Poet James Langston Hughes

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the most apparent element of Hughes's work is his use of particular diction to create vivid imagery; for example, in "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," Hughes attempts to balance his own soul, or perhaps the soul of the black peoples, with some of the longest and deepest rivers in the world. This paper points out Hughes's use of symbolism to convey meaning within a work and to symbolize how society functioned at that time, as in the poem, "Democracy". This paper concludes that Hughes was the first to step up from among the ranks of the black people and present such strong and unashamed words; thereby, Hughes helped to reshape attitudes toward African-Americans, while also giving his own people a new hope for tomorrow.

From the Paper:

"The works of James Langston Hughes belong among the richest and most significant pieces ever written by American authors. To distinguish this certainty, Hughes was also an African-American. His poetic works analyzed herein speak largely of the lifestyles in which the African American people lived during the late 19th and early to mid-20th centuries. Hughes, born in Joplin, Missouri in 1902, was intended by his father to attend Columbia University studying engineering. After dropping the program in 1921 with a B+ average, Hughes did not again attend college until he received his B.A. in 1929 from Lincoln University. Between these times many of his great works were written and published. These include "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" (1921), an essay entitled "The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain", and "The Weary Blues" (1926)."

More papers on Poet James Langston Hughes:

• Essay # 22649 : "Black Experience in American Culture"
• Essay # 70598 : "Langston Hughes"
• Analytical Essay # 136006 : "Langston Hughes on Racism"

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