Explore various aspects of the Harlem Renaissance. What is your favorite piece of art or literature and why? How does your selection demonstrate The Struggle for Equality?
This piece of art spoke to me about how African Americans were finally getting accepted in society. Around the table it depicts people reading-- both blacks and whites. They were no longer separated, and the white's racism was no longer bothering the blacks. The whites either accepted them or kept their opinions to themselves.
I think Caelan has chosen a powerful piece of artwork! What do others see in this piece? Do you agree African Americans are portrayed in a positive way? Can anyone tell us who created this piece and when? I also think this artwork corresponds well with "I, Too" by Langston Hughes. (I read some fascinating information about Hughes' great uncle (John Mercer Langston) that I will share in class! If anyone wants to do their own research on JMLangston, feel free:) Does anyone else find connections between the writing and the images, even though each is created by different artists? I'd be interested in hearing about these connections from your perspectives. Thanks for posting first Caelan:)
I Did a little research on the painting. It is called "The Library" by Jacob Lawrence. The website I found this picture on explains that the library depicted in the painting is The 135th Street Library, where the country's first display of African American literature was displayed in 1925. This added a whole new perspective to the work for me. The fact that what they are reading is depicted as African American literature changes the whole idea that there are white people their reading. They are accepting that the books are written by blacks and they can still enjoy them, which is a huge step. I am sorry I didn't have this information in my first post.
The piece of literature that I enjoyed the most was I, TOO, SING AMERICA, by Langston Hughes. It talked about how black men were forced to eat in the kitchen while the whites dined. The black man in the poem had a lot of pride, and he takes it lightly when they send him to eat in the kitchen because he knows that someday he will be treated the same as the whites and he is willing to wait until that day. He says that tomorrow, he will eat at the dinner table, and nobody will dare to tell him to eat in the kitchen. He says that they will be ashamed, and realize that he is a person too, and then treat him with the same respect as any other person. I liked how the poem started off showing the bad parts of black mens' lives, and then showing the opportunity in the future. I feel as if I can hear the author saying this poem, and the power and pride in his voice as he says it. The poem I, TOO, SING AMERICA was the piece of literature that spoke to me the most.
Dylan's comments on "I,Too" really resonate with me as this is one of my favorite poems of all time, not just of the Harlem Renaissance era. I think the simplicity of the kitchen table setting, a place we ALL have been, helps any reader of any race, sex, or age to connect with the authors feelings. I see great determination in the main character, and I admire his words that point to a brighter future for himself and his fellow African Americans. I think Dylan's words "power and pride" are accurate. Do you know when Hughes wrote this piece? If you wanted to set it to music, what background song would you choose? Does youtube have video with this poem set to music? (feel free to send along the link) We'll be digging deeper into Hughes' works throughout next week. Thanks Dylan!
I agree with Dylan on how the poem speaks to you. I also heard the author speaking this poem when I read it. However, I disagree on some of the author's views. He makes it seem like the blacks will be sitting at the table by not doing anything. As we very well know, there were many parades, arrests, and even deaths that lead up to the true citizenship of African Americans. He almost seems lazy. But he knows that it will happen. I think it is still a powerful poem, but it could have been written better. I think the music this poem would be set to would be a blues or R&B song. Something slow, but flowing.
The piece of literature I found most interesting from the Harlem Renaissance Era was a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay called “Lament”. This poem is about a mother telling her children that their father had died. It doesn’t specify exactly how he died, but his wife shows that she can keep her cool expostition while telling her children this terrible fact. The mother tells each of her children specifically that they can keep things to remember their father by, such as keys and pennies, because they meant something to their father. The line I find most powerful in this poem is when he mother says, “Life must go on; I forget just why.” I find this line displaying much emotion because, when reading this poem, it was like I could hear the mother speaking to her children with much stature, but when she says this line, I felt like the reality of the loss of her husband finally became real to her. The most important theme in this poem is that, even though their father had died, the mother keeps telling her children that life must go on. This theme is what grasped my attention in the poem and made me like it out of all the other poems I read. The poem “Lament” by Edna St. Vincent Millay was the most meaningful and interesting poem that I read from the Harlem Renaissance Era.
Here is a reading of the poem that I found on YouTube since I could not find the poem set to a song.
Millay has written many wonderful pieces of poetry and really speaks to me as well, Colleen. She is white though, and though her agenda sometimes addressed political injustice, you want to choose an African-American authored piece.
A poem that was particularly captivating and enriching to me was “Incident” by Countee Cullen. On the surface, it may seem like a somewhat childlike poem, lacking in deep meaning and advanced vocabulary. However, the simple and easy to understand nature of “Incident” gives a reader a good sense of the everyday life of an early twentieth century African American. It tells a story of an “incident” that the author, Countee Cullen, experienced at the tender age of eight. While Countee was traveling in Baltimore, a white boy singled him out and spit a racial slur at him. The poem makes it seem as if this was young Countee’s first experience with racial hatred. After reading the last stanza, it is obvious that this incident made a lasting impression on Countee. Although he spent a lot of time in Baltimore, Cullen writes that “of all the things that happened there, that’s all I will remember.” This is a great way to wrap up the poem. It shows that even the smallest gestures of racial hatred can cast a dark shadow over the overall mood of racial tolerance. It also highlights the fact that the end of slavery way back in 1865 was only the beginning of the African American people’s struggle for equality.
Beautifully stated Ben. "Incident" is a simple, powerful piece that all of us can connect with regardless of race. Thanks for sharing your insights on this great selection.
The poem "Incident" spoke to me as well. As Ben stated it is a pretty easy poem to understand, with no advanced vocabulary. It intrigued me that a child would be that racist towards another child, and he was also from the North! When African Americans were starting to head up north because of all the segregation in the South, they kind of had the aura that blacks were treated equally up north of the Mason-Dixon line. The fact that the child called Countee such a rude word kind of makes me upset. It shows that the child had inherited all of his racism from his parents actions, and how they looked at African Americans. So because of that child's parents, he would not really get to make a choice on whether blacks were equal to whites or not. Since Countee still remembered what the white child had said to her many years afterward, that shows that it affected her life in a negative way. Good job Ben on choosing such a captivating poem.
Ben Westcott (and a few other peers) have choosen a really straight forward, impactful poem, being "Incident." As others in this class will say I am not the best "poetry person" so I generally look for poems that are simple but powerful. "Incident" talks about how a boy who remembers a racial slur "spit" upon him as Ben had said. I agree with Ben when he says that "even the smallest gestures of racial hared can cast a shadow over the overall mood of racial tolerance," or racial intolrance for that matter. One thing I would like to add on to what Ben had said is that even the small things you say and affect people a great amount, and this is an "incident" (not to be punny)where my mother would remind me of the famous saying "If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all." Overall, Ben has chosen a very interesting, powerful, straight forward poem in which I feel is one of the best poems I have read. Great job Ben two thumbs up for this one.
Countee Cullen's poem , "Incident", is a very intriguing poem in which the speaker, Countee, experiences racism for the first time. I agree with Ben when he says that the incident in which Countee was first exposed to racial hatred would leave a lasting impression. The poem described Countee as a "Heart-filled, head filled with glee" young boy who was oblivious to the segregation around him. The young Baltimorean ripped away Countee's 8 year-old bubble of protection. The truth of the African American struggle flooded Countee. I have to disagree with Dylan we he says the exposure from the young Baltimorian affected Countee in a negative way. The minor racial slander that Cullen shouldered had prepared him for the upcoming emotional and physical blows that the everyday white community would dish out. The young Baltimorean had gave Countee a small understanding of the true world, and Countee knew the time of segregation was upon him. "Incident" is a poem that truly follows the theme of "The Struggle for Equality".
My favorite aspect of the Harlem Renaissance is jazz. As Gerald Early said, America will be remembered for 3 things: the Constitution, baseball, jazz. A song from the Harlem Renaissance that I like is Take the A Train by Duke Elllington. It talks about how you should take the A train because it is the fastest way to Harlem. If you miss the A train, you've missed the fastest way to Harlem. I think it is trying to tell African Americans to go to Harlem and get a better life. Jazz was a new and great thing, and many musicians were trying to spread it around to other people. Jazz easily spread fast and was soon popular in all states and Harlem had over 200,000 African American residents.
I can tell someone is reading the textbook closely:) I asked Aleksandr the Russian immigrant if he thought of Jazz when he thinks of America, and he said "ABSOLUTELY" and that jazz is great. (Does anyone NOT like jazz?) Can anyone find some jazz links that we can listen to, specifically links to Harlem Renaissance music? It's inspiring to read about the influx of African Americans to Harlem! Hughes sounded so happy when he arrived as quoted in the textbook. Thanks for sharing Steven.
http://www.jcu.edu/harlem/Audio/Page_1.htm Here are some songs from the Harlem Renaissance. There are also other links around the website about the Harlem Renaissance about political issues, literature, and religion, too.
That is very interesting that when he thinks of America, he thinks of jazz, Mrs. Nelson. I thought that when people thought of America they thought of Chevrolet, apple pie, and baseball! Haha! I find it very interesting that he thinks that way, and Steven, I love that you think of music when you think of the Harlem Renaissance. That idea is so you! I'm not too much of a fan of present day jazz, but I am fond of the jazz in the Harlem Renaissance. Did it ever change into a different kind of sound? When I think of jazz, I think of my favorite book, The Great Gatsby which I believe is set in this age. I love reading a fictional story about the elegant and care-free time period, but I wish F. Scott Fitzgerald incorporated aome kind of relationship with African Americans into the book. Maybe Daisy or Gatsby could be African American. I think that'd be cool. Well I'm glad you chose something about the music in this era, Steven!
That is very interesting that when he thinks of America, he thinks of jazz, Mrs. Nelson. I thought that when people thought of America they thought of Chevrolet, apple pie, and baseball! Haha! I find it very interesting that he thinks that way, and Steven, I love that you think of music when you think of the Harlem Renaissance. That idea is so you! I'm not too much of a fan of present day jazz, but I am fond of the jazz in the Harlem Renaissance. Did it ever change into a different kind of sound? When I think of jazz, I think of my favorite book, The Great Gatsby which I believe is set in this age. I love reading a fictional story about the elegant and care-free time period, but I wish F. Scott Fitzgerald incorporated aome kind of relationship with African Americans into the book. Maybe Daisy or Gatsby could be African American. I think that'd be cool. Well I'm glad you chose something about the music in this era, Steven!
I aboslutly love jazz, but early jazz is by far the best.I would hope that everyone sees jazz the way Rosie, Steven, and I do; if you dont i would sugest that you listen and have your minds blown. Jazz deserves more recignition than it gets because music has definatly gone downhill from the ninteen twenties. I think we need to appreciate jazz more than we do.
One of the poems that I enjoyed from the Harlem Renaissance is called “Cross.” This poem was written by Langston Hughes. I liked this poem because it was simple and realistic. The Struggle for Equality theme was definitely represented in this poem. In the Harlem Renaissance Era, whites knew their “place” in society and African Americans were struggling to know where they fit in. In “Cross,” Hughes portrayed the feelings of uncertainty of belonging in society for a person of both African American and white decent. Hughes explained that whites were normally classified as wealthy whereas African Americans were normally classified as poor. This poem makes it seem as though the speaker would be middle-class, but in reality, the speaker would most likely be classified as either white or African American, like Homer Plessy. “Cross” expresses the struggle that people of mixed races had for equality and also points out that African Americans were struggling, as well.
I'm glad you mentioned Plessy as your example, Anotonia. I'm always inspired when we build on prior knowledge:) You provide insightful analysis of "Cross." I wonder if Hughes named this piece exclusively meaning that his poem's character is a cross (mix). Could the poem have any connection to the cross where Jesus died, which epitomized a whole other type of struggle, but struggle nonetheless? I can recall a time in my own lifetime when people really looked askance at a mixed race couple. Today, our society is much more accepting on many levels. I wonder what whites of the 1930s thought of this poem.
When I read this poem, I also considered that it may have been named "Cross" because African Americans and whites are now crossing paths, whereas they weren't previously. They come in contact with eachother in their everyday lives on whole new levels.
Antonia chose a poem that I found interesting because it explores another side of the racial tension going on during the 1920's. A majority of white Americans didn't want to talk to African Americans, much less marry one. Both of the parents in this poem were most likely outcasted from society for their choices. Hughes is left as the result of this discrimination. He will not be treated with the equality of a white man He may be treated worse than black men because he represents racial integration simply by existing. I'm glad that Antonia brought up Homer Plessy who incidentally caused Jim Crow Laws to be legalized. It makes me wonder if Plessy was actually a reason for segregation. Segregation made the lines black and white, while both Plessy and Hughes are people who in living, blur the lines carefully laid by the small minds of the white population. Jim Crow laws probably prevented many mixed race couples that would have made integration a more feasible task. Antonia's interpretations of the poem "Cross" by Langston Hughes raises questions of a rather unexplored side of the fight for equality.
"the lines carefully laid by the small minds of the white population" is nifty wording Bryce. Rosa Parks was a Plessy type as well right? In a different era, she could have made things WORSE for African Americans as well. Interesting to contemplate....you can be a hero for acting a certain way IF you act that way in the correct context (time & space). Otherwise, you could push only to find yourself "pushed back" even to a point prior to your original starting point! (Remember the effort of the poor sharecropper to leave his farm?)
When I think of the 1920’s or the Harlem Renaissance; my mind drifts towards the great music of the time period. The “music” of today cannot be even remotely compared to the great Jazz and Blues music of the twenties. One of my favorite pieces of music form the Harlem Renaissance is Crazy Blues. The song its self does not represent much it’s the people who performed it. Mamie Smith was the first black vocalist to ever record the blues and the song was Crazy Blues. To everyone’s surprise it was an instant hit. The recording of that song meant so much to the progression of black singers and even more too black women. Not to mention it’s a great song. Mamie Smith and her song Crazy Blues lead the way for black female singers everywhere.
I'm having fun listening to Mamie! (Youtube rocks sometimes:) I think Mia is offering a wonderful tribute to the exciting music of this 1920's era. With the radio as the emerging media form of this time period, I wonder if white audiences knew the race of various performers? Mia also hints at the struggle women faced in many areas of life. (We will study that soon!) Is Mamie connected to Bessie Smith?
I agree with Mia. Some of the.... well, crap, to put it nicely, today can't even come close. Every now and then, I have to give some artists credit. Adele has many good songs, and there have been others scattered here and there. But some artists like Rihanna, don't even get me started. I am a HUGE fan of jazz and blues. Its surprising how back then they did nothing electronic and strange to their voice and it still sounds better than some music today. By the way Mrs. Nelson, to answer your question, no, Mamie and Bessie weren't related.
Thanks Steven. (and thanks for the links to the music...I like jazz instrumentals, however, some of the singing voices are not so soothing to me. Did anyone else listen to various jazz singers? Thoughts?
After listening to this piece of music, I've realized that Steven is right about jazz and blues being better than some of today's music. Today's music is without the meaning it had back in the 20's I'll admit that, and that is actually something that has bothered me even before we started this unit. Mrs. Nelson, to answer that question, I don't listen to jazz and blues often, but when I do most of the time I like the music. Continuing on what Mia said about Mamie Smith being one of the first black vocalist, this not only helped the African American civil rights movement, but also helped the women's rights movement as well. During that time, most musicians were actually men, not women. Like Steven said, this music actually does sound better than some of today's music.
Thanks for the the comments I'm so glad so many people like Jazz!To answer Mrs. Nelsons question I listen to Jazz all the time, jazz is basicaly all I listen to well along with musicals(like wicked), and Farnk Sanatra. I have to say that there is nothing that beats the music from the roarin' twenties. Todays music is sensles and has a lot of inapropiate meanings which is why I find jazz so refreshing.For me this progect was simple i just had to pick my favorit song of music from the twenties. I'm curious what is your favorit Harlem Renissance jazz song?
Mia, when I was reading your response I thought about one thing: Millie! For those who don't know, Millie is short for Thouroughly Modern Millie, a musical that the school did when I was in 6th grade. It's about a "Modern" girl named Millie who lives in the 20s. The show is stockpiled with everything from dancing, to speakeasys, to tap-dancing stenographers! The production itself was so much fun, but the sole thing that made practice, for me, worthwhile was the music. The beats were so uplifting, and, while I'm not sure that it was "true" jazz, I definitely think of the show music when someone mentions the genre. I admit, I'm not obsessed with jazz (I'm more of a oldies rock kinda girl), but every single time I hear a song of that type come on, I'm tapping my toes and bouncing my head. The beat is so euphoric that it's contagious! I love the song that you chose. It's really good!
My favorite poem from the Harlem Renaissance age is “April Rain Song.” This poem was written by Langston Hughes, an African American, White American, and a Native American. The first time I read this, I thought it was just another poem about rain. The second time I read it I thought, maybe this poem means more than just a little rainfall. “Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby. The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk. The rain makes running pools in the gutter. The rain plays a little sleep-song on our roof at night—” In these two stanzas, the rain is helping the speaker when they are going through a difficult time by “singing them a lullaby” and “kissing them.” Also, the speaker is letting the rain assist him in what is wrong. The last line of the poem is, “And I love the rain.” I thought this line meant that the speaker is thankful for what the “rain” has done for him. So, he loves the rain. In conclusion, this poem is about what the rain does and what the speaker says one should allow the rain to do. Here is a link to my favorite poem: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/182174
Thanks Nina! I had not read "Rain" before-wow! Hughes has such a gift with language. I am stunned by how much emotion so few words can elicit! What kinds of symbolism do you others see in this wonderful selection?
The poem that Nina chose was very uplifting and powerful with the use of symbolism. Even though it is such a short poem, the message it sends out is so wonderful. The rain is an important part of the symbolism in this poem. I believe Hughes chose to write about rain in this piece because rain and water can sometimes be thought of as peaceful and calming. Like Nina mentioned, rain was used as the symbolism in this poem to help the speaker get through whatever he was going through, and the man thanked the "rain" for all that it has done for him.
This poem really spoke to me. I too love the rain. I find it soothing like Hughes, but I also find it cleansing. I feel like there is no better way to connect with my spiritual self than by enjoying the world and improving it with my actions. A rainy day is typically thought of as sad or gloomy, but I describe it as joyful and calming. I couldn’t live without the rain. Sorry, this post wasn't really directed towards the topic of Harlem Renaissance or Reconstruction. I just wanted to share how I feel about this poem.
Maybe Hughes wants the kind of connection that "Rain" makes with so many of us? After all, rain is one of those universal human experiences. Maybe that is why Hughes chose the topic. (There is nothing quite as cozy as sleeping in, dozing really, on a rainy day:)
I thought that the poem Nina chose, “April Rain Song” by Langston Hughes, was a very motivational and inspiring one. On the surface, it seems as if the poem is just talking about a normal rainfall, as Nina said. However, if you really look into the poem, it actually shows how something special that you enjoy or cherish can help you through the difficult or sad times in your life. In this case, that special thing is the rain. You can tell by the poem how the speaker feels about the rain. He tells about it with gratitude and wonder for everything it can do to help you. Nina already mentioned that the rain can help you get through hard times, but another way rain can help you in a less significant, more ordinary way is described in stanza two when the speaker says “The rain plays a little sleep-song on our roof at night.” This line can relate to a wide range of people- everyone has had the experience of letting the rain lure you to sleep at night and how peaceful it can make you feel. You can tell that the last line of the poem is the most important in this poem. He says “And I love the rain.” This line stands by itself in the third stanza and he changes the point of view from third person to first person. In all other lines of the poem, he is telling you how to let the rain help you through tough times, but in the last line, he is revealing his personal feelings towards rain by using first person point of view. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this poem and agreed with Nina’s interpretations.
One piece of poetry that I enjoyed was “Democracy” by Langston Hughes. I am not the best at interpreting poetry, so I liked this one because it was very straightforward. This straightforwardness, though, is what makes it effective. Anyone who reads this poem can clearly see that Hughes wants equality, and he wants it now. The reader doesn’t have to search into the poem or through the vocabulary. The push for equality is right there. By reading this poem, you can also see that Langston Hughes is a supporter of Du Bois’s “right now” approach on equality and is against Booker T. Washington’s. The poem says, “Democracy will not come… Through compromise and fear” and “I tire so of hearing people say, let things take their course.” Both of these quotes are against Washington’s philosophy, which says that equality will come after economic growth.
