and what will happen if it isn’t achieved. In Langston Hughes’ poem “Harlem”, the speaker wonders about his “deferred dreams”. He wants to know if not pursuing his dream will cause regret later in life, and I wonder that as well. I want to know what the consequences are for not reaching my goals in life, but at the same time, want to dream big and attain the highest success possible.
Do I have any control of what happens to me? If so, how much? By thinking about this, it allows me to assess the implications of risk and what the consequences could be by acting. According to the article, “Are You Living Your Fate or Creating Your Destiny?” by S.L. Scott, she distinguishes between one’s fate and their ability to form a better life for themselves. In essence, if you live a life with no risks, you will live your fate. However, if you take risks in life, greater potential for happiness exists. This further complicates my question, as there could be two fates: one pre-destined and one created by risks. Generally, I wouldn’t consider myself a big risk-taker, so this leads me to consider if I am in fact setting myself for less happiness later on. This forces me to take educated risks in order to help me achieve what is truly