Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes was a man of uncountable greatness. Being an African American, and growing up during the time of the Harlem Renaissance ("The New Negro Movement") as well as the Great Depression, Hughes suffered many hardships. Many of Hughes's writings are a direct reflection of his struggle and a definite sign of the times and in this paper I will explore a handful of Hughes poems that offer the most insight into the man himself.

"We remember the job we never had, never could get, and cant have now because we're colored." Segregation was a great inspiration behind hughes writings. In Harlem, Hughes sums up the frustration of the blacks towards the oppression suffered from the whites.

Hughes frustration was a key element in his poem "The South." " Seductive as a dark eyed whore. Passionate, cruel, honey-lipped, syphilitic- that is the South." Driven to seek refuge, most slaves dreamt of the protection of the north. "For she, they say, is a kinder mistress. And in her house my children may escape the spell of the South." Hughes knew the pain of the slaves. He understood their desire for freedom, and the struggle to persevere.

"Life for me aint been no crystal stair... Don't you set down on the steps, 'cause you finds it kinder hard. Don't you fall now- for I'se still goin', honey', I'se still climbin', and life for me ain't been no crystal stair." In Mother to Son, Hughes writes about a mother who has overcome many obsticles in her life. These obsticles are represented by the stairs. The mother encourages her son to keep pressing on.

Just as the mother to her son, Hughes inspires his readers to press on. In "As I Grew Older" Hughes writes, "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!" This poem is not only an inspiration, but a testament to the struggles of the typical African American. However as he grew older, Hughes was able to shatter the darkness of racial discrimination and became all that he had dreamed of being.

A College graduate, a successful and published writer, Hughes used his experiences to inspire his success. Although hughes grew up during a very racist and segregated time, he broke down the barriers of racial discrimination and paved the way for many other successful African American writers. His pain is vividly presented in his poetry, as well as the desperation to break free. A strong-willed, and successful