Here’s an interesting reading of “Democracy”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ftRxZnoCgw
Sam, I appreciate your candor re: poetry interpretation:) I think you made some excellent connections though. Could Hughes have met Washington or DuBois? Does someone want to cross reference the dates? The Harlem Renaissance provided the impetus for the Civil Rights movement, yet in some ways, the push was a "gentle breath" rather than a firestorm. (I wonder if Katniss could have fostered a revolution through words...isn't the pen mightier than the sword?) "Compromise and fear"-these are interesting word choices. What might Hughes be referring to? Thanks for sharing this piece and taking the risk to share your thoughts...well done!
It is very unlikely that Hughes met Washington because Washington died when Langston was thirteen years old. Though I did not find evidence of this happening, Hughes could have met W.E.B. Du Bois. Langston lived from 1902 to 1967 and Du Bois lived from 1868 to 1963 (It’s also surprising that Du Bois was born 34 years before Hughes, but they died within 4 years of each other). When Langston said compromise and fear, I believe he had the Ku Klux Klan in mind. He believed that African Americans couldn’t become equal while fearing the KKK and letting them rule the African Americans’ lives. I also think he was referring to Booker T. Washington’s philosophy of compromising with the whites. If African Americans were to gain equal rights, Hughes thought, they would have to go against the whites and push for equality; not letting it come to them.
I too enjoyed the poem "Democracy" as well as Sam. I think Sam did a great job of explaining the poem and I also liked how the poem was pretty straightforward. Sam made a good comparison on how Hughes was more supportive towards Du Bois than Washington. I personally think Washington's way was a better and more prosperous path to take than Du Bois because if you slowly show that you are worthy to have all the rights that the whites had than you are more likely to get them than if you demanded them outright, like Du Bois was suggesting. By demanding the rights outright it kind of made the African Americans look a bit quick to anger, which would be a great turnoff and even better reason on why to withhold those rights. Well done Sam on your posting.
Add Garvey's ideas into the mix. Was the 20's decade a better time to PUSH for rights? If Garvey is not deported (which I suppose means he doesn't break US laws), does his movement bring about different results? Was the Harlem Renaissance era the right time to push for civil, not just cultural, acceptance and fuller rights and respect? I am thinking DuBois would say yes.
I too cannot understand poetry well and know that the quality of "straightforwardness" is very useful in poetry for me. As Sam said, this quality makes sure that everyone who reads it knows he wants equality. I also find that Sam is very insightful when he refers to Langston relating with the views of Dubois. Overall, Sam interprets this poem very well and has really connected with my beliefs.
"Grass", page 228 of The Jazz Age My favorite poem was "Grass", by Carl Sandburg (1876-1967). It has a simplicity that can really speak to you. This poem speaks of grass covering all the bodies of Austerlitz, Waterloo, Gettysburg, Ypres, and Verdun. It speaks of the people shoveling the memories of these horrific events underneath them and letting the grass take it's hold. The near end of the poem states, "What place is this? Where are we now?" I believe this poem speaks of how we will forget these events and pretend they were only a sore spot of our past. The later generations will forget what their ancestors had fought for. This short poem really does speak wonders beyond the imagination. We have to "let the grass work" and cover our history as we move on. This demonstrates the "struggle for equality" because all that others have done for us will be forgotten. All the good deeds that people of different races have done for each other will be thrown under the blanket of separation.
Sandburg has some powerful poetry for sure! He is a white man, and I'd like you to choose to respond to an African-American Harlem Renaissance connected piece. That being said, I like the deeper look you took at "Grass". I suppose I see grass as something constant...no matter how hot the sun or how dead the grass appears, the greenness always returns. So, I think of grass emerging from the struggles, and not so much covering to hide, but rather helping us remember that something once WAS, but has changed. (I am in Sam's boat when it comes to poetry interpretation, but I enjoy trying:) Perhaps grass is the great unifier under which all of us must lie one day?
I read the poem "Grass" and thought it was a very good poem. Nevin said, "The later generations will forget what their ancestors had fought for." I believe that in some ways this is true, and in others it isn't. As time goes on, people remember some parts of history and forget others. In school, children are taught about certain people, dates, events, battles, et cetera, and not about others. This is because some parts of history are considered more important than others. During the Civil War (and I am assuming the names of places in the poem are various places of battles in the Civil War), after battles were fought, there would usually be hundreds or thousands of dead soldiers to dispose of, so often the soldiers were buried in mass graves on the battleground. Grass would grow on the graves and cover up all the sadness and hide the pain of the loss of the soldiers. Maybe because of the tragedy of all the lives lost, people do not want to remember anything about the battles. There may be other reasons as to why these battles are forgotten. I believe these battles should be remembered, even if they were fought by black men, and even moreso then because black men still fought in the civil war even though they were discriminated against quite often.
My favorite piece of poetry that I came across on the Harlem Renaissance was "Blasphemy" by Esther Popel. I found this piece especially interesting because it's meant to be from a white person's point of view. In the poem, a white person is speaking to God. This person is telling God how he and others have an African American that they are going to lynch. This white person thinks that God will send the African American to hell after they hang him. Next, the speaker says something that is very important and touching to me. He tells God that the African American wants to pray before they hang him, but that he doesn't remember the words to the prayer. The white people have to tell the African American the words to the "Our Father" and when he's finished praying, they lynch him. I find this entire poem to be very powerful, and it's able to create many emotions inside of me. All in all, it's a fabulous work of literature. "Blasphemy" demonstrates the struggle for equality because it shows how African Americans are a minority and are looked down upon by others. The poem never mentions the black man committing a crime, so I'm guessing that he's totally innocent of anything when they hang him. They just wanted to hang him because of his race. That's why this poem demonstrates a struggle for equality, and that's why this piece of work is truly special. Here's the link to the poem: http://www.goodmorals.org/poetry/Popel-Blasphemy.htm
Shannon...wow. This "Blasphemy" piece IS powerful. I too am filled with roiling emotions after reading it a few times. I am not even certain of my reaction yet, only to say that the poem has an emotional impact for sure! I guess while I ponder it more (and can't wait to hear the class reaction to this one) I want to praise Popel for having the guts to write such a provocative piece. She tackles lynching head on. Wow. Thanks for sharing.
After I read this poem, I realized that both Shannon and Mrs. Nelson were right about this being a powerful piece. For this one person, I am scared, sad, angry, and upset. So must because actually I almost started crying over how they were mocking him for wanting to pray for help. If this was their religion as well, and it was as mentioned in the poem they helped the man remember the words to the prayer. Why are they mocking him for it if they believe in this as well? If they were in his position wouldn't they want to do the same thing? In my mind, I wonder what would have happened if the roles were switched and the white man speaking was about to be lynched. Would he want to be sent to hell like he wants the black man to be? Probably not, but its something that goes through my mind as I read this poem. Thanks Shannon for sharing this with us.
I agree with Shannon's analysis on the poem “Blasphemy” by Esther Popel. It is such a powerful and emotionally stimulating piece of literature. It made me feel several different strong emotions- the most prominent being anger. First of all, it makes me angry that a group of white people are taking pleasure in hanging a black man just because they want to. What makes me even angrier though is the fact that the white people are making fun of the black man for wanting to say a prayer before he dies. Throughout the whole poem, the white man is addressing God and telling him in a very mocking way about what they are doing to this innocent black man. The speaker says “And listen, God, you’ll laugh at this I know—He wants to pray before we stage this show!” The white men obviously thinks that God would approve (even chuckle!) at how they are treating this man. In reality, why would God laugh at a wrongful action or the fact that somebody, even an African American, wants to pray to him? Overall, this poem is a very strong, very powerful piece that truly shows how some white men thought and how African Americans were treated back then.
Wow. What a poem. I do agree with Mrs. Nelson when she says this was a powerful poem. This piece really is. The whole poem really bothered me because the person who was telling the story acted like the black man didn't deserve to worship God and how God should hate the black man too. Another part that really stood out at me was how the white man thought that it was okay for the black man to be hung, and how the black man wanted to pray before he was hung. I just couldn’t believe how cruel we were in the past. Shannon picked a really good poem, and it is quite powerful.
My initial thought after reading "Blasphemy" was, like other people, WOW. I think this poem is just crazy. Although black people were lynched and/or hung way to often in this time period, I am still surprised at how the author of this poem seemed to feel toward the black man. As Shannon said, the poem doesn't ever mention anything about the black man committing any crime, so it's really idiotic for the whites to lynch him if they don't have a logical reason to do so besides the man's race. The point of view in which this was written portrays a white man who thinks God will send the black man to hell, but why would he even think that would happen? The white man has no way of knowing how his God thinks or acts. Also, I'm not quite sure why the white people told the words of the Lord's Prayer to the black man before they hung him. If I had lived in this time period, and if I had a deep hatred for blacks, then if I lynched and hung them, I would not want them praying to any God before they met their demise.
A poem that I really enjoyed from the Harlem Renaissance was “I Dream a World” by: Langston Hughes. This poem is about what Hughes wishes the world was like. One line in the poem I found very powerful was “… a world I dream where black or white, whatever race you be, will share the bounties of the earth and every man is free”. This line had a great effect on me, and it made me understand how the African Americans felt and how they were treated. When he says “every man is free” I think he is relating back to the end of the Civil War when slavery was abolished and the African American’s were supposed to be free. I think he is saying that the African Americans are not free because they are still not treated equal to the whites. This poem demonstrates the struggle for equality because it explains how Hughes wants himself and other African Americans to be equal to whites and to be free of their criticism and hatred. I really enjoyed this poem and I think it demonstrates the struggle for equality.
This is the best video I could find. The words are a little different than the original and the guy is hard to understand but it’s still pretty good!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM5eokI_bZY
The original: “I Dream a World” By: Langston Hughes I dream a world where man No other man will scorn, Where love will bless the earth And peace its paths adorn I dream a world where all Will know sweet freedom's way, Where greed no longer saps the soul Nor avarice blights our day. A world I dream where black or white, Whatever race you be, Will share the bounties of the earth And every man is free, Where wretchedness will hang its head And joy, like a pearl, Attends the needs of all mankind- Of such I dream, my world!
What a beautiful piece Sara. As I read the words, I was reminded that Harlem Renaissance serves as a catalyst for the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. As a matter of fact, I hear echoes of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech in Hughes' words. In the piece you analyzed, I was intrigued at how he used the word "wretchedness"-a word that can be placed side by side with the institution of slavery in the South. To think of of the wretched handing its head, and joy taking its place....that is a dreamy world indeed. Are we nearing that dream in 2012? Thanks for sharing-the youtube was different, but neat to listen to.
Adding to Ms. Nelson’s response, I agree that there are similarities between Langston Hughes’ poem and Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. I also see similarities to the speech we watched from the movie “The Great Debaters.” Samantha Booke realized that equality could never happen if it didn’t happen now. In similar ways, Hughes’ poem describes the need for equality, but in a much more subtle fashion. He uses words such as love, peace, joy, and sweet freedom to describe ways he wishes the world to be. Sara and I share many common thoughts on the analysis of Hughes’ poem. One of the most powerful lines in the poem, “A world I dream where black or white, whatever race you be, will share the bounties of the earth and every man is free”, helps the reader understand how African Americans continued to be treated. Sara related these lines to the laws passed at the end of Civil War. I agree with her explanation that by law, African Americans were equal to whites, but African Americans continued to struggle to be thought of as equal citizens. I believe Hughes’ poem is very inspiring, but could demonstrate too much wishful-thinking. The world he created in this poem is his ideal America, which brings up the question of have we succeeded in creating an America close to this, today?
I agree completely with Sara. This poem is very powerful. It is easy to see that the author wants a perfectly equal world where African American’s and white’s come together. I also agree with her, when she says, “I think he is relating back to the end of the Civil War when slavery was abolished and the African American’s were supposed to be free. I think he is saying that the African Americans are not free because they are still not treated equal to the whites.” I extremely believe that this is the case, and that was the purpose of the poem. As Mrs. Nelson mentioned about Martin Luther, I am seeing this poem reflecting him. Langston in the poem, “dreams a world.” In his world, just like Martin Luther, they both are striving towards equality.
I thought carefully about Grace's question "Have we succeeded in creating an America" where we have the "ideal" tolerance, acceptance, equality etc? Go back a blog entry to "Blasphemy"....would I step in to help a person of another race, religion, or other "difference" if he/she was being lynched? I suppose I sometimes feel the answer to how far we have come lies not in the hated or hater, but in the bystander. When people do nothing but watch, even when they disagree with what is happening, perhaps that should be our gauge on how our society is doing today?
My favorite piece of literature is "I, Too, Sing America" by Langston Hughes (1). I like this piece because it speaks volume. This poem is very strong and I like it for that reason. Langston showed that a new age was coming and he knew it. He wanted to tell people that African Amerians were as strong and as important as white people of that century. I like the fact that he says that he is an American too and should be treated like one. I think that this poem does show the Struggle for Equality by the way he showed the old ways of America and the new ways of America. Langston also said in the poem 'They'll see how beautiful I am'. I think this shows that he wants to show America that African Americans are as great as Americans and they aren't animals or another creature. The Struggle for Equality was hard for the African Americans and they weren't treated the right way. You can see this in stanzas 3 and 4. This is why this piece of literature is my favorite and how it demonstrates The Struggle for Equality.
I like your characterization of this poem as "strong"-I see that aspect as well:) Do you all think that the writers sought to portray certain qualities like STRONG? Is the audience these works directed toward other African Americans, or do you think the writers intended to reach the white audience? What makes you think as you do? By tying blacks and whites together with the flag, Hughes leaves little room for disagreement among the races.
In reply to Mrs. Nelson's view on Whitney's poem, I think that not all writers stride towards qualities such as strong. Many poems, such as "Incident", are meant to portray the sad times of the African American. These sad poems depict the struggles that African Americans must face in order to survive. I have opinionated that many Harlem Renaissance writers reached out for the sympathy of white audiences. I think the Renaissance writers reached out the the white audience because many poems speak of the difficulties that whites in particular cause. African writers are attempting to change the views of the white audience. Whitney's poem, "I, Too, Sing America", is a perfect example of a writer reaching out the white audiences. The white audience would look at their own discrimination towards black people with a sour feeling. The white audience could feel as if they are truly doing a deed that needs to be reversed for the good of the people. Overall, I still think that Whitney has a very rock solid point of view on the poem "I, Too, Sing America".
Dear lovely death That taketh all things under wing- Never to kill- Only to change Into some other thing This suffering flesh, To make it either more or less, Yet not again the same- Dear lovely death, Change is thy other name. -Langston Hughes
I consider this as being my favorite piece of literature from the Harlem Renaissance because it shares a metaphor that I find interesting and relevant to the fight for equality. This poem accepts death as a natural part of life. The author has no fear of death. He even goes as far as to call it lovely, as if he is talking to an old friend. According to the poem, death is simply a change. I relate this to the struggle for equality because white Americans during this time period viewed change with the fear of death. Langston Hughes on the other hand greets change and accepts its necessity in society. This poem touched my heart because it expresses how change is the death of the old ways, but is a necessary part of life.
Neat analysis Bryce. The path to "equality" or justice or fairness, or whatever we choose to call "it" is littered with suffering. We will witness major sacrifices within the African American community during the Civil Rights struggle of the 1950s and 1960s. And, certainly during and after Reconstruction, the lynchings exemplify sacrifice as well. Is it sad that change of this magnitude requires that some sacrifice life itself? Or, does such high level sacrifice prove the cause is indeed worth fighting for?
I think the poem that Bryce chose is very deep. It has a lot of meaning to it while still being straightforward. Replying to Mrs. Nelson's response, I think the answers to both of her questions is "yes," even though the answers contradict each other in some ways. I think that it is quite sad that such a sacrifice is necessary to do what is right. To you and me, we see that slavery is wrong and equal rights are "right." Back then, the matter was more controversial. No one can say what is "right" and what is "wrong." That's why I find the matter of equality so tiring and over contemplated. We can never achieve equality. I know it sounds negative, but it's the honest truth. On the other hand, such an extensive sacrifice does prove that the cause it worth fighting for. Freeing African Americans was worth fighting FOR not AGAINST. I guess that Confederates could have argued the reverse as "slavery is worth fighting for not against." The conclusion, it’s sad that a change of this magnitude requires such a high level sacrifice to prove that the cause is worth fighting for.
One piece of literature I related to was “Cross” by Langston Hughes. “Cross” is written simply and straightforward, which makes the poem easy to understand. The poem demonstrates Langston Hughes’ hunger for a place in society. Coming from a mixed background, Langston Hughes describes the uncertainty of where he “belongs”. He also describes the superiority of the whites and hatred towards the African American race. In this poem, you can clearly tell that blacks struggle for equality through the way Hughes compares living conditions and the amount of respect you are expected to have towards each “class” in the 1920’s. While Homer Plessy was proud to have African American ancestry, Hughes remained concerned about his status in the society he was living in. The poem “Cross” demonstrates the struggle for equality during the Harlem Renaissance Era from the point of view of a mulatto, Langston Hughes, while also describing the struggle for equality for blacks as well.
Grace and I share a lot of common opinions on this poem. We both enjoyed "Cross" because it was straightforward and easy to comprehend. Grace explained how African Americans struggled, and still struggle, for equality, but I also believe that people of mixed racial decent struggled as well. I am unsure if Hughes was trying to portray the struggle for just the African Americans, just the people of mixed races, or if he was trying to display struggle for anyone with African American ancestors. I like Grace's interpretations on Hughes's poem and believe they are very accurate.
I agree with Grace on how the poem is very straightfoward. There isn't any symoblism or metaphors, which makes the poem very easy to understand. Even though it is simple, it is still powerful. The author says that he wonders where he fits in with society, since his father was a rich white man and his mother a poor black woman. Should he live among the blacks and poverty or live with the white men and discriminate against his own kind? He takes back everything bad he said about them, which is interesting. Why did he do that? Was he angry at his parents before when he was a kid? Did he get bullied because his father did it with a Negro? But now he seems to be almost content with them. It's strange.
Great poem Grace! I really enjoyed this piece. I felt that Langston was really confused because he was of the mixed race. Also, I think when he said “I wonder where I’m going to die”, I think he means that he isn’t sure if he is going to be lynched, shot, get a disease, or just die of old age. I think he feels this way because of everything that is going on in the US and because the Civil War ended about 40 years ago, and whites are not treating blacks well. I also think he is confused because he is part white and part black. Since he is part white, does that mean he will be treated better than a 100% black man? Will he be treated the same because he is still part black? Overall, I think Grace choose I powerful piece of poetry.
One of my favorite poems from the Harlem Renaissance is As I Grew Older by Langston Hughes. Through the poem, he tells the reader a story. It tells us about how there is a wall in front of everybody's way at one point or another in their life. In this version of the story, the person was able to break done the wall separating him from the dream he wanted to come true. This is why I like this poem, the reader is being let known that everyone struggles at some point in their lives. Every time I read this poem, I learn a new part of its story each time. Around the tenth time I read the poem, I realized that the dream was something the writer has wanted since he was a child. This has been something to help him push to have it come true over the years. Now that he is older, he has finally broken the wall separating him from his dream because he is black. I still wonder what that dream was, but I know I will never figure it out. Through all of this it helped me understand why Hughes chose the title he chose for this poem.
Link to poem: http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/as-i-grew-older/
This piece, "As I Grow Older", has some powerful imagery as well as emotion. I think Hughes has such a gift for the universal human experience. Haven't we all encountered walls? We all age. We all dream. How frustrating life must have been for those who lack the means to pursue dreams. Or, is that the whole point-we can ALWAYS follow our dreams. King's dream was pretty visionary in the 1960s, yet here we are with a black president.
Dreams Hold fast to dreams For if dreams die Life is a broken-winged bird That cannot fly. Hold fast to dreams For if dreams go Life is a barren field Frozen with snow. ~Langston Hughes Dreams represent a considerable amount of who we are as individuals and what America is as a country. Dreams are the things that motivate us to live our life the way we like, in turn building a seemingly ideal country built on the backs of thousands of dreams. This piece relates to the themes “Struggling for Equality,” by suggesting that if African-Americans let go of the dream of freedom, it would never happen. If African-Americans, or any other minority group, or even a majority, had lost sight of dreams for a better future as individuals and a group, America would not be the country it is today. Thirty-seven years after Hughes wrote this piece, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech, incorporating the same themes Hughes had written about years earlier as the African-American struggle continued. This is my favorite piece from the Harlem Renaissance because I can connect to it on a personal level, as well as appreciate what it portrays about general struggles for equality. Without the dream of freedom and equality, many groups in America would not enjoy the oppurtunities they have today. To the average individual today, I believe that this poem delivers a simple and general message: If you don’t pursue your dreams, they will escape you, as will many oppurtunities of life. Rather than outright saying this, Hughes uses beautiful figurative language that is simple, but effective.
