Reoccurring Themes in the Work of Langston Hughes Essay

Langston Hughes is an extremely successful and well known black writer who emerged from the Harlem Renaissance (â€Å"Langston Hughes† 792). He is recognized for his poetry and like many other writers from the Harlem Renaissance, lived most of his life outside of Harlem (â€Å"Langston Hughes† 792). His personal experiences and opinions inspire his writing intricately. Unlike other writers of his time, Hughes expresses his discontent with black oppression and focuses on the hardships of his people. Hughes’ heartfelt concern for his people’s struggle evokes the reader’s emotion. His appreciation for black music and culture is evident in his work as well. Langston Hughes is a complex poet whose profound works provide insight into all aspects of black†¦show more content†¦He explains, â€Å"I was only an American Negro—who had loved the surface of Africa—but I was not Africa. I was Chicago and Kansas City and Broadway and Harlem . I was not what she wanted me to be† (Hughes as quoted in Cobb 44). Hughes wants to make sure people are aware that the life and culture of African Americans differ drastically from the romantic view of the Negro in Africa. In his poem â€Å"Mother to Son,† Hughes provides the story of struggle, poverty overcame by hard work, and hope for a more dignified life for the entire African American people (Niemi 1). Hughes recognizes that despite being oppressed, the black community is strong enough to empower itself with determination to succeed. When discussing working-class life, Hughes consistently â€Å"asserts blacks as fully complex, fully human, and equals in the American democratic experiment† and does not play into the thought that blacks should be kept down (Sanders 107). Langston Hughes’ â€Å"concern for the lives and oppression of poor and working-class blacks† is apparent in most of his work (Sanders 107). Through his writing he makes the p opulation aware of the deep-set oppression put upon the black community. Langston Hughes’ dedication to depicting the bona fide aspects of black life leads him to discuss struggle. One of the most omnipresent themes in black life, at the time of Hughes, is the constant struggle they face everyShow MoreRelatedLangston Hughes : The American Dream And Southern Migration With The Reality Of Prejudice2931 Words   |  12 Pages11/4/14 Langston Hughes Themes, Styles, and Techniques Langston Hughes has solidified his place as one of the greatest writers in American Literature to this day. This achievement is due to his thought provoking use of certain styles and techniques to portray his main themes and ideas. Many of Langston Hughes’ themes originated from his personal feelings and experiences. Hughes thus centers his themes around the ups and downs of African Americans living in America during his time. Langston HughesRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Dream By Langston Hughes1909 Words   |  8 PagesThe poem Dream by Langston Hughes is about following your dreams, because we never know what our near future can become if we do not attempt to accomplish our visions in life. One way to define the word dreams is to refer to them as a reflection of our possibilities that we desire to think about and aspire to achieve. To add on, not only can dreams get us through hard times, but they are a reminder to ourselves to keep going, plus they provide you with a purpose in life. Hughes states, Hold fast