I think that Hughes’ mantra of “Let America be America again” is accurate, as he doesn't want to revert America to a past decade, which is controversial, because the further back in time you go, the fewer rights minorities have, he wants to make America the dream that people thought it was so long ago. The American dream was being able to come from nothing and being able to provide for your family in a country that was totally free and equal. I think that America as a whole is rooted in things like patriotism, liberty, and equality, but we are having trouble making this more widespread as one of the freedoms we have is freedom of speech, and with being able to say and think what you want there are people who don't think that everyone is equal.…
America is the land of the free but lately it doesn’t seem like it. With all the police brutality and the rasict comments by the President of The United States and his followers. In a poem written by Langston Hughes called “ Let America be America Again” it talks about how America is not free for everyone. So Langston Hughes poem relates to modern America because people are still judged by skin color, social class and people would do anything for money. Today people are still doing what ever it takes to make money.…
The poem describes the Statue of Liberty as the “Mother of Exiles” to exemplify America’s desire to accept anyone who has been expelled from their land. “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore, send these, the homeless, the tempest-tossed to me” (Lazarus) demonstrates that America value not the class or position of a person but the person themselves. “I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” acknowledges America’s pledge for acceptance and equality to all those who reside in the United States of America. The Statue of Liberty promises to accept people no matter their social status allowing citizens to accomplish equality on American…
Hughes’ writings generally focused on African-Americans and the opportunities that they deserved to have. In “Let America be America Again”, Hughes believes “there’s never been equality for me, nor freedom in this homeland of the free” (Hughes 14-15) and if he did not do anything to try and change that then he failed the goal that he set. America as a country was created on the basis that all men shall be equal, however African-Americans did not share that right. In the same poem, Hughes said that he wanted for the people to “Let America be America again / Let it be the dream it used to be.” (Hughes…
Hughes is very earnest in his poem. I feel this way because he is very serious throughout the entire poem and is showing his deep feelings of his opinions on America. I have also gotten the impression that Hughes is very optimistic in his poem. He says "I am the young man, full of strength and hope…" this is a direct statement saying he believes in positive outcomes and is hopeful. Another feeling I have while reading this poem is he is very serious. He is making it clear that his intention is not to be funny and that he wants his poem to be taken sincerly. I also believe that Hughes is being very nostalgic. He is missing what America once was and is yearning for the past. I believe this due to the fact that he uses the statement " Let America be America agin, let it be the dream it use to…
America has always been regarded as the land of the free and the place where if you work hard, you will reach success. However, Langston Hughes disagrees with this idea in his passage, “Let America be America Again”. Hughes suggests that America was never “America” in the first place, and without unity, America will not be the place everyone has worked so hard to build to be what it is today. In “Let America be America Again”, Hughes develops a theme of commonality and unity being the factors that affects the objective of America being the land of the free.…
The speaker's use of a disappointed fed up tone and repetition in the beginning of the poem points out the false promise of freedom in everyday America. “O, let my land be a land where Liberty Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath”. America’s original dream of freedom isn't the dream anymore today, and the speaker insinuates that because of this inequality we have never experienced true freedom. He voices what maybe many people are thinking, there isn’t any freedom in the so-called “homeland of the…
In the poem “Let America be America Again”, Hughes brings up the recurring theme of fighting for one’s belief throughout the text. The poem describes the flaws within America back in the time of segregation. “O, let my…
In the poem “Let American Be America Again” by Langston Hughes, the author portrays America as a place where people try to escape their old life of oppression and struggles to this so called “American Dream”. But, what they find is “the same old stupid plan of dog eat dog”. Hughes sees that American is being seen as a ideal utopia while he actually views America as a place where there are too many obstacles in the way to achieve the American Dream. The dream is only stood in the way by the obstacles we create. For the dream to come true, change must happen.…
The dream that was never born, the promise of hope that was never promised, the right to be treated equal that was never given. Langston Hughes expresses his discomfort with the American ideals in his poem Let America Be America Again. The author details the aspects of a life that American is supposed to represent, the right of liberty and opportunity, yet Hughes lets its discomfort be known; The discomfort of a lie, a lie that promises equality for everyone, and the right to be part of the land of liberty an opportunity. The truth that America requires an established wealth to participate in its dream.…
Two of the writers, Emma and Mary, thought of America as a place of freedom and hope, while the third writer, Lee saw that America as an injustice place to live. Mary’s journal excerpt was her experience of coming at living in America for the first time. Her story was a story of hope and happiness, of a little Russian girl able to receive free education with no tests, papers, or anything really in return. Emma’s poem was also very hopeful and happy. Instead of writing about her story of coming to America, she wrote about the symbolism that the Statue of Liberty held. She saw the Statue of Liberty as a place Americas welcoming to the homeless, jobless, and the poor. Were all those people could have a second chance of life and a first chance of freedom, but Lee’s point of view differs with these two writers. He believes that America is an unfair to his race and culture, while other immigrants get treated better. He feels discriminated and that nobody will do or does anything to help him and the rest of his Chinese culture.…
The speaker recognizes that many immigrants came to America in hopes of being successful and accepted. Hughes rejoices the dreamers who "dreamt a dream so strong, so brave, so true”, especially the refugees from Ireland, Poland, England, and even African slaves who came to America because they had no other choice. However, for most, even after building the groundwork for America, its wealth continues to be out of reach. The narrator again questions: 'The free?’… not in a land where masses have been killed and most are struggling just to get by. All these people whose sweat and blood, their faith and pain into making America, to these people, Hughes appeals to build the America they dream…
This is his way of saying that he is not included in with the “average” American because he is colored. His job is merely a servant compared to others and he in incapable of singing his work proudy. Hughes disagrees completely and shows that he, too, sings his work loud and proud even if his work is considered less than the others. At the end of the poem, Hughes finishes with, “They’ll see how beautiful I am/ And be ashamed”. This was his way of saying that one day in the future, people will be ashamed that they ever treated him and others different and they will see his true colors shine through.…
Since the 1930's, the idea that a family, a home, opportunity, money and security being available to everyone in the US has been the "American Dream." Unfortunately, in reality this dream isn't really available to everyone, not then and not now. The idea of an "American Dream" is examined throughout Lorraine Hansberry's play, A Raisin in the Sun as the theme of the play surrounds itself around Langston Hughes' poem, "Harlem" where Hughes examines if dreams shrivel and dry up like a "Raisin in the Sun." Throughout the play, all the characters express their own dreams for their lives. The idea of the American dream is analyzed to the point that at the end of the play, although this dream isn't available to everyone because of racial, gender and class discrimination, the most important aspect the Youngers find out of it is the uniting of the family.…
The statue of Liberty is national monument given to the United States by France in recognition of the friendship established during the American Revolution. Being among the best-known monuments in the world, it attracts between three to four million people each year. The Statue of Liberty has been a tourist destination and played many other roles in its 124-year history. Representing a woman holding aloft a torch, it stands at the entrance to New York harbor on a 12-acre land known as Bedloe’s or Liberty Island. The Statue of Liberty symbolizes freedom throughout the world, democracy as well as international friendship. As a result, many immigrants’ hearts warmed up as they beheld the symbolic woman welcoming them to the land of numerous opportunities. As such, the poet Emma Lazarus composed the poem "The New Colossus."…