I agree with Halle’s analysis on all levels. Along with Halle, I appreciated this poem because I could relate to it personally and I believe many of us could. I believe that our dreams are our motivation and drive us to accomplish what we deserve. As Halle already stated, this poem suggests if African Americans give up on their dream for equality, they settle for their cruel circumstances. Hughes’ dreams are for America, African Americans, and for life in general. You can see in other poems written by Langston Hughes such as, “I Dream a World”, that Hughes is longing for the day he is not looked down upon. In the particular poem above, Hughes encourages people not to give up on their dreams or you will have many missed opportunities in life. Halle uses the phrase “simple, but effective” to describe this poem and I agree completely.
Dreams are a common topic of a large amount of poetry and other literature. Halle and Grace both implied that they could connect with this poem on a personal level. Poems about dreams are so popular because everyone has dreams and goals. Part of human nature is to think ahead to the future and envision it in a way that we find ideal for society or ourselves. A common dream for African Americans at the time was to be treated equally. Halle points out that the main theme of this poem is what happens when they lose sight of their dreams. Langston Hughes wrote this poem as a reminder that if African Americans lost sight of their dreams, life would be as hard as it was for them as when they were slaves. I find it interesting and insightful of Halle to bring up the "I Have a Dream" speech in relation to this poem by Hughes. Maybe it is possible that this poem had an affect on Martin Luther King Junior as he was growing up. Halle's interpretation of this poem is thoughtful and enlightening. Thank you for sharing.
When I think of the 1920's, I think of it as being the time when jazz music was created. One of my personal favorite jazz artist of this time period was Louis Armstrong. Louis Armstrong was one of the first African American artist who was truly admired by many people, even people not of his race, which was a very big deal for any African American during this very segregated time period. Louis Armstrong had a very distinctive deep voice and was a very talented trumpet player. In general, Louis Armstrong was an all around great musician. A few of my favorite songs by him include "What a Wonderful World", "A Kiss to Build a Dream On", and "When You're Smiling". All of Louis Armstrong's music pieces were so inspirational and moving, which is why I feel that they were such a hit and so well liked. During the 1920's people wanted to hear happy things and feel uplifted, and listening to Louis Armstrong's music could really help achieve these feelings of happiness. I think that jazz music in general during the 1920's helped relax and connect many people together because it was so powerful and upbeat that it brought joy to anyone, not caring what race you were, everyone would experience the same feelings. Louis Armstrong was a great man who helped the progression of African American singers become more popular and accepted during this time. Thanks to every jazz musician, especially Louis Armstrong, for creating something that helped connect and bring the people of our country together to celebrate happiness. Jazz music was such an important part of the 1920's and deserves to be well appreciated. Here's a link to one of my favorite Louis Armstrong's songs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3yCcXgbKrE
Thanks for this link Kelsey:) I'm chillin' out to the words on the blog while being soothed by Armstrong's tune. I like his unique voice a lot too. This is a song that would be awesome to play during a civil rights march! I wonder if there is a piece of Harlem Renaissance poetry that fits well with this song?
Mrs. Nelson, I think I found a great poem that would match the song "What a Wonderful World" almost perfectly! I found a poem called "I Dream a World" written by Langston Hughes that I believe really matches the theme of "What a Wonderful World". This poem shows to me all the great potential the writer feels that our world has towards peace, hope, faith, and love. I feel that this poem expresses that our world is definitely not "perfect" although, I feel that they see that with effort and desire, we can try to make it be the best and most peaceful place possible. In life you always must start somewhere which for most people would be creating a dream, which in this case the dream is the poem, but eventually dreams turn into goals and then eventually goals are achieved and dreams become reality. With this poem I can see the real connection with the potential of what a wonderful world we have the chance to make which would go perfectly with the song I talked about above written by Louis Armstrong, "What a Wonderful World".
The poem I chose to write about Is Incident By Countee Cullen. "Once riding in old Baltimore, Heart-filled, head-filled with glee; I saw a Baltimorean Keep looking straight at me. Now I was eight and very small, And he was no whit bigger, And so I smiled, but he poked out His tongue, and called me, “Nigger.” I saw the whole of Baltimore From May until December; Of all the things that happened there That’s all that I remember'
I chose this poem not only due to the fact that it is a powerful piece about discrimination, but it can also be related to things that happen in our daily lives. In the poem a young boy heads to the city with happiness and expectations of a great world. However, this is not what he sees. Instead he sees the harsh face of racism as he is called this racial slur. He sees the entire city and goes through many other experiences in the city of Baltimore, yet the only thing he remembers is the one example of hate. The poem no matter how simple it is conveys a strong message of racism and hate from a viewpoint we rarely see, that of a child. I feel naturally we as humans respond stronger to the emotions of a child due to the fact that they are still pure and are irrelevant to the events that happen to and around them. This poem can be related to real life very easily as well. Every single person has been made fun of something in there life, and in this child's case it was the color of his/her skin. I chose this poem because it speaks to me and strongly conveys the emotional struggles of the Harlem Renaissance from a very uncommonly portrayed perspective.
When I read Garrett's poem choice, it really emphasized how despicable racism really is. We, as human beings, tend to remember the bad things. Its just our nature. This idea should deter people from being racist, prejudice, or just plain mean. A black man could have one run-in with racism when he was a young boy and never encounter it again in his lifetime, but chances are he still remembers that one time. Racism scars people for a lifetime. In "the Great Debaters," the movie clips we watched in class, the boy in the car when they ran into the lynch mob will remember that time for years and years to come. He will then tell his sons and daughters and they will tell theirs. Though it gets less and less powerful as it is passed down the generations, that one encounter can scar many.
My favorite part of literature form the Harlem Renaissance Era is the poem “As I Grew Older”. This was written by Langston Hughes. I really enjoy this poem because it is very motivating and shows how if you push hard enough you can always achieve your dreams. I find this even more inspiring that he felt this way during the 1920’s which was a time that Blacks were constantly persecuted and he still found a way to remain optimistic. This makes me feel as if I can do anything today. Also, this poem is a great example of a struggle for equality. Throughout this poem it speaks about how many Blacks have a “wall” between them and their dreams. I believe that this symbolizes the difficulty for African Americans to achieve their dreams due to the many ways they were discriminated against at that time. By the end of the poem it talks about how he and other Blacks can break through this wall and achieve the equality that they are striving for.
I can really relate to this poem also. It reminds me of my madden ultimate team on madden 13. When my first started out, my team was only 68 overall. The team consisted of terrible third string players that couldn't even perform the simplest of screen plays. Then, I started to play and actually win. When my team started growing older, I began to buy better players that made my team more experienced. It relates to this poem because it really shows how my team of misfits can become one of the best teams in the league through perserverance and hard work.
I too find this poem to be inspirational. It's very well written and not hard to figure out(as some poems are). Though to me, I don't think that the speaker has broken through the "wall" in the poem yet. But, he is trying to break through it, and that is quite motivating. I think that everyone can relate to this poem. Everyone has a dream, or something they hope to achieve one day. I know that I do, and this poem means a lot to me.
If we must die—let it not be like hogs Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot, While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs, Making their mock at our accursed lot. If we must die—oh, let us nobly die, So that our precious blood may not be shed In vain; then even the monsters we defy Shall be constrained to honor us though dead! Oh, Kinsmen! We must meet the common foe; Though far outnumbered, let us show us brave, And for their thousand blows deal one deathblow! What though before us lies the open grave? Like men we'll face the murderous, cowardly pack, Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!
Throughout the 1920's, African Americans were starting to gain a political voice and beginning to live happy lives, but this poem "If We Must Die," has another perspective about this time. Claude McKay expresses that right now African Americans are being treated like "hogs." Although one might not especially think much of the analogy McKay uses, while reading the poem, I was offended for African Americans who lived in this time period because if a pig is used to describe the way people were being treated, it is obviously unjust. The poet also describes the white people who discriminate against blacks as angry dogs. I felt that this was also another powerful analogy. Obviously this poem is saying that the African Americans are struggling for equality and they should go down with a fight (for equality).
I agree with what Rosie had to say about this piece of literature. However, I would like to point out a few key points of this poem that stood out to me. This poem is speaking the the Africans and is meant to be an inspiring piece. It is telling them to fight back, and to not take the punishment the racist white men deal out, for they do not deserve it. In the poem I feel it portrays the white men as I feel they were in this period of our history "monsters." A more perfect word to describe these despicable beings is impossible to find. The term "deathblow" is used in this poem. I think how it is used and represented in the poem is that even though the African Americans have been persecuted, lynched, and even black-listed at times they must fight back with the one action that will end slavery. I feel this action is defying everything unjust in society and taking what they deserve. Rosie chose a very powerful piece that very accurately portrays how Africans were treated during the time period, as hogs.
Wow what a great poem! Nice interpretation Rosie. I like how you pointed out the analogies in this poem. While reading the poem, these powerful figures of speech painted a savage and cruel picture of the victims’ lives in my mind. It made me angry towards the men’s captors while at the same time building a fire of revolt in my heart. Although slavery was abolished in the 1920’s, similar events like share cropping were still occurring. Along with share cropping, African Americans were still being lynched. As Rosie Pointed out, African Americans were “starting to gain a political voice and beginning to live happy lives”, but they were still being treated unjustly by other Americans. In itself, was this poem a metaphor comparing the African American’s lives in the 1920’s to the time when slavery was legal in America? Also, was this poem a call to action against unjust treatment?
Democracy will not come Today, this year Nor ever Through compromise and fear.
I tire so of hearing people say, I have as much right As the other fellow has To stand On my two feet And own the land
Let things take their course. Tomorrow is another day. I do not need my freedom when I'm dead. I cannot live on tomorrow's bread.
Freedom Is a strong seed Planted In a great need.
I live here, too. I want freedom Just as you.
This poem really speaks to me and most likely all of the minorities in America during the 1920's. It talks about how he wants democracy in America. He says "I have as much right as the other fellow has to stand on my two feet and own the land." This part of the poem is moving. It means that during the Harlem Renaissance, the blacks did not have many rights. Langston believes that every man has a right to do the same things as any other man. He also is talking about how he wants the right to own his own land. He then talks about how he can't wait any longer for his freedom and rights. That he doesn't want the rights he deserves when he is dead. Finally, he talks about just how he wants these freedom's as much as anyone else. I love this poem because it shows how Americans weren't afraid to fight for their rights. I may not be African American, but i feel proud to be an American when people like Langston Hughes fight for what they believe in. This poem shows struggle for equality in multiple ways. It shows how minorities like blacks had to fight for their rights and freedoms in the 1920's.
I believe that Tyler interpreted this poem very well. In this poem it does speak about the little rights that Blacks had at that time and can be very motivating. I know that Blacks have always been struggling for equality and the way that Langston was able to describe the struggle and need for equality really lifts my spirit.Also, I like how Tyler talks about how Langston wants his rights now and not when he is dead and unable to use them.
I personally like the way Tyler Nerthling has interpreted this poem, and I personally can still find examples of similar incidents in our society today. For example, the baseball and softball teams have been, in my opinion, discriminated against in the past few years. Although the baseball and softball teams are school sports I feel that the respect given to these teams is not as great as it deserves. The baseball team last year posted a better record than both the football and basketball teams combined. Yet the football team has gotten a brand new stadium (even though I respect other teams use the field but it is mostly regarded to as a football field), and the baseball team is playing on an easily flooded, bumpy area we call a baseball field. I know the softball team feels the same way, and they posted one of the best records and has had one of the best teams as of late of any sport in the Fairview School District, and they too play on a unkept field. Even the little things aren't always there such as scoreboard, fairly nice dugouts, and the occasion new jersey. Also, you don't see hundreds of people going to baseball and softball games like you do at football and basketball games. In conclusion, I believe that like the African Americans Tyler refers to being discriminated, the baseball and softball teams, in their own respect, are being discriminated against in parallel ways.
I just want to tell you how proud I am of the sharing taking place on this blog. I may not have time to reply to each one of you, but there are amazing ideas and insights being shared here....thanks for making this blog a LIVING place where readers gain knowledge and inspiration:) I'm learning so much from you! Ms. N.
Wealth by Langston Hughes From Christ to Ghandi Appears this truth- St. Francis of Assisi Proves it, too: Goodness becomes grandeur Surpassing might of kings. Halos of kindness Brighter shine Than crowns of gold, And brighter Than rich diamonds Sparkles The simple dew Of love. This poem is one that I like because it shows not everything is about the riches, but it is more about the soul. African Americans didn't have all the riches but they had family, heart, and soul. African Americans wanted a better life in America during the Harlem Renaissance and they weren't necessarily focused on the monetary value of their lives but they wanted to enjoy themself and be "New Negroes" if it makes sense. They didn't need all the fancy things and all the money that everyone wants today. I think Langston Hughes really portrayed that and meant this when he was righting this poem. Wealth was a poem from the Harlem Renaissance that I personally enjoyed and took interest to.
I really enjoyed reading this poem Nolan chose and love the way he interpreted it! This poem pretty much is going by the known quote "money can't buy happiness". I feel that this poem is saying it didn't really matter to anyone during the Harlem Renaissance times on who had more money and who was at a higher class. Everyone during this time was more concerned about coming together and appreciating one another, for example some would enjoy each others company by relaxing and just listening to the jazz music and celebrating and dancing together, and overall just having a goodtime. I really enjoyed this poem and agree with Nolan's thoughts because it shows how it doesn't matter how much money you have, everyone will be accepted and loved, which I believe is just a great thing because in today's generation I feel that everyone worries too much about how much money they have and what they have.
Along with my friends Kelsey and Nolan I also found this poem very inspiring. Nolan interprets the poem very well when he talks about what the riches discussed mean. As I was reading Nolan’s post I could really see the point he was trying to get across. I agree that during the Harlem Renaissance African Americans just wanted a better life, they didn’t care about money. I also agree with Kelsey’s response to Nolan’s post when she says, “money can't buy happiness.” This quote she said really does go with the poem. I don’t understand many poems, but this one I can clearly see what it is saying. I highly praise Nolan for picking such an inspiring poem. Thumbs up for Nolan!
My intellectual colleague, Nolan, has really a poem that almost 99.87% of the world can relate to.(Other 0.13% are the world's millionaires (according to www.ww-success.com) who really do think that money is the key to happiness) Like Nolan who used the baseball reference for my poem, i will also use a real life reference. Take the new Keck Field at Jack Bestwick Stadium in Fairview. This new field's expense exceeded 3 million dollars. In my opinion I love the turf, but that isn't what matters. All the money we spent on the stadium won't make the teams any better expect for maybe a few less broken ankles during practice. What really makes the teams better is heart, soul, and a desire to win. They can't have the heart, if the fans also don't come to the games and really support the teams. It relates to this poem, because in the poem the African-Americans didn't need diamonds and gold to be happy. All they needed was freedom. Freedom is like the desire to win in reality terms. I am astonished that Nolan picked such a inspirational poem, he really deserves a pat on the back!
Merry-Go-Round Where is the Jim Crow section On this merry-go-round, Mister, cause I want to ride? Down South where I come from White and colored Can't sit side by side. Down South on the train There's a Jim Crow car. On the bus we're put in the back— But there ain't no back To a merry-go-round! Where's the horse For a kid that's black? One poem that spoke to me from the Harlem Renaissance is “Merry-Go-Round” by Langston Hughes. In this poem, it tells a story of a black child who is from the South where racial segregation is a way of life and the only way he has ever known. He was taught that blacks and whites can’t sit beside each other, and there are Jim Crow sections in the back where African Americans have to sit. In the North, he is faced with the new problem of where to sit on the merry-go-round. There is no front or back to a merry-go-round, and therefore, there is no Jim Crow section. This is a new experience for the black kid, who is so used to having everything separated by race that he can’t comprehend something that is so foreign to him. This poem really shows how black youth were raised to believe that they were of lesser value than white people- that it was normal to be put in the back of the bus just because of the color of your skin. It is also unsettling how the poem is written in such a lighthearted tone from a child’s point of view when the basis of it is talking about something as serious as racism and segregation.
I agree with Stephanie when she says that a heavy subject such as racism and segregation that is put in a child's point of view is unsettling and sad. I think that for a little kid to think that way and live that way is very unsettling. That little boy/girl thinks the Jim Crow laws are the laws of life. I think this shows the Struggle of Equality because the little boy or girl states many Jim Crow laws that restricts him/her from many things. This child thinks that they are below white people and always have to be seperated from them. I cannot comprehend how that child lived through that era. Did they know it wasn't right? Did their parents know how wrong the Jim Crow laws were? Why hadn't the African Americans done something about their rights in the 1920's? I think that there were many struggles put into this poem that Langston Hughes emphasizes. This is why I agree with Stephanie when she said this poem was unsettling and how the youth of African Americans were raised to believe that they were of lesser value.
Stephanie, I love this poem! It really gets my emotions to come out (I actually almost cried). The poem is just so sad, especially since it's written from a childs point of view. I guess children have a sense of innocence to them that can really touch you. There are two prominent emotions that I feel when reading this peice of literature.One is sorrow, and the other is gladness. I feel such sorrow that this child has been raised to beleive that he is of lesser importance then white children. Also, that he had to abide by the Jim Crow laws. But, it appears to me that in the poem, the child has moved to the North and doesn't have to worry about these laws anymore. So, I feel glad that he might be able to live a better life then what he had to live through in the South. Over all, I find this poem to be very touching and enjoyable.
I really like the poem you chose, Stephanie! It gives the reader another persepective on life for the African Americans who traveled north. The way you interpreted the poem was exactly what I pictured when I read it over. A black child, who was raised in the South, only learned the ways of segregation. When I read this, I thought about how hard life must have been for the African American children, living in such a strange world. They didn't know that Jim Crow laws, and segregation were horrible things. Even though there are aspects of sorrow in the poem for the confused child, the real meaning behind Hughes's piece is joy. The joy and happiness is all because of the difference between north and south. After moving north, he finds that segregation is not nearly as bad as what it was like in the south. Because of the improvement dealing with segregation, the poem can be looked at in a more positive way.
I think that the poem that Stephanie chose was a very powerful poem. I found it neat that we had the same interpretation. As she states, “He was taught that blacks and whites can’t sit beside each other, and there are Jim Crow sections in the back where African Americans have to sit.” I can imagine this in my head, a little boy looking for a seat for blacks on the merry-go-round. He was taught all his life, that the blacks cannot sit by whites, having lived in the south, and he was looking for the spot for the blacks. The first time I read this poem I didn’t receive the message that the boy was in the north looking for a seat. After I read the poem again I noticed that the kid talks about, how down south where he comes from they can’t sit side by side. I also agree with Stephanie when she talks about how they can sit next to whites being so foreign to him, he can’t comprehend it.
This is such an interesting piece. As Stephanie says, it communicates serious topics such as racism and segregation in a light-hearted tone from a child's point of view. As I read this poem, I wondered about the circumstances. What race was the "Mister" that the child adresses? Where was the Merry-Go-Round located? I assume it was somewhere in the North, due to the way the child refers to "down South" througout the poem. I also agree with Stephanie that the concept behind this work is slightly disturbing. "Merry-Go-Round" demonstrates in the simplest way how children of all races were raised to accept their "place" in society at the time. During the era of JIm Crow, average American citizens of all races were raised in an environment where the white race was generally considered superior. Considering the fact that these children were the next generation of Americans, when did this continutiy halt? Did it ever completely?
The Harlem Renaissance period was a time in America when African Americans stared to move north in the country and really begin to contribute to its culture. A celebrated poet of that time was named Langston Hughes. One of my favorite poems of his is called “I Dream a World” (1926). I really enjoy this poem because it reminds me so much of Martin Luther King Junior’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Both the poem and the speech include the idea of all races cooperating, and they use the idea of a dream as the future. I admire the strength in Martin Luther King Junior’s speech and I feel the same power is in the words of this poem. “I Dream a World” clearly states the African Americans’ struggle for equality in the Harlem Renaissance period. One segment reads, “…A world I dream where black or white, Whatever race you be, Will share the bounties of the earth And every man is free…” As you can see, Hughes is exclaiming that in the present blacks and whites are still racist towards one another. He is also stating that blacks are not truly free. By writing this poem, he was speaking out against the injustices of his time, and inspiring/challenging the reader to create a future where “every man is free”. As a side note: Before you ask it, no, I do not believe Hughes was only referring to a “man” as just a man in the poem, but rather as the human race. Maybe I am wrong, but I believe that a person with such a clear view on human rights would not just put women aside as a separate category. Langston Hughes was an extraordinary poet and I believe that his poem “I Dream a World” not only is magnificent, but also clearly exemplifies the struggle for equality in the Harlem Renaissance period.
Eric is demonstrating the univeral message present in so many pieces from the Harlem Renaissance. I wonder if so many white women were abolitionists because of their level of empathy with African Americans at being "repressed" in similar ways? Harlem seemed to embrace both men and women-do you see evidence of that?
“I Dream a World” is just one of the many incredible works of Hughes. Like many of Langston’s poems, “I Dream a World” makes the reader wish and wonder. Hughes imagines a world free of “scorn”, “greed” and “wretchedness”. When Hughes tells of these dreams, I can almost feel the wistfulness he is experiencing. In his heart, Hughes knows that the perfect world he dreams of in this poem will probably never exist. However, that sense of hopelessness doesn’t stop Hughes from trying his best to make the world a better place. As Eric says, Hughes purpose of writing this poem was to “speak out against the injustices of his time.” Hughes was not just a dreamer. He was an outspoken leader of the African American community. He used the power of his pen to fight racial intolerance. Because of his determination and abilities of persuasion, he was able to influence African Americans throughout his sixty-five year life. Although his impact on the black community was not on the same scale as Martin Luther King Jrs., Langston Hughes was still a greatly admirable man.
The night is beautiful, So the faces of my people.
The stars are beautiful, So the eyes of my people.
Beautiful, also, is the sun. Beautiful, also, are the souls of my people.
My People, by Langston Hughes, really speaks to me. He is essentially saying that we are all human, and that no matter what, we all have eyes, faces, and a soul. When it comes down to it, we are all human and in some ways we are all the same when you think about it simply, so he is basically questioning why they are being discriminated against. I think this poem is brilliant and really speaks to not only me, but many others, especially African Americans whether or not they have had to struggle for equality or not.
I agree, Anna. This poem is very powerful and I was going to choose this one but instead chose one by Claude McKay. I feel like Langston Hughes is showing that these people have done nothing wrong and that they are innocent. They should be treated just the same as any other person living in the United States. Well said, buddy! :)
I also agree with Anna. I think this poem shows that everyone is human, and that there was really no reason for any discrimination because we are all the same. I also think that this poem shows that Langston Hughes could look past everything, and see that everybody is human. After all that African Americans had been through, and all that they still have to go through, he could still look past all that and still say, they are human like me. I think that this poem is his way of saying that if he can see that everyone is human, why can't others?
“Incident” By Countee Cullen Page 194, of “The Jazz Age”
Once riding in old Baltimore, Heart-filled, head-filled with glee, I saw a Baltimorean Keep looking straight at me.
Now I was eight and very small, And he was no whit bigger, And so I smiled, but he poked out His tongue, and called me, “Nigger.”
I saw the whole of Baltimore From May until December; Of all the things that happened there That’s all that I remember.
Countee’s poem, “Incident” may have been short, but it had the same if not more meaning then a two page poem. It is obvious that Countee is telling one of his own experiences. If it wasn’t one of his own experiences, it was a very common thing to happen to an African American. In the poem the author hadn’t done anything wrong, he only smiled at the Baltimorean. The Baltimorean poked out his tongue, and called him a, “Nigger.” The Baltimorean must have been introduced to this language from his parents, and he thought it was appropriate to use towards African Americans. Maybe to the Baltimorean it was just another perfect day, but this impacted the author immensely. The author only remembered what the Baltimorean said. The Baltimorean sticking out his tongue ruined his day, and all the days to proceed. He was young, and may have taken it more seriously than an older person may have. The five second action impacted another’s entire life.
I am also moved by “Incident”. I agree with all of Caitlin’s statements. Although it is short, this poem is packed with meaning. It is also very relatable. Most people have been the victim of racial hatred in their lifetime, and I think that this poem speaks to those people in a special and personal way. These characteristics are what make Countee Collin’s “Incident” so great.
The piece of Harlem Renaissance that I really enjoyed was CROSS. I could really relate to the point that the writer was trying to get out by what we learned in class. The poem talks about how the writer’s mom is black and his dad is white. It says that, “If ever I cursed my white old man, I take my curses back.” I interpreted this to mean he is somewhat afraid of his white dad, partially because white people at this time were still treated above blacks. This also means that he disrespected a white so he has to take it back so he won’t get “in trouble.” The poem also says, “If ever I cursed my black mother, and wished she were in hell, I’m sorry for that evil wish, and now I wish her well.” This part of the poem I thought the writer was trying to explain how blacks can disrespect each other without having to take it back, because it is not the same as disrespecting a white. The poem also says, “My old man died in a big fine house, my ma died in a shack. I wonder where I’m gonna die, being neither white nor black?” This part of the poem really went deep into my heart and made me pick this certain piece. It shows how most whites at this time period were considered “rich” and had fine houses. It also shows how blacks were still poor and had small houses like shacks. He is in between black and white and is not quite sure of his destiny. All of these examples are reasons why I chose this piece called CROSS. I really enjoyed reading most of the Harlem Renaissance pieces but this one showed to be the most interesting for me.
Jake's selection brings a focus on an insidious aspect of slavery and repression of African American women that is rather uncomfortable to talk about. Consider how angry the African Americans must have felt to helplessly stand by while a "master" used his slave women to satisfy his personal whims. Even in THE HELP we see evidence of many whites totally taking advantage of and disregarding the black maids. I know when I'm dispected, it really gnaws on me and creates a powerful stress and frustration. I can only imagine how the black community felt in light of direct actions (lynchings, KKK terror, poll taxes etc.), but add in the total disregard by whites when blacks were clearly contributing so much [often to whites]...grrr...makes me angry just to think about it. I am surprised the African American community showed such tolerance! I wonder if the Harlem Renaissance provided an outlet that actually slowed the civil rights push for a time?
Before reading “Cross” by Langston Hughes, I never really thought about, as Mrs. Nelson put it, “a ‘master’ using his slave women to satisfy his personal whims.” This unawareness is probably because the last time we studied slavery in school I either didn’t fully know what it meant, or we didn’t discuss this abuse in class. Now that I do realize this fact, I am disgusted with these past Americans. I’m disgusted with the people that committed these crimes, and I’m disgusted with the bystanders that knew it wasn’t right but didn’t do anything about it. Like Mrs. Nelson, I am truly astonished that African Americans didn’t show great signs of violence. I’m sure there were small acts of retaliation by blacks here and there, but the fact that there wasn’t something as big as the KKK for blacks makes me respect those freedmen and their early descendants greatly. Back then, whites considered themselves to be the superior race over blacks. If there were a superior race at that time, though, that race would probably be the African Americans. Whites constantly showed pointless hate while blacks stood by and watched, powerless, holding their temper, and being the better man. Also, very good point Mrs. Nelson. I never thought about the possibility of the Harlem Renaissance being an anger-reliever and slowing the process of the civil rights push. I’m not sure if this is true, though it is definitely a possibility.
Looking forward with rapt delight To the day of riches and a great house, I labored and saved until I was fifty. Then with my money boxes full, And my great house built, I said: "Soul, take thy ease, Thou had food for many days." In the very moment my soul was required of me: I neither knew the house, nor could I enjoy the riches With that soul of me which remained, After winning them With the soul which was gone!
This piece of literature, written by Edgar Lee Masters, really stood out to me. Masters wrote about unhappy village people, such as the man described in this poem, Jordan Mordant. In this perspective, the reader gets a feel for what the times were like for some African American people. Through the context, you can assume that Jordan was a sharecropper, or some type of laborer. He was motivated to leave by the time he was 50 years old, with a great house, money, riches, and all the food imaginable, but for him, that wasn't the case. All the hard work he had done basically left him unable to enjoy any of the things he had worked for. He even says that his soul was gone, meaning that Jordan didn't know how to live a normal life anymore, since he was born and raised a hard-worker. The poem really opened my eyes about how harsh the reality and future was for those people. After that lifetime of hard work, there wasn't even a decent reward. The poem portrays the theme struggle for equality because Jordan worked so hard to achieve his goals, and went through many struggles, and ended up not being able to be reach his desires, therefore not being able to become equal.
I agree with Lea when she said Jordan could have been a share cropper or any type of laborer. He truly wanted to leave where ever he was and start a new life somewhere else. Most share croppers wanted to leave their work behind and move to the North where life was full of more opportunities. I believe that Lea really "translated" this poem very well and helped me to understand its meaning better then I would have if I just read this and not thought of the true meaning of the poem.
While looking through the green “Jazz Age” book, I came across a poem titled “Incident” by Countee Cullen. This poem is found on page 194 of the book. Once riding in old Baltimore, Heart-filled, head-filled with glee, I saw a Baltimorean Keep looking straight at me.
Now I was eight and very small, And he was no whit bigger, And so I smiled, but he poked out His tongue, and called me, “Nigger.”
I saw the whole of Baltimore From May until December; Of all the things that happened there That's all that I remember.
This poem is really simple and easy to understand, which is how I like poems. Other poems in this book seem to be written in some kind of poet's code which I cannot decipher. There is no need to decipher this poem because it doesn't really have any secret hidden meaning. This poem is about a little African American child who goes to Baltimore and is surprised at how she is treated by the young boy, who I assume to be white. At first, the child is excited and happy to be in Baltimore and she is friendly to everyone but then her whole experience is ruined because this kid was mean to her. It is surprising and sad how one little incident can affect her memory of a 7 month period.
I agree with Flori when she said this poem has no secret meaning. Just like Flori, I like poems that do not have a secret meaning. Also, I agree with Flori's interpretation of the poem. The poem is very easy to understand because it is only about a little African American boy/girl who goes to Baltimore. I cannot even imagine how terrible the little boy/girl felt when the white boy called him/her a very raciest name!
I think that the poem As I Grew Older by Langston Hughes is an example of the struggle for equality. The poem says that Hughes had a dream, but it was blocked by a wall. I think this wall represents all of the discrimination and injustice that whites built up against African Americans. This wall is made up of Jim Crow laws, sharecropping, or the KKK. It was a way for whites to force African Americans into obedience. Hughes talks about trying to break through the wall, and I think that this shows the struggle for equality. African Americans were trying to break down the wall between their race and the white race. They had to do it slowly, brick by brick, because white control was strong. But African American eventually destroyed the wall, and showed the world that they were equal to whites. This is how I think this poem shows the struggle for equality.
As Emily spoke about the destruction of "the wall" I am wondering what everyone thinks this wall is made of in a metaphorical sense. Ideas? I also wonder if the wall could only come down with inter-racial cooperation? Are whites critical components of the Civil Rights Movement? And, is the Harlem Renaissance a turning point because the message of the black experience (often historically negative) finally reached the ears of whites in a way that was understandable?
I agree with Emily when she says that the poem, “As I Grew Older” was an example of a struggle for equality. I think this poem was made to show that African Americans were equal to the white community and they had the right to live their dreams. I think that the shadow and wall standing between this person and his/her dreams is racial segregation and the struggle to get to their dream, even though white people didn’t want African Americans to be equal to them. I also agree with Emily when she says that when that person is trying to break down the wall, it shows the struggle for equality. I think this because he/she in the poem says that the wall was large and thick and so was the racial discrimination in the South. This is why I agree with Emily.
I believe that Emily chose a compelling poem, but I do disagree with her in some minor ways. My strongest disagreement is the fact that I don't think that "the wall" would be completely destroyed today. My reasoning is this: African Americans are still a minority. As much as many people would hate to admit, there is still racism and discrimination against black people. They're still given stereotypes and slang nicknames and they're constantly made fun of. Though it may not be a prominent issue in Fairview, I don't think that saying that the wall is completely overcome is correct. Yes, African Americans have come a LONG way, but they still have a small ways to go before achieving true equality.
Since my last poem I responded about was not written by an African American, I decided to choose a new poem that spoke to me that was by an African American. The new poem that spoke to me was The Creation, by James Weldon Johnson. This is a very lengthy poem, but Johnson is a very straight forward writer. His poem is merely about “the creation” of the Earth and everything else in the Universe by God. The poem really did not have much to do with the whole “Struggle for Equality” concept, so I am going to focus on the Author who wrote the poem. James Weldon Johnson was an African American who was active in the struggle of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in the hopes to improve life for his people. Johnson was a very well educated man, and most of his poems showed this fact. In some of his other poetry, essays, novels, and biographical writings, he pleaded for Negro patience and greater educational opportunities. An example of this is the poem Brother, which is a very good poem about teachings of younger children, and how all men are supposed to be brothers, but aren’t treated like so. This is why I chose to talk about the Poem The Creation, but more importantly, the author James Weldon Johnson.
I was doing some reading about JW Johnson tonight and Colleen is right that he was "very well educated" and held in high esteem. He even has a NAACP connection! Can anyone discover what that connection is?
It was a long time ago. I have almost forgotten my dream. But it was there then, In front of me, Bright like a sun-- My dream. And then the wall rose, Rose slowly, Slowly, Between me and my dream. Rose until it touched the sky-- The wall. Shadow. I am black. I lie down in the shadow. No longer the light of my dream before me, Above me. Only the thick wall. Only the shadow. My hands! My dark hands! Break through the wall! Find my dream! Help me to shatter this darkness, To smash this night, To break this shadow Into a thousand lights of sun, Into a thousand whirling dreams Of sun! Langston Hughes (Yes, he is black Mrs. Nelson) http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/as-i-grew-older/
"As I Grew Older" is a poem that speaks directly about segregation and the struggle for equality. This particular poem is my favorite piece out of the several I researched because it talks about past and present of blacks. I interpreted this poem as Langston Hughes talking about his own history. He had originally looked down on himself and let "The Wall" of segregation shadow his dreams for a better life. Langston let it consume him as he blended in with the darkness of his surroundings. Then, Langston realized that it does not matter whether or not he is black or white; he is who he is. It was time for blacks to break through the walls and chase their dreams. I enjoyed the imagery at the end of the poem, "Help me to shatter this darkness, To smash this night, To break this shadow, Into a thousand lights of sun, Into a thousand whirling dreams, Of sun!" Langston wanted to break down the obstacle of segregation and reveal the light of equality and the pursuit of happiness. He wanted to have everyone band together and chase what they believed in. "As I Grew Older" is a perfect example of the struggle for equality because it's words speak of the tough times that hindered them from achieving their goals. A shadow hangs over the African Americans. In my opinion, this poem represents the very struggle that African Americans continue to fight til this day.
Nevin's point of view of this poem, I believe, is spot on. I too enjoyed reading this poem, and I am glad he chose this perticular peice. One thing that I do believe Nevin did not mention was what the lines "I lie down in the shadow. No longer the light of my dream before me." I believe these lines have a great importance for, in my point of view, he sees his dream and is going to get it, but then he keeps getting pushed down and insulted and almost forgets what he was fighting for. Soomething inside him, though, remembers what he wished to do, so this black man goes and breaks through being pushed down, or insulted, eventually reaching his original goal. This is my interpretation of these two lines in this amazing poem, and Nevin's description is how I also interpreted the rest of the poem.
I believe Nevin had an extremely accurate analysis of this poem. This poem speaks to me because it shows you how it must have truly felt to be an African American during this period of time. It talks about has a child he believed that due to his color he would never truly achieve his dreams. As he grows older he learns that to accomplish them he must break down the wall of segregation that looms over his head. He knows this will not be an easy task, but knows it must be done for Africans to progress into society. I liked how Nevin described the other side of the wall as a lighted side free of segregation. It really gave the idea a very plain description of segregation. The dark side of the wall filled with racial hate and segregation and the other side, which is filled with the light, and is accepting to all people. This poem truly speaks the voice of Africans during the Harlem Renaissance, and I believe never did a truly amazing job at interpreting it.
My favorite pie e of literature from the Harlem Renaissance is the poem Fire and Ice by Rober Frost. It reads:
Some say the world will end in fire Some say in ice From what I've tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire But if it had to perish twice I think I know enough of hate To say that for destruction ice Is also great And would suffice
I believe that this piece is truly beautiful. The author, basically, is saying that his first choice of death would be hot and passionate, like fire. Although he believes that this would be a noble death, he can also see the views of the people who choose to perish by ice and how that would be a noble death aswell. My interpretation of this poem narrows fire and ice to a common core: fighting for your beliefs. Although the stray in very different directions, that is the one thing that both share. I believe that a death by fire would exist in the heat of the moment. A death by fire would be caused by something like a riot or a lynching. I could see it happenin to a very outspoken person. In contrast, a death by ice would take a long time. The person perishing will still stand up for their beliefs, but they will do it in a more careful manner; not causing a riot, but instead making themselves disliked. This is basically the "cold" part of the death. Whenever you see someone they will give you the "cold shoulder" and you will die old and alone. Robert favors fire but he can see both arguments on which is better.
I believe that this poem ties into our lesson "A Struggle for Equality" in the sense that most people either spoke out for what they believed in or hid away from he rest of the world. Both deaths were speaking out to try and achieve equality, but sadly, it obviously didn't work out for a while. By going off of this, I would expect Robert to have very strong opinions about whatever he was willing to die for. I have a great deal of respect for that.
I am excited about the upcoming English project that allows you to dig deeply into petry pieces of the Harlem Renaissance. This blog is a great start. I hope you are reading....I have raised a variety of questions and do not see evidence of anyone reading/responding. I DO like that you are balancing responses among students...everyone wants to feel like part of the blog team...continue to support each other. I challenge you to raise provoking questions as well! And, while I'm "preaching" I will add that Zora Neale Hurston, though not a poet, has WONDERFUL stories that you would enjoy reading! "Their Eyes Were Watching God" is one of my favorite books!
I also agree with Rosie. I think that she is right about the time not being as productive as everyone paints it to be. I think that, white people especially, like to think that this was a time of great success for African Americans, a time where they moved forward in the world. But I think this poem shows the other side that no one likes to talk about. This poem shows that African Americans believed they were fighting a losing battle. If everything was as good as it seemed, they wouldn’t have felt like hogs. Even thought this was a progressive time for African Americans, I think that there was a lot of tiny steps backward in the big step forward that was the Harlem Renaissance. I think that Rosie chose a very good poem, and I agree with her views on If I Must Die.
This post is in response to Shannon's post regarding the poem "Blasphemy." Her analysis intrigued me, so I read the full poem. I was shocked at the concept and the wording of this piece. Almost every other work of literature from the Harlem Renassiance that I have come across has the "polished" tone of voice about it. Even though slang is used, they carry the professional aura that we come to expect out of literature. "Blasphemy" was written with raw honesty with wording that was completely unexpected. I can't explain the frustration of reading about the sheer ignorance of the speaker. Even though I am non-religious, I thought there was some level of disrespect the way the speaker was regarding God. It was almost as if they considered themselves to be a companion to God, as if this poem was a conversation between the two about the African-American that was below the two. I think the reality of this work hit me hard- this was the way that African-Americans were treated, and it was considered acceptable. Rationally, I know that this was not the case for all African-Americans, but the fact that it happened at all is infuriating. This is the country that we are supposed to be proud of, even though things like this happened. This piece was worded completely unexpectedly and evoked emotions out of me-it is quite powerful!
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wl-pP6-iDHI/TWbY17rDpoI/AAAAAAAAAAw/3TWkH0m4CSQ/s1600/hr+art+1.jpg
ReplyDeleteThis piece of art spoke to me about how African Americans were finally getting accepted in society. Around the table it depicts people reading-- both blacks and whites. They were no longer separated, and the white's racism was no longer bothering the blacks. The whites either accepted them or kept their opinions to themselves.
I think Caelan has chosen a powerful piece of artwork! What do others see in this piece? Do you agree African Americans are portrayed in a positive way? Can anyone tell us who created this piece and when? I also think this artwork corresponds well with "I, Too" by Langston Hughes. (I read some fascinating information about Hughes' great uncle (John Mercer Langston) that I will share in class! If anyone wants to do their own research on JMLangston, feel free:) Does anyone else find connections between the writing and the images, even though each is created by different artists? I'd be interested in hearing about these connections from your perspectives. Thanks for posting first Caelan:)
DeleteI Did a little research on the painting. It is called "The Library" by Jacob Lawrence. The website I found this picture on explains that the library depicted in the painting is The 135th Street Library, where the country's first display of African American literature was displayed in 1925. This added a whole new perspective to the work for me. The fact that what they are reading is depicted as African American literature changes the whole idea that there are white people their reading. They are accepting that the books are written by blacks and they can still enjoy them, which is a huge step. I am sorry I didn't have this information in my first post.
DeleteThe piece of literature that I enjoyed the most was I, TOO, SING AMERICA, by Langston Hughes. It talked about how black men were forced to eat in the kitchen while the whites dined. The black man in the poem had a lot of pride, and he takes it lightly when they send him to eat in the kitchen because he knows that someday he will be treated the same as the whites and he is willing to wait until that day. He says that tomorrow, he will eat at the dinner table, and nobody will dare to tell him to eat in the kitchen. He says that they will be ashamed, and realize that he is a person too, and then treat him with the same respect as any other person. I liked how the poem started off showing the bad parts of black mens' lives, and then showing the opportunity in the future. I feel as if I can hear the author saying this poem, and the power and pride in his voice as he says it. The poem I, TOO, SING AMERICA was the piece of literature that spoke to me the most.
ReplyDeleteDylan's comments on "I,Too" really resonate with me as this is one of my favorite poems of all time, not just of the Harlem Renaissance era. I think the simplicity of the kitchen table setting, a place we ALL have been, helps any reader of any race, sex, or age to connect with the authors feelings. I see great determination in the main character, and I admire his words that point to a brighter future for himself and his fellow African Americans. I think Dylan's words "power and pride" are accurate. Do you know when Hughes wrote this piece? If you wanted to set it to music, what background song would you choose? Does youtube have video with this poem set to music? (feel free to send along the link) We'll be digging deeper into Hughes' works throughout next week. Thanks Dylan!
DeleteI agree with Dylan on how the poem speaks to you. I also heard the author speaking this poem when I read it. However, I disagree on some of the author's views. He makes it seem like the blacks will be sitting at the table by not doing anything. As we very well know, there were many parades, arrests, and even deaths that lead up to the true citizenship of African Americans. He almost seems lazy. But he knows that it will happen. I think it is still a powerful poem, but it could have been written better. I think the music this poem would be set to would be a blues or R&B song. Something slow, but flowing.
DeleteThe piece of literature I found most interesting from the Harlem Renaissance Era was a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay called “Lament”. This poem is about a mother telling her children that their father had died. It doesn’t specify exactly how he died, but his wife shows that she can keep her cool expostition while telling her children this terrible fact. The mother tells each of her children specifically that they can keep things to remember their father by, such as keys and pennies, because they meant something to their father. The line I find most powerful in this poem is when he mother says, “Life must go on; I forget just why.” I find this line displaying much emotion because, when reading this poem, it was like I could hear the mother speaking to her children with much stature, but when she says this line, I felt like the reality of the loss of her husband finally became real to her. The most important theme in this poem is that, even though their father had died, the mother keeps telling her children that life must go on. This theme is what grasped my attention in the poem and made me like it out of all the other poems I read. The poem “Lament” by Edna St. Vincent Millay was the most meaningful and interesting poem that I read from the Harlem Renaissance Era.
ReplyDeleteHere is a reading of the poem that I found on YouTube since I could not find the poem set to a song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSw04G6SGjc
Millay has written many wonderful pieces of poetry and really speaks to me as well, Colleen. She is white though, and though her agenda sometimes addressed political injustice, you want to choose an African-American authored piece.
DeleteA poem that was particularly captivating and enriching to me was “Incident” by Countee Cullen. On the surface, it may seem like a somewhat childlike poem, lacking in deep meaning and advanced vocabulary. However, the simple and easy to understand nature of “Incident” gives a reader a good sense of the everyday life of an early twentieth century African American.
ReplyDeleteIt tells a story of an “incident” that the author, Countee Cullen, experienced at the tender age of eight. While Countee was traveling in Baltimore, a white boy singled him out and spit a racial slur at him. The poem makes it seem as if this was young Countee’s first experience with racial hatred. After reading the last stanza, it is obvious that this incident made a lasting impression on Countee. Although he spent a lot of time in Baltimore, Cullen writes that “of all the things that happened there, that’s all I will remember.”
This is a great way to wrap up the poem. It shows that even the smallest gestures of racial hatred can cast a dark shadow over the overall mood of racial tolerance. It also highlights the fact that the end of slavery way back in 1865 was only the beginning of the African American people’s struggle for equality.
Beautifully stated Ben. "Incident" is a simple, powerful piece that all of us can connect with regardless of race. Thanks for sharing your insights on this great selection.
DeleteThe poem "Incident" spoke to me as well. As Ben stated it is a pretty easy poem to understand, with no advanced vocabulary. It intrigued me that a child would be that racist towards another child, and he was also from the North! When African Americans were starting to head up north because of all the segregation in the South, they kind of had the aura that blacks were treated equally up north of the Mason-Dixon line. The fact that the child called Countee such a rude word kind of makes me upset. It shows that the child had inherited all of his racism from his parents actions, and how they looked at African Americans. So because of that child's parents, he would not really get to make a choice on whether blacks were equal to whites or not. Since Countee still remembered what the white child had said to her many years afterward, that shows that it affected her life in a negative way. Good job Ben on choosing such a captivating poem.
DeleteBen Westcott (and a few other peers) have choosen a really straight forward, impactful poem, being "Incident." As others in this class will say I am not the best "poetry person" so I generally look for poems that are simple but powerful. "Incident" talks about how a boy who remembers a racial slur "spit" upon him as Ben had said. I agree with Ben when he says that "even the smallest gestures of racial hared can cast a shadow over the overall mood of racial tolerance," or racial intolrance for that matter. One thing I would like to add on to what Ben had said is that even the small things you say and affect people a great amount, and this is an "incident" (not to be punny)where my mother would remind me of the famous saying "If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all." Overall, Ben has chosen a very interesting, powerful, straight forward poem in which I feel is one of the best poems I have read. Great job Ben two thumbs up for this one.
DeleteCountee Cullen's poem , "Incident", is a very intriguing poem in which the speaker, Countee, experiences racism for the first time. I agree with Ben when he says that the incident in which Countee was first exposed to racial hatred would leave a lasting impression. The poem described Countee as a "Heart-filled, head filled with glee" young boy who was oblivious to the segregation around him. The young Baltimorean ripped away Countee's 8 year-old bubble of protection. The truth of the African American struggle flooded Countee. I have to disagree with Dylan we he says the exposure from the young Baltimorian affected Countee in a negative way. The minor racial slander that Cullen shouldered had prepared him for the upcoming emotional and physical blows that the everyday white community would dish out. The young Baltimorean had gave Countee a small understanding of the true world, and Countee knew the time of segregation was upon him. "Incident" is a poem that truly follows the theme of "The Struggle for Equality".
DeleteMy favorite aspect of the Harlem Renaissance is jazz. As Gerald Early said, America will be remembered for 3 things: the Constitution, baseball, jazz. A song from the Harlem Renaissance that I like is Take the A Train by Duke Elllington. It talks about how you should take the A train because it is the fastest way to Harlem. If you miss the A train, you've missed the fastest way to Harlem. I think it is trying to tell African Americans to go to Harlem and get a better life. Jazz was a new and great thing, and many musicians were trying to spread it around to other people. Jazz easily spread fast and was soon popular in all states and Harlem had over 200,000 African American residents.
ReplyDeleteI can tell someone is reading the textbook closely:) I asked Aleksandr the Russian immigrant if he thought of Jazz when he thinks of America, and he said "ABSOLUTELY" and that jazz is great. (Does anyone NOT like jazz?) Can anyone find some jazz links that we can listen to, specifically links to Harlem Renaissance music? It's inspiring to read about the influx of African Americans to Harlem! Hughes sounded so happy when he arrived as quoted in the textbook. Thanks for sharing Steven.
Deletehttp://www.jcu.edu/harlem/Audio/Page_1.htm
DeleteHere are some songs from the Harlem Renaissance. There are also other links around the website about the Harlem Renaissance about political issues, literature, and religion, too.
That is very interesting that when he thinks of America, he thinks of jazz, Mrs. Nelson. I thought that when people thought of America they thought of Chevrolet, apple pie, and baseball! Haha! I find it very interesting that he thinks that way, and Steven, I love that you think of music when you think of the Harlem Renaissance. That idea is so you! I'm not too much of a fan of present day jazz, but I am fond of the jazz in the Harlem Renaissance. Did it ever change into a different kind of sound? When I think of jazz, I think of my favorite book, The Great Gatsby which I believe is set in this age. I love reading a fictional story about the elegant and care-free time period, but I wish F. Scott Fitzgerald incorporated aome kind of relationship with African Americans into the book. Maybe Daisy or Gatsby could be African American. I think that'd be cool. Well I'm glad you chose something about the music in this era, Steven!
DeleteThat is very interesting that when he thinks of America, he thinks of jazz, Mrs. Nelson. I thought that when people thought of America they thought of Chevrolet, apple pie, and baseball! Haha! I find it very interesting that he thinks that way, and Steven, I love that you think of music when you think of the Harlem Renaissance. That idea is so you! I'm not too much of a fan of present day jazz, but I am fond of the jazz in the Harlem Renaissance. Did it ever change into a different kind of sound? When I think of jazz, I think of my favorite book, The Great Gatsby which I believe is set in this age. I love reading a fictional story about the elegant and care-free time period, but I wish F. Scott Fitzgerald incorporated aome kind of relationship with African Americans into the book. Maybe Daisy or Gatsby could be African American. I think that'd be cool. Well I'm glad you chose something about the music in this era, Steven!
DeleteI aboslutly love jazz, but early jazz is by far the best.I would hope that everyone sees jazz the way Rosie, Steven, and I do; if you dont i would sugest that you listen and have your minds blown. Jazz deserves more recignition than it gets because music has definatly gone downhill from the ninteen twenties. I think we need to appreciate jazz more than we do.
DeleteOne of the poems that I enjoyed from the Harlem Renaissance is called “Cross.” This poem was written by Langston Hughes. I liked this poem because it was simple and realistic. The Struggle for Equality theme was definitely represented in this poem. In the Harlem Renaissance Era, whites knew their “place” in society and African Americans were struggling to know where they fit in. In “Cross,” Hughes portrayed the feelings of uncertainty of belonging in society for a person of both African American and white decent. Hughes explained that whites were normally classified as wealthy whereas African Americans were normally classified as poor. This poem makes it seem as though the speaker would be middle-class, but in reality, the speaker would most likely be classified as either white or African American, like Homer Plessy. “Cross” expresses the struggle that people of mixed races had for equality and also points out that African Americans were struggling, as well.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you mentioned Plessy as your example, Anotonia. I'm always inspired when we build on prior knowledge:) You provide insightful analysis of "Cross." I wonder if Hughes named this piece exclusively meaning that his poem's character is a cross (mix). Could the poem have any connection to the cross where Jesus died, which epitomized a whole other type of struggle, but struggle nonetheless? I can recall a time in my own lifetime when people really looked askance at a mixed race couple. Today, our society is much more accepting on many levels. I wonder what whites of the 1930s thought of this poem.
DeleteWhen I read this poem, I also considered that it may have been named "Cross" because African Americans and whites are now crossing paths, whereas they weren't previously. They come in contact with eachother in their everyday lives on whole new levels.
DeleteAntonia chose a poem that I found interesting because it explores another side of the racial tension going on during the 1920's. A majority of white Americans didn't want to talk to African Americans, much less marry one. Both of the parents in this poem were most likely outcasted from society for their choices. Hughes is left as the result of this discrimination. He will not be treated with the equality of a white man He may be treated worse than black men because he represents racial integration simply by existing. I'm glad that Antonia brought up Homer Plessy who incidentally caused Jim Crow Laws to be legalized. It makes me wonder if Plessy was actually a reason for segregation. Segregation made the lines black and white, while both Plessy and Hughes are people who in living, blur the lines carefully laid by the small minds of the white population. Jim Crow laws probably prevented many mixed race couples that would have made integration a more feasible task. Antonia's interpretations of the poem "Cross" by Langston Hughes raises questions of a rather unexplored side of the fight for equality.
Delete"the lines carefully laid by the small minds of the white population" is nifty wording Bryce. Rosa Parks was a Plessy type as well right? In a different era, she could have made things WORSE for African Americans as well. Interesting to contemplate....you can be a hero for acting a certain way IF you act that way in the correct context (time & space). Otherwise, you could push only to find yourself "pushed back" even to a point prior to your original starting point! (Remember the effort of the poor sharecropper to leave his farm?)
DeleteWhen I think of the 1920’s or the Harlem Renaissance; my mind drifts towards the great music of the time period. The “music” of today cannot be even remotely compared to the great Jazz and Blues music of the twenties. One of my favorite pieces of music form the Harlem Renaissance is Crazy Blues. The song its self does not represent much it’s the people who performed it. Mamie Smith was the first black vocalist to ever record the blues and the song was Crazy Blues. To everyone’s surprise it was an instant hit. The recording of that song meant so much to the progression of black singers and even more too black women. Not to mention it’s a great song. Mamie Smith and her song Crazy Blues lead the way for black female singers everywhere.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaz4Ziw_CfQ
I'm having fun listening to Mamie! (Youtube rocks sometimes:) I think Mia is offering a wonderful tribute to the exciting music of this 1920's era. With the radio as the emerging media form of this time period, I wonder if white audiences knew the race of various performers? Mia also hints at the struggle women faced in many areas of life. (We will study that soon!) Is Mamie connected to Bessie Smith?
DeleteI agree with Mia. Some of the.... well, crap, to put it nicely, today can't even come close. Every now and then, I have to give some artists credit. Adele has many good songs, and there have been others scattered here and there. But some artists like Rihanna, don't even get me started. I am a HUGE fan of jazz and blues. Its surprising how back then they did nothing electronic and strange to their voice and it still sounds better than some music today. By the way Mrs. Nelson, to answer your question, no, Mamie and Bessie weren't related.
DeleteThanks Steven. (and thanks for the links to the music...I like jazz instrumentals, however, some of the singing voices are not so soothing to me. Did anyone else listen to various jazz singers? Thoughts?
DeleteAfter listening to this piece of music, I've realized that Steven is right about jazz and blues being better than some of today's music. Today's music is without the meaning it had back in the 20's I'll admit that, and that is actually something that has bothered me even before we started this unit. Mrs. Nelson, to answer that question, I don't listen to jazz and blues often, but when I do most of the time I like the music. Continuing on what Mia said about Mamie Smith being one of the first black vocalist, this not only helped the African American civil rights movement, but also helped the women's rights movement as well. During that time, most musicians were actually men, not women. Like Steven said, this music actually does sound better than some of today's music.
DeleteThanks for the the comments I'm so glad so many people like Jazz!To answer Mrs. Nelsons question I listen to Jazz all the time, jazz is basicaly all I listen to well along with musicals(like wicked), and Farnk Sanatra. I have to say that there is nothing that beats the music from the roarin' twenties. Todays music is sensles and has a lot of inapropiate meanings which is why I find jazz so refreshing.For me this progect was simple i just had to pick my favorit song of music from the twenties. I'm curious what is your favorit Harlem Renissance jazz song?
DeleteMia, when I was reading your response I thought about one thing: Millie! For those who don't know, Millie is short for Thouroughly Modern Millie, a musical that the school did when I was in 6th grade. It's about a "Modern" girl named Millie who lives in the 20s. The show is stockpiled with everything from dancing, to speakeasys, to tap-dancing stenographers! The production itself was so much fun, but the sole thing that made practice, for me, worthwhile was the music. The beats were so uplifting, and, while I'm not sure that it was "true" jazz, I definitely think of the show music when someone mentions the genre. I admit, I'm not obsessed with jazz (I'm more of a oldies rock kinda girl), but every single time I hear a song of that type come on, I'm tapping my toes and bouncing my head. The beat is so euphoric that it's contagious! I love the song that you chose. It's really good!
DeleteMy favorite poem from the Harlem Renaissance age is “April Rain Song.” This poem was written by Langston Hughes, an African American, White American, and a Native American. The first time I read this, I thought it was just another poem about rain. The second time I read it I thought, maybe this poem means more than just a little rainfall. “Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby. The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk. The rain makes running pools in the gutter. The rain plays a little sleep-song on our roof at night—” In these two stanzas, the rain is helping the speaker when they are going through a difficult time by “singing them a lullaby” and “kissing them.” Also, the speaker is letting the rain assist him in what is wrong. The last line of the poem is, “And I love the rain.” I thought this line meant that the speaker is thankful for what the “rain” has done for him. So, he loves the rain. In conclusion, this poem is about what the rain does and what the speaker says one should allow the rain to do.
ReplyDeleteHere is a link to my favorite poem:
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/182174
Thanks Nina! I had not read "Rain" before-wow! Hughes has such a gift with language. I am stunned by how much emotion so few words can elicit! What kinds of symbolism do you others see in this wonderful selection?
DeleteThe poem that Nina chose was very uplifting and powerful with the use of symbolism. Even though it is such a short poem, the message it sends out is so wonderful. The rain is an important part of the symbolism in this poem. I believe Hughes chose to write about rain in this piece because rain and water can sometimes be thought of as peaceful and calming. Like Nina mentioned, rain was used as the symbolism in this poem to help the speaker get through whatever he was going through, and the man thanked the "rain" for all that it has done for him.
DeleteThis poem really spoke to me. I too love the rain. I find it soothing like Hughes, but I also find it cleansing. I feel like there is no better way to connect with my spiritual self than by enjoying the world and improving it with my actions. A rainy day is typically thought of as sad or gloomy, but I describe it as joyful and calming. I couldn’t live without the rain. Sorry, this post wasn't really directed towards the topic of Harlem Renaissance or Reconstruction. I just wanted to share how I feel about this poem.
DeleteMaybe Hughes wants the kind of connection that "Rain" makes with so many of us? After all, rain is one of those universal human experiences. Maybe that is why Hughes chose the topic. (There is nothing quite as cozy as sleeping in, dozing really, on a rainy day:)
DeleteI thought that the poem Nina chose, “April Rain Song” by Langston Hughes, was a very motivational and inspiring one. On the surface, it seems as if the poem is just talking about a normal rainfall, as Nina said. However, if you really look into the poem, it actually shows how something special that you enjoy or cherish can help you through the difficult or sad times in your life. In this case, that special thing is the rain. You can tell by the poem how the speaker feels about the rain. He tells about it with gratitude and wonder for everything it can do to help you. Nina already mentioned that the rain can help you get through hard times, but another way rain can help you in a less significant, more ordinary way is described in stanza two when the speaker says “The rain plays a little sleep-song on our roof at night.” This line can relate to a wide range of people- everyone has had the experience of letting the rain lure you to sleep at night and how peaceful it can make you feel. You can tell that the last line of the poem is the most important in this poem. He says “And I love the rain.” This line stands by itself in the third stanza and he changes the point of view from third person to first person. In all other lines of the poem, he is telling you how to let the rain help you through tough times, but in the last line, he is revealing his personal feelings towards rain by using first person point of view. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this poem and agreed with Nina’s interpretations.
DeleteOne piece of poetry that I enjoyed was “Democracy” by Langston Hughes. I am not the best at interpreting poetry, so I liked this one because it was very straightforward. This straightforwardness, though, is what makes it effective. Anyone who reads this poem can clearly see that Hughes wants equality, and he wants it now. The reader doesn’t have to search into the poem or through the vocabulary. The push for equality is right there. By reading this poem, you can also see that Langston Hughes is a supporter of Du Bois’s “right now” approach on equality and is against Booker T. Washington’s. The poem says, “Democracy will not come… Through compromise and fear” and “I tire so of hearing people say, let things take their course.” Both of these quotes are against Washington’s philosophy, which says that equality will come after economic growth.
ReplyDeleteHere’s an interesting reading of “Democracy”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ftRxZnoCgw
Sam, I appreciate your candor re: poetry interpretation:) I think you made some excellent connections though. Could Hughes have met Washington or DuBois? Does someone want to cross reference the dates? The Harlem Renaissance provided the impetus for the Civil Rights movement, yet in some ways, the push was a "gentle breath" rather than a firestorm. (I wonder if Katniss could have fostered a revolution through words...isn't the pen mightier than the sword?) "Compromise and fear"-these are interesting word choices. What might Hughes be referring to? Thanks for sharing this piece and taking the risk to share your thoughts...well done!
DeleteIt is very unlikely that Hughes met Washington because Washington died when Langston was thirteen years old. Though I did not find evidence of this happening, Hughes could have met W.E.B. Du Bois. Langston lived from 1902 to 1967 and Du Bois lived from 1868 to 1963 (It’s also surprising that Du Bois was born 34 years before Hughes, but they died within 4 years of each other). When Langston said compromise and fear, I believe he had the Ku Klux Klan in mind. He believed that African Americans couldn’t become equal while fearing the KKK and letting them rule the African Americans’ lives. I also think he was referring to Booker T. Washington’s philosophy of compromising with the whites. If African Americans were to gain equal rights, Hughes thought, they would have to go against the whites and push for equality; not letting it come to them.
DeleteI too enjoyed the poem "Democracy" as well as Sam. I think Sam did a great job of explaining the poem and I also liked how the poem was pretty straightforward. Sam made a good comparison on how Hughes was more supportive towards Du Bois than Washington. I personally think Washington's way was a better and more prosperous path to take than Du Bois because if you slowly show that you are worthy to have all the rights that the whites had than you are more likely to get them than if you demanded them outright, like Du Bois was suggesting. By demanding the rights outright it kind of made the African Americans look a bit quick to anger, which would be a great turnoff and even better reason on why to withhold those rights. Well done Sam on your posting.
DeleteAdd Garvey's ideas into the mix. Was the 20's decade a better time to PUSH for rights? If Garvey is not deported (which I suppose means he doesn't break US laws), does his movement bring about different results? Was the Harlem Renaissance era the right time to push for civil, not just cultural, acceptance and fuller rights and respect? I am thinking DuBois would say yes.
DeleteI too cannot understand poetry well and know that the quality of "straightforwardness" is very useful in poetry for me. As Sam said, this quality makes sure that everyone who reads it knows he wants equality. I also find that Sam is very insightful when he refers to Langston relating with the views of Dubois. Overall, Sam interprets this poem very well and has really connected with my beliefs.
Delete"Grass", page 228 of The Jazz Age
ReplyDeleteMy favorite poem was "Grass", by Carl Sandburg (1876-1967). It has a simplicity that can really speak to you. This poem speaks of grass covering all the bodies of Austerlitz, Waterloo, Gettysburg, Ypres, and Verdun. It speaks of the people shoveling the memories of these horrific events underneath them and letting the grass take it's hold. The near end of the poem states, "What place is this? Where are we now?" I believe this poem speaks of how we will forget these events and pretend they were only a sore spot of our past. The later generations will forget what their ancestors had fought for. This short poem really does speak wonders beyond the imagination. We have to "let the grass work" and cover our history as we move on. This demonstrates the "struggle for equality" because all that others have done for us will be forgotten. All the good deeds that people of different races have done for each other will be thrown under the blanket of separation.
Sandburg has some powerful poetry for sure! He is a white man, and I'd like you to choose to respond to an African-American Harlem Renaissance connected piece. That being said, I like the deeper look you took at "Grass". I suppose I see grass as something constant...no matter how hot the sun or how dead the grass appears, the greenness always returns. So, I think of grass emerging from the struggles, and not so much covering to hide, but rather helping us remember that something once WAS, but has changed. (I am in Sam's boat when it comes to poetry interpretation, but I enjoy trying:) Perhaps grass is the great unifier under which all of us must lie one day?
DeleteI read the poem "Grass" and thought it was a very good poem. Nevin said, "The later generations will forget what their ancestors had fought for." I believe that in some ways this is true, and in others it isn't. As time goes on, people remember some parts of history and forget others. In school, children are taught about certain people, dates, events, battles, et cetera, and not about others. This is because some parts of history are considered more important than others. During the Civil War (and I am assuming the names of places in the poem are various places of battles in the Civil War), after battles were fought, there would usually be hundreds or thousands of dead soldiers to dispose of, so often the soldiers were buried in mass graves on the battleground. Grass would grow on the graves and cover up all the sadness and hide the pain of the loss of the soldiers. Maybe because of the tragedy of all the lives lost, people do not want to remember anything about the battles. There may be other reasons as to why these battles are forgotten. I believe these battles should be remembered, even if they were fought by black men, and even moreso then because black men still fought in the civil war even though they were discriminated against quite often.
DeleteMy favorite piece of poetry that I came across on the Harlem Renaissance was "Blasphemy" by Esther Popel. I found this piece especially interesting because it's meant to be from a white person's point of view. In the poem, a white person is speaking to God. This person is telling God how he and others have an African American that they are going to lynch. This white person thinks that God will send the African American to hell after they hang him. Next, the speaker says something that is very important and touching to me. He tells God that the African American wants to pray before they hang him, but that he doesn't remember the words to the prayer. The white people have to tell the African American the words to the "Our Father" and when he's finished praying, they lynch him. I find this entire poem to be very powerful, and it's able to create many emotions inside of me. All in all, it's a fabulous work of literature. "Blasphemy" demonstrates the struggle for equality because it shows how African Americans are a minority and are looked down upon by others. The poem never mentions the black man committing a crime, so I'm guessing that he's totally innocent of anything when they hang him. They just wanted to hang him because of his race. That's why this poem demonstrates a struggle for equality, and that's why this piece of work is truly special.
ReplyDeleteHere's the link to the poem:
http://www.goodmorals.org/poetry/Popel-Blasphemy.htm
Shannon...wow. This "Blasphemy" piece IS powerful. I too am filled with roiling emotions after reading it a few times. I am not even certain of my reaction yet, only to say that the poem has an emotional impact for sure! I guess while I ponder it more (and can't wait to hear the class reaction to this one) I want to praise Popel for having the guts to write such a provocative piece. She tackles lynching head on. Wow. Thanks for sharing.
DeleteAfter I read this poem, I realized that both Shannon and Mrs. Nelson were right about this being a powerful piece. For this one person, I am scared, sad, angry, and upset. So must because actually I almost started crying over how they were mocking him for wanting to pray for help. If this was their religion as well, and it was as mentioned in the poem they helped the man remember the words to the prayer. Why are they mocking him for it if they believe in this as well? If they were in his position wouldn't they want to do the same thing? In my mind, I wonder what would have happened if the roles were switched and the white man speaking was about to be lynched. Would he want to be sent to hell like he wants the black man to be? Probably not, but its something that goes through my mind as I read this poem. Thanks Shannon for sharing this with us.
DeleteI agree with Shannon's analysis on the poem “Blasphemy” by Esther Popel. It is such a powerful and emotionally stimulating piece of literature. It made me feel several different strong emotions- the most prominent being anger. First of all, it makes me angry that a group of white people are taking pleasure in hanging a black man just because they want to. What makes me even angrier though is the fact that the white people are making fun of the black man for wanting to say a prayer before he dies. Throughout the whole poem, the white man is addressing God and telling him in a very mocking way about what they are doing to this innocent black man. The speaker says “And listen, God, you’ll laugh at this I know—He wants to pray before we stage this show!” The white men obviously thinks that God would approve (even chuckle!) at how they are treating this man. In reality, why would God laugh at a wrongful action or the fact that somebody, even an African American, wants to pray to him? Overall, this poem is a very strong, very powerful piece that truly shows how some white men thought and how African Americans were treated back then.
DeleteWow. What a poem. I do agree with Mrs. Nelson when she says this was a powerful poem. This piece really is. The whole poem really bothered me because the person who was telling the story acted like the black man didn't deserve to worship God and how God should hate the black man too. Another part that really stood out at me was how the white man thought that it was okay for the black man to be hung, and how the black man wanted to pray before he was hung. I just couldn’t believe how cruel we were in the past. Shannon picked a really good poem, and it is quite powerful.
DeleteMy initial thought after reading "Blasphemy" was, like other people, WOW. I think this poem is just crazy. Although black people were lynched and/or hung way to often in this time period, I am still surprised at how the author of this poem seemed to feel toward the black man. As Shannon said, the poem doesn't ever mention anything about the black man committing any crime, so it's really idiotic for the whites to lynch him if they don't have a logical reason to do so besides the man's race. The point of view in which this was written portrays a white man who thinks God will send the black man to hell, but why would he even think that would happen? The white man has no way of knowing how his God thinks or acts. Also, I'm not quite sure why the white people told the words of the Lord's Prayer to the black man before they hung him. If I had lived in this time period, and if I had a deep hatred for blacks, then if I lynched and hung them, I would not want them praying to any God before they met their demise.
DeleteA poem that I really enjoyed from the Harlem Renaissance was “I Dream a World” by: Langston Hughes. This poem is about what Hughes wishes the world was like. One line in the poem I found very powerful was “… a world I dream where black or white, whatever race you be, will share the bounties of the earth and every man is free”. This line had a great effect on me, and it made me understand how the African Americans felt and how they were treated. When he says “every man is free” I think he is relating back to the end of the Civil War when slavery was abolished and the African American’s were supposed to be free. I think he is saying that the African Americans are not free because they are still not treated equal to the whites. This poem demonstrates the struggle for equality because it explains how Hughes wants himself and other African Americans to be equal to whites and to be free of their criticism and hatred. I really enjoyed this poem and I think it demonstrates the struggle for equality.
ReplyDeleteThis is the best video I could find. The words are a little different than the original and the guy is hard to understand but it’s still pretty good!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM5eokI_bZY
The original:
“I Dream a World” By: Langston Hughes
I dream a world where man
No other man will scorn,
Where love will bless the earth
And peace its paths adorn
I dream a world where all
Will know sweet freedom's way,
Where greed no longer saps the soul
Nor avarice blights our day.
A world I dream where black or white,
Whatever race you be,
Will share the bounties of the earth
And every man is free,
Where wretchedness will hang its head
And joy, like a pearl,
Attends the needs of all mankind-
Of such I dream, my world!
What a beautiful piece Sara. As I read the words, I was reminded that Harlem Renaissance serves as a catalyst for the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. As a matter of fact, I hear echoes of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech in Hughes' words. In the piece you analyzed, I was intrigued at how he used the word "wretchedness"-a word that can be placed side by side with the institution of slavery in the South. To think of of the wretched handing its head, and joy taking its place....that is a dreamy world indeed. Are we nearing that dream in 2012? Thanks for sharing-the youtube was different, but neat to listen to.
DeleteAdding to Ms. Nelson’s response, I agree that there are similarities between Langston Hughes’ poem and Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. I also see similarities to the speech we watched from the movie “The Great Debaters.” Samantha Booke realized that equality could never happen if it didn’t happen now. In similar ways, Hughes’ poem describes the need for equality, but in a much more subtle fashion. He uses words such as love, peace, joy, and sweet freedom to describe ways he wishes the world to be. Sara and I share many common thoughts on the analysis of Hughes’ poem. One of the most powerful lines in the poem, “A world I dream where black or white, whatever race you be, will share the bounties of the earth and every man is free”, helps the reader understand how African Americans continued to be treated. Sara related these lines to the laws passed at the end of Civil War. I agree with her explanation that by law, African Americans were equal to whites, but African Americans continued to struggle to be thought of as equal citizens. I believe Hughes’ poem is very inspiring, but could demonstrate too much wishful-thinking. The world he created in this poem is his ideal America, which brings up the question of have we succeeded in creating an America close to this, today?
DeleteI agree completely with Sara. This poem is very powerful. It is easy to see that the author wants a perfectly equal world where African American’s and white’s come together. I also agree with her, when she says, “I think he is relating back to the end of the Civil War when slavery was abolished and the African American’s were supposed to be free. I think he is saying that the African Americans are not free because they are still not treated equal to the whites.” I extremely believe that this is the case, and that was the purpose of the poem. As Mrs. Nelson mentioned about Martin Luther, I am seeing this poem reflecting him. Langston in the poem, “dreams a world.” In his world, just like Martin Luther, they both are striving towards equality.
DeleteI thought carefully about Grace's question "Have we succeeded in creating an America" where we have the "ideal" tolerance, acceptance, equality etc? Go back a blog entry to "Blasphemy"....would I step in to help a person of another race, religion, or other "difference" if he/she was being lynched? I suppose I sometimes feel the answer to how far we have come lies not in the hated or hater, but in the bystander. When people do nothing but watch, even when they disagree with what is happening, perhaps that should be our gauge on how our society is doing today?
DeleteMy favorite piece of literature is "I, Too, Sing America" by Langston Hughes (1). I like this piece because it speaks volume. This poem is very strong and I like it for that reason. Langston showed that a new age was coming and he knew it. He wanted to tell people that African Amerians were as strong and as important as white people of that century. I like the fact that he says that he is an American too and should be treated like one. I think that this poem does show the Struggle for Equality by the way he showed the old ways of America and the new ways of America. Langston also said in the poem 'They'll see how beautiful I am'. I think this shows that he wants to show America that African Americans are as great as Americans and they aren't animals or another creature. The Struggle for Equality was hard for the African Americans and they weren't treated the right way. You can see this in stanzas 3 and 4. This is why this piece of literature is my favorite and how it demonstrates The Struggle for Equality.
ReplyDelete1 http://halehighschool.info/hrp_10/hrp_10.html#literature
I like your characterization of this poem as "strong"-I see that aspect as well:) Do you all think that the writers sought to portray certain qualities like STRONG? Is the audience these works directed toward other African Americans, or do you think the writers intended to reach the white audience? What makes you think as you do? By tying blacks and whites together with the flag, Hughes leaves little room for disagreement among the races.
DeleteIn reply to Mrs. Nelson's view on Whitney's poem, I think that not all writers stride towards qualities such as strong. Many poems, such as "Incident", are meant to portray the sad times of the African American. These sad poems depict the struggles that African Americans must face in order to survive. I have opinionated that many Harlem Renaissance writers reached out for the sympathy of white audiences. I think the Renaissance writers reached out the the white audience because many poems speak of the difficulties that whites in particular cause. African writers are attempting to change the views of the white audience. Whitney's poem, "I, Too, Sing America", is a perfect example of a writer reaching out the white audiences. The white audience would look at their own discrimination towards black people with a sour feeling. The white audience could feel as if they are truly doing a deed that needs to be reversed for the good of the people. Overall, I still think that Whitney has a very rock solid point of view on the poem "I, Too, Sing America".
DeleteDear lovely death
ReplyDeleteThat taketh all things under wing-
Never to kill-
Only to change
Into some other thing
This suffering flesh,
To make it either more or less,
Yet not again the same-
Dear lovely death,
Change is thy other name.
-Langston Hughes
I consider this as being my favorite piece of literature from the Harlem Renaissance because it shares a metaphor that I find interesting and relevant to the fight for equality. This poem accepts death as a natural part of life. The author has no fear of death. He even goes as far as to call it lovely, as if he is talking to an old friend. According to the poem, death is simply a change. I relate this to the struggle for equality because white Americans during this time period viewed change with the fear of death. Langston Hughes on the other hand greets change and accepts its necessity in society. This poem touched my heart because it expresses how change is the death of the old ways, but is a necessary part of life.
Neat analysis Bryce. The path to "equality" or justice or fairness, or whatever we choose to call "it" is littered with suffering. We will witness major sacrifices within the African American community during the Civil Rights struggle of the 1950s and 1960s. And, certainly during and after Reconstruction, the lynchings exemplify sacrifice as well. Is it sad that change of this magnitude requires that some sacrifice life itself? Or, does such high level sacrifice prove the cause is indeed worth fighting for?
DeleteI think the poem that Bryce chose is very deep. It has a lot of meaning to it while still being straightforward. Replying to Mrs. Nelson's response, I think the answers to both of her questions is "yes," even though the answers contradict each other in some ways. I think that it is quite sad that such a sacrifice is necessary to do what is right. To you and me, we see that slavery is wrong and equal rights are "right." Back then, the matter was more controversial. No one can say what is "right" and what is "wrong." That's why I find the matter of equality so tiring and over contemplated. We can never achieve equality. I know it sounds negative, but it's the honest truth. On the other hand, such an extensive sacrifice does prove that the cause it worth fighting for. Freeing African Americans was worth fighting FOR not AGAINST. I guess that Confederates could have argued the reverse as "slavery is worth fighting for not against." The conclusion, it’s sad that a change of this magnitude requires such a high level sacrifice to prove that the cause is worth fighting for.
DeleteOne piece of literature I related to was “Cross” by Langston Hughes. “Cross” is written simply and straightforward, which makes the poem easy to understand. The poem demonstrates Langston Hughes’ hunger for a place in society. Coming from a mixed background, Langston Hughes describes the uncertainty of where he “belongs”. He also describes the superiority of the whites and hatred towards the African American race. In this poem, you can clearly tell that blacks struggle for equality through the way Hughes compares living conditions and the amount of respect you are expected to have towards each “class” in the 1920’s. While Homer Plessy was proud to have African American ancestry, Hughes remained concerned about his status in the society he was living in. The poem “Cross” demonstrates the struggle for equality during the Harlem Renaissance Era from the point of view of a mulatto, Langston Hughes, while also describing the struggle for equality for blacks as well.
ReplyDeleteGrace and I share a lot of common opinions on this poem. We both enjoyed "Cross" because it was straightforward and easy to comprehend. Grace explained how African Americans struggled, and still struggle, for equality, but I also believe that people of mixed racial decent struggled as well. I am unsure if Hughes was trying to portray the struggle for just the African Americans, just the people of mixed races, or if he was trying to display struggle for anyone with African American ancestors. I like Grace's interpretations on Hughes's poem and believe they are very accurate.
DeleteI agree with Grace on how the poem is very straightfoward. There isn't any symoblism or metaphors, which makes the poem very easy to understand. Even though it is simple, it is still powerful. The author says that he wonders where he fits in with society, since his father was a rich white man and his mother a poor black woman. Should he live among the blacks and poverty or live with the white men and discriminate against his own kind? He takes back everything bad he said about them, which is interesting. Why did he do that? Was he angry at his parents before when he was a kid? Did he get bullied because his father did it with a Negro? But now he seems to be almost content with them. It's strange.
DeleteGreat poem Grace! I really enjoyed this piece. I felt that Langston was really confused because he was of the mixed race. Also, I think when he said “I wonder where I’m going to die”, I think he means that he isn’t sure if he is going to be lynched, shot, get a disease, or just die of old age. I think he feels this way because of everything that is going on in the US and because the Civil War ended about 40 years ago, and whites are not treating blacks well. I also think he is confused because he is part white and part black. Since he is part white, does that mean he will be treated better than a 100% black man? Will he be treated the same because he is still part black? Overall, I think Grace choose I powerful piece of poetry.
DeleteOne of my favorite poems from the Harlem Renaissance is As I Grew Older by Langston Hughes. Through the poem, he tells the reader a story. It tells us about how there is a wall in front of everybody's way at one point or another in their life. In this version of the story, the person was able to break done the wall separating him from the dream he wanted to come true. This is why I like this poem, the reader is being let known that everyone struggles at some point in their lives. Every time I read this poem, I learn a new part of its story each time. Around the tenth time I read the poem, I realized that the dream was something the writer has wanted since he was a child. This has been something to help him push to have it come true over the years. Now that he is older, he has finally broken the wall separating him from his dream because he is black. I still wonder what that dream was, but I know I will never figure it out. Through all of this it helped me understand why Hughes chose the title he chose for this poem.
ReplyDeleteLink to poem:
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/as-i-grew-older/
This piece, "As I Grow Older", has some powerful imagery as well as emotion. I think Hughes has such a gift for the universal human experience. Haven't we all encountered walls? We all age. We all dream. How frustrating life must have been for those who lack the means to pursue dreams. Or, is that the whole point-we can ALWAYS follow our dreams. King's dream was pretty visionary in the 1960s, yet here we are with a black president.
DeleteDreams
ReplyDeleteHold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.
~Langston Hughes
Dreams represent a considerable amount of who we are as individuals and what America is as a country. Dreams are the things that motivate us to live our life the way we like, in turn building a seemingly ideal country built on the backs of thousands of dreams. This piece relates to the themes “Struggling for Equality,” by suggesting that if African-Americans let go of the dream of freedom, it would never happen. If African-Americans, or any other minority group, or even a majority, had lost sight of dreams for a better future as individuals and a group, America would not be the country it is today. Thirty-seven years after Hughes wrote this piece, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech, incorporating the same themes Hughes had written about years earlier as the African-American struggle continued. This is my favorite piece from the Harlem Renaissance because I can connect to it on a personal level, as well as appreciate what it portrays about general struggles for equality. Without the dream of freedom and equality, many groups in America would not enjoy the oppurtunities they have today. To the average individual today, I believe that this poem delivers a simple and general message: If you don’t pursue your dreams, they will escape you, as will many oppurtunities of life. Rather than outright saying this, Hughes uses beautiful figurative language that is simple, but effective.
I agree with Halle’s analysis on all levels. Along with Halle, I appreciated this poem because I could relate to it personally and I believe many of us could. I believe that our dreams are our motivation and drive us to accomplish what we deserve. As Halle already stated, this poem suggests if African Americans give up on their dream for equality, they settle for their cruel circumstances. Hughes’ dreams are for America, African Americans, and for life in general. You can see in other poems written by Langston Hughes such as, “I Dream a World”, that Hughes is longing for the day he is not looked down upon. In the particular poem above, Hughes encourages people not to give up on their dreams or you will have many missed opportunities in life. Halle uses the phrase “simple, but effective” to describe this poem and I agree completely.
DeleteDreams are a common topic of a large amount of poetry and other literature. Halle and Grace both implied that they could connect with this poem on a personal level. Poems about dreams are so popular because everyone has dreams and goals. Part of human nature is to think ahead to the future and envision it in a way that we find ideal for society or ourselves. A common dream for African Americans at the time was to be treated equally. Halle points out that the main theme of this poem is what happens when they lose sight of their dreams. Langston Hughes wrote this poem as a reminder that if African Americans lost sight of their dreams, life would be as hard as it was for them as when they were slaves. I find it interesting and insightful of Halle to bring up the "I Have a Dream" speech in relation to this poem by Hughes. Maybe it is possible that this poem had an affect on Martin Luther King Junior as he was growing up. Halle's interpretation of this poem is thoughtful and enlightening. Thank you for sharing.
DeleteWhen I think of the 1920's, I think of it as being the time when jazz music was created. One of my personal favorite jazz artist of this time period was Louis Armstrong. Louis Armstrong was one of the first African American artist who was truly admired by many people, even people not of his race, which was a very big deal for any African American during this very segregated time period. Louis Armstrong had a very distinctive deep voice and was a very talented trumpet player. In general, Louis Armstrong was an all around great musician. A few of my favorite songs by him include "What a Wonderful World", "A Kiss to Build a Dream On", and "When You're Smiling". All of Louis Armstrong's music pieces were so inspirational and moving, which is why I feel that they were such a hit and so well liked. During the 1920's people wanted to hear happy things and feel uplifted, and listening to Louis Armstrong's music could really help achieve these feelings of happiness. I think that jazz music in general during the 1920's helped relax and connect many people together because it was so powerful and upbeat that it brought joy to anyone, not caring what race you were, everyone would experience the same feelings. Louis Armstrong was a great man who helped the progression of African American singers become more popular and accepted during this time. Thanks to every jazz musician, especially Louis Armstrong, for creating something that helped connect and bring the people of our country together to celebrate happiness. Jazz music was such an important part of the 1920's and deserves to be well appreciated. Here's a link to one of my favorite Louis Armstrong's songs.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3yCcXgbKrE
Thanks for this link Kelsey:) I'm chillin' out to the words on the blog while being soothed by Armstrong's tune. I like his unique voice a lot too. This is a song that would be awesome to play during a civil rights march! I wonder if there is a piece of Harlem Renaissance poetry that fits well with this song?
DeleteMrs. Nelson, I think I found a great poem that would match the song "What a Wonderful World" almost perfectly! I found a poem called "I Dream a World" written by Langston Hughes that I believe really matches the theme of "What a Wonderful World". This poem shows to me all the great potential the writer feels that our world has towards peace, hope, faith, and love. I feel that this poem expresses that our world is definitely not "perfect" although, I feel that they see that with effort and desire, we can try to make it be the best and most peaceful place possible. In life you always must start somewhere which for most people would be creating a dream, which in this case the dream is the poem, but eventually dreams turn into goals and then eventually goals are achieved and dreams become reality. With this poem I can see the real connection with the potential of what a wonderful world we have the chance to make which would go perfectly with the song I talked about above written by Louis Armstrong, "What a Wonderful World".
DeleteThe poem I chose to write about Is Incident By Countee Cullen.
ReplyDelete"Once riding in old Baltimore,
Heart-filled, head-filled with glee;
I saw a Baltimorean
Keep looking straight at me.
Now I was eight and very small,
And he was no whit bigger,
And so I smiled, but he poked out
His tongue, and called me, “Nigger.”
I saw the whole of Baltimore
From May until December;
Of all the things that happened there
That’s all that I remember'
I chose this poem not only due to the fact that it is a powerful piece about discrimination, but it can also be related to things that happen in our daily lives. In the poem a young boy heads to the city with happiness and expectations of a great world. However, this is not what he sees. Instead he sees the harsh face of racism as he is called this racial slur. He sees the entire city and goes through many other experiences in the city of Baltimore, yet the only thing he remembers is the one example of hate. The poem no matter how simple it is conveys a strong message of racism and hate from a viewpoint we rarely see, that of a child. I feel naturally we as humans respond stronger to the emotions of a child due to the fact that they are still pure and are irrelevant to the events that happen to and around them. This poem can be related to real life very easily as well. Every single person has been made fun of something in there life, and in this child's case it was the color of his/her skin. I chose this poem because it speaks to me and strongly conveys the emotional struggles of the Harlem Renaissance from a very uncommonly portrayed perspective.
When I read Garrett's poem choice, it really emphasized how despicable racism really is. We, as human beings, tend to remember the bad things. Its just our nature. This idea should deter people from being racist, prejudice, or just plain mean. A black man could have one run-in with racism when he was a young boy and never encounter it again in his lifetime, but chances are he still remembers that one time. Racism scars people for a lifetime. In "the Great Debaters," the movie clips we watched in class, the boy in the car when they ran into the lynch mob will remember that time for years and years to come. He will then tell his sons and daughters and they will tell theirs. Though it gets less and less powerful as it is passed down the generations, that one encounter can scar many.
DeleteMy favorite part of literature form the Harlem Renaissance Era is the poem “As I Grew Older”. This was written by Langston Hughes. I really enjoy this poem because it is very motivating and shows how if you push hard enough you can always achieve your dreams. I find this even more inspiring that he felt this way during the 1920’s which was a time that Blacks were constantly persecuted and he still found a way to remain optimistic. This makes me feel as if I can do anything today. Also, this poem is a great example of a struggle for equality. Throughout this poem it speaks about how many Blacks have a “wall” between them and their dreams. I believe that this symbolizes the difficulty for African Americans to achieve their dreams due to the many ways they were discriminated against at that time. By the end of the poem it talks about how he and other Blacks can break through this wall and achieve the equality that they are striving for.
ReplyDeleteI can really relate to this poem also. It reminds me of my madden ultimate team on madden 13. When my first started out, my team was only 68 overall. The team consisted of terrible third string players that couldn't even perform the simplest of screen plays. Then, I started to play and actually win. When my team started growing older, I began to buy better players that made my team more experienced. It relates to this poem because it really shows how my team of misfits can become one of the best teams in the league through perserverance and hard work.
DeleteI too find this poem to be inspirational. It's very well written and not hard to figure out(as some poems are). Though to me, I don't think that the speaker has broken through the "wall" in the poem yet. But, he is trying to break through it, and that is quite motivating. I think that everyone can relate to this poem. Everyone has a dream, or something they hope to achieve one day. I know that I do, and this poem means a lot to me.
DeleteIf We Must Die
ReplyDeleteby Claude McKay
If we must die—let it not be like hogs
Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot,
While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs,
Making their mock at our accursed lot.
If we must die—oh, let us nobly die,
So that our precious blood may not be shed
In vain; then even the monsters we defy
Shall be constrained to honor us though dead!
Oh, Kinsmen! We must meet the common foe;
Though far outnumbered, let us show us brave,
And for their thousand blows deal one deathblow!
What though before us lies the open grave?
Like men we'll face the murderous, cowardly pack,
Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!
Throughout the 1920's, African Americans were starting to gain a political voice and beginning to live happy lives, but this poem "If We Must Die," has another perspective about this time. Claude McKay expresses that right now African Americans are being treated like "hogs." Although one might not especially think much of the analogy McKay uses, while reading the poem, I was offended for African Americans who lived in this time period because if a pig is used to describe the way people were being treated, it is obviously unjust. The poet also describes the white people who discriminate against blacks as angry dogs. I felt that this was also another powerful analogy. Obviously this poem is saying that the African Americans are struggling for equality and they should go down with a fight (for equality).
I agree with what Rosie had to say about this piece of literature. However, I would like to point out a few key points of this poem that stood out to me. This poem is speaking the the Africans and is meant to be an inspiring piece. It is telling them to fight back, and to not take the punishment the racist white men deal out, for they do not deserve it. In the poem I feel it portrays the white men as I feel they were in this period of our history "monsters." A more perfect word to describe these despicable beings is impossible to find. The term "deathblow" is used in this poem. I think how it is used and represented in the poem is that even though the African Americans have been persecuted, lynched, and even black-listed at times they must fight back with the one action that will end slavery. I feel this action is defying everything unjust in society and taking what they deserve. Rosie chose a very powerful piece that very accurately portrays how Africans were treated during the time period, as hogs.
DeleteWow what a great poem! Nice interpretation Rosie. I like how you pointed out the analogies in this poem. While reading the poem, these powerful figures of speech painted a savage and cruel picture of the victims’ lives in my mind. It made me angry towards the men’s captors while at the same time building a fire of revolt in my heart. Although slavery was abolished in the 1920’s, similar events like share cropping were still occurring. Along with share cropping, African Americans were still being lynched. As Rosie Pointed out, African Americans were “starting to gain a political voice and beginning to live happy lives”, but they were still being treated unjustly by other Americans. In itself, was this poem a metaphor comparing the African American’s lives in the 1920’s to the time when slavery was legal in America? Also, was this poem a call to action against unjust treatment?
DeleteDemocracy by Langston Hughes
ReplyDeleteDemocracy will not come
Today, this year
Nor ever
Through compromise and fear.
I tire so of hearing people say, I have as much right
As the other fellow has
To stand
On my two feet
And own the land
Let things take their course.
Tomorrow is another day.
I do not need my freedom when I'm dead.
I cannot live on tomorrow's bread.
Freedom
Is a strong seed
Planted
In a great need.
I live here, too.
I want freedom
Just as you.
This poem really speaks to me and most likely all of the minorities in America during the 1920's. It talks about how he wants democracy in America. He says "I have as much right as the other fellow has to stand on my two feet and own the land." This part of the poem is moving. It means that during the Harlem Renaissance, the blacks did not have many rights. Langston believes that every man has a right to do the same things as any other man. He also is talking about how he wants the right to own his own land. He then talks about how he can't wait any longer for his freedom and rights. That he doesn't want the rights he deserves when he is dead. Finally, he talks about just how he wants these freedom's as much as anyone else. I love this poem because it shows how Americans weren't afraid to fight for their rights. I may not be African American, but i feel proud to be an American when people like Langston Hughes fight for what they believe in. This poem shows struggle for equality in multiple ways. It shows how minorities like blacks had to fight for their rights and freedoms in the 1920's.
I believe that Tyler interpreted this poem very well. In this poem it does speak about the little rights that Blacks had at that time and can be very motivating. I know that Blacks have always been struggling for equality and the way that Langston was able to describe the struggle and need for equality really lifts my spirit.Also, I like how Tyler talks about how Langston wants his rights now and not when he is dead and unable to use them.
DeleteI personally like the way Tyler Nerthling has interpreted this poem, and I personally can still find examples of similar incidents in our society today. For example, the baseball and softball teams have been, in my opinion, discriminated against in the past few years. Although the baseball and softball teams are school sports I feel that the respect given to these teams is not as great as it deserves. The baseball team last year posted a better record than both the football and basketball teams combined. Yet the football team has gotten a brand new stadium (even though I respect other teams use the field but it is mostly regarded to as a football field), and the baseball team is playing on an easily flooded, bumpy area we call a baseball field. I know the softball team feels the same way, and they posted one of the best records and has had one of the best teams as of late of any sport in the Fairview School District, and they too play on a unkept field. Even the little things aren't always there such as scoreboard, fairly nice dugouts, and the occasion new jersey. Also, you don't see hundreds of people going to baseball and softball games like you do at football and basketball games. In conclusion, I believe that like the African Americans Tyler refers to being discriminated, the baseball and softball teams, in their own respect, are being discriminated against in parallel ways.
DeleteInteresting to hear personal connections to discrimination...thanks for sharing.
DeletePreach it, Nolan! I feel you.
DeleteOh, my God Rosie if only there was a "like" button on Bolgger.
DeleteI just want to tell you how proud I am of the sharing taking place on this blog. I may not have time to reply to each one of you, but there are amazing ideas and insights being shared here....thanks for making this blog a LIVING place where readers gain knowledge and inspiration:) I'm learning so much from you! Ms. N.
ReplyDeleteWealth by Langston Hughes
ReplyDeleteFrom Christ to Ghandi
Appears this truth-
St. Francis of Assisi
Proves it, too:
Goodness becomes grandeur
Surpassing might of kings.
Halos of kindness
Brighter shine
Than crowns of gold,
And brighter
Than rich diamonds
Sparkles
The simple dew
Of love.
This poem is one that I like because it shows not everything is about the riches, but it is more about the soul. African Americans didn't have all the riches but they had family, heart, and soul. African Americans wanted a better life in America during the Harlem Renaissance and they weren't necessarily focused on the monetary value of their lives but they wanted to enjoy themself and be "New Negroes" if it makes sense. They didn't need all the fancy things and all the money that everyone wants today. I think Langston Hughes really portrayed that and meant this when he was righting this poem. Wealth was a poem from the Harlem Renaissance that I personally enjoyed and took interest to.
I really enjoyed reading this poem Nolan chose and love the way he interpreted it! This poem pretty much is going by the known quote "money can't buy happiness". I feel that this poem is saying it didn't really matter to anyone during the Harlem Renaissance times on who had more money and who was at a higher class. Everyone during this time was more concerned about coming together and appreciating one another, for example some would enjoy each others company by relaxing and just listening to the jazz music and celebrating and dancing together, and overall just having a goodtime. I really enjoyed this poem and agree with Nolan's thoughts because it shows how it doesn't matter how much money you have, everyone will be accepted and loved, which I believe is just a great thing because in today's generation I feel that everyone worries too much about how much money they have and what they have.
DeleteAlong with my friends Kelsey and Nolan I also found this poem very inspiring. Nolan interprets the poem very well when he talks about what the riches discussed mean. As I was reading Nolan’s post I could really see the point he was trying to get across. I agree that during the Harlem Renaissance African Americans just wanted a better life, they didn’t care about money. I also agree with Kelsey’s response to Nolan’s post when she says, “money can't buy happiness.” This quote she said really does go with the poem. I don’t understand many poems, but this one I can clearly see what it is saying. I highly praise Nolan for picking such an inspiring poem. Thumbs up for Nolan!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteMy intellectual colleague, Nolan, has really a poem that almost 99.87% of the world can relate to.(Other 0.13% are the world's millionaires (according to www.ww-success.com) who really do think that money is the key to happiness) Like Nolan who used the baseball reference for my poem, i will also use a real life reference. Take the new Keck Field at Jack Bestwick Stadium in Fairview. This new field's expense exceeded 3 million dollars. In my opinion I love the turf, but that isn't what matters. All the money we spent on the stadium won't make the teams any better expect for maybe a few less broken ankles during practice. What really makes the teams better is heart, soul, and a desire to win. They can't have the heart, if the fans also don't come to the games and really support the teams. It relates to this poem, because in the poem the African-Americans didn't need diamonds and gold to be happy. All they needed was freedom. Freedom is like the desire to win in reality terms. I am astonished that Nolan picked such a inspirational poem, he really deserves a pat on the back!
DeleteMerry-Go-Round
ReplyDeleteWhere is the Jim Crow section
On this merry-go-round,
Mister, cause I want to ride?
Down South where I come from
White and colored
Can't sit side by side.
Down South on the train
There's a Jim Crow car.
On the bus we're put in the back—
But there ain't no back
To a merry-go-round!
Where's the horse
For a kid that's black?
One poem that spoke to me from the Harlem Renaissance is “Merry-Go-Round” by Langston Hughes. In this poem, it tells a story of a black child who is from the South where racial segregation is a way of life and the only way he has ever known. He was taught that blacks and whites can’t sit beside each other, and there are Jim Crow sections in the back where African Americans have to sit. In the North, he is faced with the new problem of where to sit on the merry-go-round. There is no front or back to a merry-go-round, and therefore, there is no Jim Crow section. This is a new experience for the black kid, who is so used to having everything separated by race that he can’t comprehend something that is so foreign to him. This poem really shows how black youth were raised to believe that they were of lesser value than white people- that it was normal to be put in the back of the bus just because of the color of your skin. It is also unsettling how the poem is written in such a lighthearted tone from a child’s point of view when the basis of it is talking about something as serious as racism and segregation.
I agree with Stephanie when she says that a heavy subject such as racism and segregation that is put in a child's point of view is unsettling and sad. I think that for a little kid to think that way and live that way is very unsettling. That little boy/girl thinks the Jim Crow laws are the laws of life. I think this shows the Struggle of Equality because the little boy or girl states many Jim Crow laws that restricts him/her from many things. This child thinks that they are below white people and always have to be seperated from them. I cannot comprehend how that child lived through that era. Did they know it wasn't right? Did their parents know how wrong the Jim Crow laws were? Why hadn't the African Americans done something about their rights in the 1920's? I think that there were many struggles put into this poem that Langston Hughes emphasizes. This is why I agree with Stephanie when she said this poem was unsettling and how the youth of African Americans were raised to believe that they were of lesser value.
DeleteStephanie, I love this poem! It really gets my emotions to come out (I actually almost cried). The poem is just so sad, especially since it's written from a childs point of view. I guess children have a sense of innocence to them that can really touch you. There are two prominent emotions that I feel when reading this peice of literature.One is sorrow, and the other is gladness. I feel such sorrow that this child has been raised to beleive that he is of lesser importance then white children. Also, that he had to abide by the Jim Crow laws. But, it appears to me that in the poem, the child has moved to the North and doesn't have to worry about these laws anymore. So, I feel glad that he might be able to live a better life then what he had to live through in the South. Over all, I find this poem to be very touching and enjoyable.
DeleteI really like the poem you chose, Stephanie! It gives the reader another persepective on life for the African Americans who traveled north. The way you interpreted the poem was exactly what I pictured when I read it over. A black child, who was raised in the South, only learned the ways of segregation. When I read this, I thought about how hard life must have been for the African American children, living in such a strange world. They didn't know that Jim Crow laws, and segregation were horrible things. Even though there are aspects of sorrow in the poem for the confused child, the real meaning behind Hughes's piece is joy. The joy and happiness is all because of the difference between north and south. After moving north, he finds that segregation is not nearly as bad as what it was like in the south. Because of the improvement dealing with segregation, the poem can be looked at in a more positive way.
DeleteI think that the poem that Stephanie chose was a very powerful poem. I found it neat that we had the same interpretation. As she states, “He was taught that blacks and whites can’t sit beside each other, and there are Jim Crow sections in the back where African Americans have to sit.” I can imagine this in my head, a little boy looking for a seat for blacks on the merry-go-round. He was taught all his life, that the blacks cannot sit by whites, having lived in the south, and he was looking for the spot for the blacks. The first time I read this poem I didn’t receive the message that the boy was in the north looking for a seat. After I read the poem again I noticed that the kid talks about, how down south where he comes from they can’t sit side by side. I also agree with Stephanie when she talks about how they can sit next to whites being so foreign to him, he can’t comprehend it.
DeleteThis is such an interesting piece. As Stephanie says, it communicates serious topics such as racism and segregation in a light-hearted tone from a child's point of view. As I read this poem, I wondered about the circumstances. What race was the "Mister" that the child adresses? Where was the Merry-Go-Round located? I assume it was somewhere in the North, due to the way the child refers to "down South" througout the poem. I also agree with Stephanie that the concept behind this work is slightly disturbing. "Merry-Go-Round" demonstrates in the simplest way how children of all races were raised to accept their "place" in society at the time. During the era of JIm Crow, average American citizens of all races were raised in an environment where the white race was generally considered superior. Considering the fact that these children were the next generation of Americans, when did this continutiy halt? Did it ever completely?
DeleteThe Harlem Renaissance period was a time in America when African Americans stared to move north in the country and really begin to contribute to its culture. A celebrated poet of that time was named Langston Hughes. One of my favorite poems of his is called “I Dream a World” (1926). I really enjoy this poem because it reminds me so much of Martin Luther King Junior’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Both the poem and the speech include the idea of all races cooperating, and they use the idea of a dream as the future. I admire the strength in Martin Luther King Junior’s speech and I feel the same power is in the words of this poem.
ReplyDelete“I Dream a World” clearly states the African Americans’ struggle for equality in the Harlem Renaissance period. One segment reads,
“…A world I dream where black or white,
Whatever race you be,
Will share the bounties of the earth
And every man is free…”
As you can see, Hughes is exclaiming that in the present blacks and whites are still racist towards one another. He is also stating that blacks are not truly free. By writing this poem, he was speaking out against the injustices of his time, and inspiring/challenging the reader to create a future where “every man is free”. As a side note: Before you ask it, no, I do not believe Hughes was only referring to a “man” as just a man in the poem, but rather as the human race. Maybe I am wrong, but I believe that a person with such a clear view on human rights would not just put women aside as a separate category. Langston Hughes was an extraordinary poet and I believe that his poem “I Dream a World” not only is magnificent, but also clearly exemplifies the struggle for equality in the Harlem Renaissance period.
Eric is demonstrating the univeral message present in so many pieces from the Harlem Renaissance. I wonder if so many white women were abolitionists because of their level of empathy with African Americans at being "repressed" in similar ways? Harlem seemed to embrace both men and women-do you see evidence of that?
Delete“I Dream a World” is just one of the many incredible works of Hughes. Like many of Langston’s poems, “I Dream a World” makes the reader wish and wonder. Hughes imagines a world free of “scorn”, “greed” and “wretchedness”. When Hughes tells of these dreams, I can almost feel the wistfulness he is experiencing. In his heart, Hughes knows that the perfect world he dreams of in this poem will probably never exist. However, that sense of hopelessness doesn’t stop Hughes from trying his best to make the world a better place.
DeleteAs Eric says, Hughes purpose of writing this poem was to “speak out against the injustices of his time.” Hughes was not just a dreamer. He was an outspoken leader of the African American community. He used the power of his pen to fight racial intolerance. Because of his determination and abilities of persuasion, he was able to influence African Americans throughout his sixty-five year life. Although his impact on the black community was not on the same scale as Martin Luther King Jrs., Langston Hughes was still a greatly admirable man.
My People
ReplyDeleteThe night is beautiful,
So the faces of my people.
The stars are beautiful,
So the eyes of my people.
Beautiful, also, is the sun.
Beautiful, also, are the souls of my people.
My People, by Langston Hughes, really speaks to me. He is essentially saying that we are all human, and that no matter what, we all have eyes, faces, and a soul. When it comes down to it, we are all human and in some ways we are all the same when you think about it simply, so he is basically questioning why they are being discriminated against. I think this poem is brilliant and really speaks to not only me, but many others, especially African Americans whether or not they have had to struggle for equality or not.
I agree, Anna. This poem is very powerful and I was going to choose this one but instead chose one by Claude McKay. I feel like Langston Hughes is showing that these people have done nothing wrong and that they are innocent. They should be treated just the same as any other person living in the United States. Well said, buddy! :)
DeleteI also agree with Anna. I think this poem shows that everyone is human, and that there was really no reason for any discrimination because we are all the same. I also think that this poem shows that Langston Hughes could look past everything, and see that everybody is human. After all that African Americans had been through, and all that they still have to go through, he could still look past all that and still say, they are human like me. I think that this poem is his way of saying that if he can see that everyone is human, why can't others?
Delete“Incident” By Countee Cullen
ReplyDeletePage 194, of “The Jazz Age”
Once riding in old Baltimore,
Heart-filled, head-filled with glee,
I saw a Baltimorean
Keep looking straight at me.
Now I was eight and very small,
And he was no whit bigger,
And so I smiled, but he poked out
His tongue, and called me, “Nigger.”
I saw the whole of Baltimore
From May until December;
Of all the things that happened there
That’s all that I remember.
Countee’s poem, “Incident” may have been short, but it had the same if not more meaning then a two page poem. It is obvious that Countee is telling one of his own experiences. If it wasn’t one of his own experiences, it was a very common thing to happen to an African American. In the poem the author hadn’t done anything wrong, he only smiled at the Baltimorean. The Baltimorean poked out his tongue, and called him a, “Nigger.” The Baltimorean must have been introduced to this language from his parents, and he thought it was appropriate to use towards African Americans. Maybe to the Baltimorean it was just another perfect day, but this impacted the author immensely. The author only remembered what the Baltimorean said. The Baltimorean sticking out his tongue ruined his day, and all the days to proceed. He was young, and may have taken it more seriously than an older person may have. The five second action impacted another’s entire life.
I am also moved by “Incident”. I agree with all of Caitlin’s statements. Although it is short, this poem is packed with meaning. It is also very relatable. Most people have been the victim of racial hatred in their lifetime, and I think that this poem speaks to those people in a special and personal way. These characteristics are what make Countee Collin’s “Incident” so great.
DeleteThe piece of Harlem Renaissance that I really enjoyed was CROSS. I could really relate to the point that the writer was trying to get out by what we learned in class. The poem talks about how the writer’s mom is black and his dad is white. It says that, “If ever I cursed my white old man, I take my curses back.” I interpreted this to mean he is somewhat afraid of his white dad, partially because white people at this time were still treated above blacks. This also means that he disrespected a white so he has to take it back so he won’t get “in trouble.” The poem also says, “If ever I cursed my black mother, and wished she were in hell, I’m sorry for that evil wish, and now I wish her well.” This part of the poem I thought the writer was trying to explain how blacks can disrespect each other without having to take it back, because it is not the same as disrespecting a white. The poem also says, “My old man died in a big fine house, my ma died in a shack. I wonder where I’m gonna die, being neither white nor black?” This part of the poem really went deep into my heart and made me pick this certain piece. It shows how most whites at this time period were considered “rich” and had fine houses. It also shows how blacks were still poor and had small houses like shacks. He is in between black and white and is not quite sure of his destiny. All of these examples are reasons why I chose this piece called CROSS. I really enjoyed reading most of the Harlem Renaissance pieces but this one showed to be the most interesting for me.
ReplyDeleteJake's selection brings a focus on an insidious aspect of slavery and repression of African American women that is rather uncomfortable to talk about. Consider how angry the African Americans must have felt to helplessly stand by while a "master" used his slave women to satisfy his personal whims. Even in THE HELP we see evidence of many whites totally taking advantage of and disregarding the black maids. I know when I'm dispected, it really gnaws on me and creates a powerful stress and frustration. I can only imagine how the black community felt in light of direct actions (lynchings, KKK terror, poll taxes etc.), but add in the total disregard by whites when blacks were clearly contributing so much [often to whites]...grrr...makes me angry just to think about it. I am surprised the African American community showed such tolerance! I wonder if the Harlem Renaissance provided an outlet that actually slowed the civil rights push for a time?
DeleteBefore reading “Cross” by Langston Hughes, I never really thought about, as Mrs. Nelson put it, “a ‘master’ using his slave women to satisfy his personal whims.” This unawareness is probably because the last time we studied slavery in school I either didn’t fully know what it meant, or we didn’t discuss this abuse in class. Now that I do realize this fact, I am disgusted with these past Americans. I’m disgusted with the people that committed these crimes, and I’m disgusted with the bystanders that knew it wasn’t right but didn’t do anything about it. Like Mrs. Nelson, I am truly astonished that African Americans didn’t show great signs of violence. I’m sure there were small acts of retaliation by blacks here and there, but the fact that there wasn’t something as big as the KKK for blacks makes me respect those freedmen and their early descendants greatly. Back then, whites considered themselves to be the superior race over blacks. If there were a superior race at that time, though, that race would probably be the African Americans. Whites constantly showed pointless hate while blacks stood by and watched, powerless, holding their temper, and being the better man. Also, very good point Mrs. Nelson. I never thought about the possibility of the Harlem Renaissance being an anger-reliever and slowing the process of the civil rights push. I’m not sure if this is true, though it is definitely a possibility.
DeleteJacob Mordant
ReplyDeleteLooking forward with rapt delight
To the day of riches and a great house,
I labored and saved until I was fifty.
Then with my money boxes full,
And my great house built,
I said: "Soul, take thy ease,
Thou had food for many days."
In the very moment my soul was required of me:
I neither knew the house, nor could I enjoy the riches
With that soul of me which remained,
After winning them
With the soul which was gone!
This piece of literature, written by Edgar Lee Masters, really stood out to me. Masters wrote about unhappy village people, such as the man described in this poem, Jordan Mordant. In this perspective, the reader gets a feel for what the times were like for some African American people. Through the context, you can assume that Jordan was a sharecropper, or some type of laborer. He was motivated to leave by the time he was 50 years old, with a great house, money, riches, and all the food imaginable, but for him, that wasn't the case. All the hard work he had done basically left him unable to enjoy any of the things he had worked for. He even says that his soul was gone, meaning that Jordan didn't know how to live a normal life anymore, since he was born and raised a hard-worker. The poem really opened my eyes about how harsh the reality and future was for those people. After that lifetime of hard work, there wasn't even a decent reward. The poem portrays the theme struggle for equality because Jordan worked so hard to achieve his goals, and went through many struggles, and ended up not being able to be reach his desires, therefore not being able to become equal.
I agree with Lea when she said Jordan could have been a share cropper or any type of laborer. He truly wanted to leave where ever he was and start a new life somewhere else. Most share croppers wanted to leave their work behind and move to the North where life was full of more opportunities. I believe that Lea really "translated" this poem very well and helped me to understand its meaning better then I would have if I just read this and not thought of the true meaning of the poem.
DeleteWhile looking through the green “Jazz Age” book, I came across a poem titled “Incident” by Countee Cullen. This poem is found on page 194 of the book.
ReplyDeleteOnce riding in old Baltimore,
Heart-filled, head-filled with glee,
I saw a Baltimorean
Keep looking straight at me.
Now I was eight and very small,
And he was no whit bigger,
And so I smiled, but he poked out
His tongue, and called me, “Nigger.”
I saw the whole of Baltimore
From May until December;
Of all the things that happened there
That's all that I remember.
This poem is really simple and easy to understand, which is how I like poems. Other poems in this book seem to be written in some kind of poet's code which I cannot decipher. There is no need to decipher this poem because it doesn't really have any secret hidden meaning. This poem is about a little African American child who goes to Baltimore and is surprised at how she is treated by the young boy, who I assume to be white. At first, the child is excited and happy to be in Baltimore and she is friendly to everyone but then her whole experience is ruined because this kid was mean to her. It is surprising and sad how one little incident can affect her memory of a 7 month period.
I am curious why you thought the black child was a "she"?
DeleteI agree with Flori when she said this poem has no secret meaning. Just like Flori, I like poems that do not have a secret meaning. Also, I agree with Flori's interpretation of the poem. The poem is very easy to understand because it is only about a little African American boy/girl who goes to Baltimore. I cannot even imagine how terrible the little boy/girl felt when the white boy called him/her a very raciest name!
DeleteI think that the poem As I Grew Older by Langston Hughes is an example of the struggle for equality. The poem says that Hughes had a dream, but it was blocked by a wall. I think this wall represents all of the discrimination and injustice that whites built up against African Americans. This wall is made up of Jim Crow laws, sharecropping, or the KKK. It was a way for whites to force African Americans into obedience. Hughes talks about trying to break through the wall, and I think that this shows the struggle for equality. African Americans were trying to break down the wall between their race and the white race. They had to do it slowly, brick by brick, because white control was strong. But African American eventually destroyed the wall, and showed the world that they were equal to whites. This is how I think this poem shows the struggle for equality.
ReplyDeleteAs Emily spoke about the destruction of "the wall" I am wondering what everyone thinks this wall is made of in a metaphorical sense. Ideas? I also wonder if the wall could only come down with inter-racial cooperation? Are whites critical components of the Civil Rights Movement? And, is the Harlem Renaissance a turning point because the message of the black experience (often historically negative) finally reached the ears of whites in a way that was understandable?
DeleteI agree with Emily when she says that the poem, “As I Grew Older” was an example of a struggle for equality. I think this poem was made to show that African Americans were equal to the white community and they had the right to live their dreams. I think that the shadow and wall standing between this person and his/her dreams is racial segregation and the struggle to get to their dream, even though white people didn’t want African Americans to be equal to them. I also agree with Emily when she says that when that person is trying to break down the wall, it shows the struggle for equality. I think this because he/she in the poem says that the wall was large and thick and so was the racial discrimination in the South. This is why I agree with Emily.
DeleteI believe that Emily chose a compelling poem, but I do disagree with her in some minor ways. My strongest disagreement is the fact that I don't think that "the wall" would be completely destroyed today. My reasoning is this: African Americans are still a minority. As much as many people would hate to admit, there is still racism and discrimination against black people. They're still given stereotypes and slang nicknames and they're constantly made fun of. Though it may not be a prominent issue in Fairview, I don't think that saying that the wall is completely overcome is correct. Yes, African Americans have come a LONG way, but they still have a small ways to go before achieving true equality.
DeleteThe website to read As I Grew Older by Langston Hughes is http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/as-i-grew-older/.
ReplyDeleteSince my last poem I responded about was not written by an African American, I decided to choose a new poem that spoke to me that was by an African American. The new poem that spoke to me was The Creation, by James Weldon Johnson. This is a very lengthy poem, but Johnson is a very straight forward writer. His poem is merely about “the creation” of the Earth and everything else in the Universe by God. The poem really did not have much to do with the whole “Struggle for Equality” concept, so I am going to focus on the Author who wrote the poem. James Weldon Johnson was an African American who was active in the struggle of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in the hopes to improve life for his people. Johnson was a very well educated man, and most of his poems showed this fact. In some of his other poetry, essays, novels, and biographical writings, he pleaded for Negro patience and greater educational opportunities. An example of this is the poem Brother, which is a very good poem about teachings of younger children, and how all men are supposed to be brothers, but aren’t treated like so. This is why I chose to talk about the Poem The Creation, but more importantly, the author James Weldon Johnson.
ReplyDeleteI was doing some reading about JW Johnson tonight and Colleen is right that he was "very well educated" and held in high esteem. He even has a NAACP connection! Can anyone discover what that connection is?
DeleteIn 1916, J.W. Johnson became the field secretary of the NAACP. Later in 1920, he was promoted to executive secretary until 1930, when he resigned.
Deletehttp://www.naacp.org/pages/naacp-history-James-Weldon-Johnson
As I Grew Older
ReplyDeleteIt was a long time ago.
I have almost forgotten my dream.
But it was there then,
In front of me,
Bright like a sun--
My dream.
And then the wall rose,
Rose slowly,
Slowly,
Between me and my dream.
Rose until it touched the sky--
The wall.
Shadow.
I am black.
I lie down in the shadow.
No longer the light of my dream before me,
Above me.
Only the thick wall.
Only the shadow.
My hands!
My dark hands!
Break through the wall!
Find my dream!
Help me to shatter this darkness,
To smash this night,
To break this shadow
Into a thousand lights of sun,
Into a thousand whirling dreams
Of sun!
Langston Hughes (Yes, he is black Mrs. Nelson)
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/as-i-grew-older/
"As I Grew Older" is a poem that speaks directly about segregation and the struggle for equality. This particular poem is my favorite piece out of the several I researched because it talks about past and present of blacks. I interpreted this poem as Langston Hughes talking about his own history. He had originally looked down on himself and let "The Wall" of segregation shadow his dreams for a better life. Langston let it consume him as he blended in with the darkness of his surroundings. Then, Langston realized that it does not matter whether or not he is black or white; he is who he is. It was time for blacks to break through the walls and chase their dreams. I enjoyed the imagery at the end of the poem, "Help me to shatter this darkness, To smash this night, To break this shadow, Into a thousand lights of sun, Into a thousand whirling dreams, Of sun!" Langston wanted to break down the obstacle of segregation and reveal the light of equality and the pursuit of happiness. He wanted to have everyone band together and chase what they believed in. "As I Grew Older" is a perfect example of the struggle for equality because it's words speak of the tough times that hindered them from achieving their goals. A shadow hangs over the African Americans. In my opinion, this poem represents the very struggle that African Americans continue to fight til this day.
Nevin's point of view of this poem, I believe, is spot on. I too enjoyed reading this poem, and I am glad he chose this perticular peice. One thing that I do believe Nevin did not mention was what the lines "I lie down in the shadow. No longer the light of my dream before me." I believe these lines have a great importance for, in my point of view, he sees his dream and is going to get it, but then he keeps getting pushed down and insulted and almost forgets what he was fighting for. Soomething inside him, though, remembers what he wished to do, so this black man goes and breaks through being pushed down, or insulted, eventually reaching his original goal. This is my interpretation of these two lines in this amazing poem, and Nevin's description is how I also interpreted the rest of the poem.
DeleteI believe Nevin had an extremely accurate analysis of this poem. This poem speaks to me because it shows you how it must have truly felt to be an African American during this period of time. It talks about has a child he believed that due to his color he would never truly achieve his dreams. As he grows older he learns that to accomplish them he must break down the wall of segregation that looms over his head. He knows this will not be an easy task, but knows it must be done for Africans to progress into society. I liked how Nevin described the other side of the wall as a lighted side free of segregation. It really gave the idea a very plain description of segregation. The dark side of the wall filled with racial hate and segregation and the other side, which is filled with the light, and is accepting to all people. This poem truly speaks the voice of Africans during the Harlem Renaissance, and I believe never did a truly amazing job at interpreting it.
DeleteMy favorite pie e of literature from the Harlem Renaissance is the poem Fire and Ice by Rober Frost. It reads:
ReplyDeleteSome say the world will end in fire
Some say in ice
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire
But if it had to perish twice
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice
I believe that this piece is truly beautiful. The author, basically, is saying that his first choice of death would be hot and passionate, like fire. Although he believes that this would be a noble death, he can also see the views of the people who choose to perish by ice and how that would be a noble death aswell. My interpretation of this poem narrows fire and ice to a common core: fighting for your beliefs. Although the stray in very different directions, that is the one thing that both share. I believe that a death by fire would exist in the heat of the moment. A death by fire would be caused by something like a riot or a lynching. I could see it happenin to a very outspoken person. In contrast, a death by ice would take a long time. The person perishing will still stand up for their beliefs, but they will do it in a more careful manner; not causing a riot, but instead making themselves disliked. This is basically the "cold" part of the death. Whenever you see someone they will give you the "cold shoulder" and you will die old and alone. Robert favors fire but he can see both arguments on which is better.
I believe that this poem ties into our lesson "A Struggle for Equality" in the sense that most people either spoke out for what they believed in or hid away from he rest of the world. Both deaths were speaking out to try and achieve equality, but sadly, it obviously didn't work out for a while. By going off of this, I would expect Robert to have very strong opinions about whatever he was willing to die for. I have a great deal of respect for that.
*piece* *Robert* *happening*
ReplyDeleteRobert Frost is also a wonderful poet, but white. Add a blog about an African American/Harlem Renaissance poet please Sammie.
DeleteI am excited about the upcoming English project that allows you to dig deeply into petry pieces of the Harlem Renaissance. This blog is a great start. I hope you are reading....I have raised a variety of questions and do not see evidence of anyone reading/responding. I DO like that you are balancing responses among students...everyone wants to feel like part of the blog team...continue to support each other. I challenge you to raise provoking questions as well! And, while I'm "preaching" I will add that Zora Neale Hurston, though not a poet, has WONDERFUL stories that you would enjoy reading! "Their Eyes Were Watching God" is one of my favorite books!
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Rosie. I think that she is right about the time not being as productive as everyone paints it to be. I think that, white people especially, like to think that this was a time of great success for African Americans, a time where they moved forward in the world. But I think this poem shows the other side that no one likes to talk about. This poem shows that African Americans believed they were fighting a losing battle. If everything was as good as it seemed, they wouldn’t have felt like hogs. Even thought this was a progressive time for African Americans, I think that there was a lot of tiny steps backward in the big step forward that was the Harlem Renaissance. I think that Rosie chose a very good poem, and I agree with her views on If I Must Die.
ReplyDeleteThis post is in response to Shannon's post regarding the poem "Blasphemy." Her analysis intrigued me, so I read the full poem. I was shocked at the concept and the wording of this piece. Almost every other work of literature from the Harlem Renassiance that I have come across has the "polished" tone of voice about it. Even though slang is used, they carry the professional aura that we come to expect out of literature. "Blasphemy" was written with raw honesty with wording that was completely unexpected. I can't explain the frustration of reading about the sheer ignorance of the speaker. Even though I am non-religious, I thought there was some level of disrespect the way the speaker was regarding God. It was almost as if they considered themselves to be a companion to God, as if this poem was a conversation between the two about the African-American that was below the two. I think the reality of this work hit me hard- this was the way that African-Americans were treated, and it was considered acceptable. Rationally, I know that this was not the case for all African-Americans, but the fact that it happened at all is infuriating. This is the country that we are supposed to be proud of, even though things like this happened. This piece was worded completely unexpectedly and evoked emotions out of me-it is quite powerful!
ReplyDeleteChecked to this point:)
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