strength, but he needs the strength to stand firm "against her hate."

"Harlem" is a much shorter poem, and is more colloquial and informal. Though it has only three fewer lines than the sonnet, these lines are much shorter. After the initial question "What happens to a dream deferred?" the lines vary in length between three and seven syllables, employing rhyme, but irregular in meter. The poem is narrower in scope than "America" and, despite its title, has no sense of place. It is simply a series of possible answers to the question. The series of similes here all serve the same purpose, to give a visual quality to the idea of a deferred or spoiled dream.

Both poems deal with the problem of racism obliquely, without mentioning race directly. "America" is more complex, and more directly concerned with the contradictions inherent in the African American experience. Although "Harlem" focuses on a narrower question, it is more universal in its applicability. There are many reasons why the reader's dreams might have been deferred, by no means all of them to do with race.

Because of the themes in these two poems, it would be worth noting the historical context of both McKay and Hughes. This would be good information for the introductory paragraph, but I wouldn't go into extraordinary detail. One key similarity for the purposes of this paper is that both men wrote during the Harlem Renaissance, and both examined the effects of racial discrimination and injustices through their work. You'll want to end this paragraph, of course, by focusing in on your thesis. For a length requirement of this range, you'll want to leave this open enough for some pretty broad development. Your thesis could focus on the negative diction, vivid similes and metaphors, and targeted form which both McKay and Hughes examine the effects of the marginalization of Black people in America.

Each of these three main points could then become the basis of a body paragraph. Here are some basic notes for each topic:

• Negative diction in "America": Consider the usage of words like bitterness, sinks into my throat, stealing my breath of life, cultured hell, rebel, and darkly. The effect of America on the speaker is a powerfully dark force. Yet it is also worth noting that he stands "erect against her hate" and has not a shred of "terror, malice." This depicts a complex relationship where the speaker becomes stronger because of the rage against him, looking to the future with hope, though he does so with a "dark," not optimistic, gaze.
• Negative diction in "Harlem": Examine the usage of words like deferred, dry up, fester, sore, stink, rotten, sags, and heavy. Like McKay, Hughes examines the explosive potential of oppression. His diction feels ominous and even connotes death. These are harsh, hard sounds to reflect the harsh reality of the Black experience.
• Similes and metaphors in "America": Many of the metaphors here reflect the power of America. She is a tiger who sinks her teeth into the speaker's throat. She sustains him through a metaphorical "bread of bitterness." The "granite" becomes a metaphor for the strength of America that the speaker must face if he is to ever influence "Time's unerring hand."
• Similes and metaphors in "Harlem": These similes reflect things that used to exist in a different form. Raisins used to be juicy grapes. The meat used to exist in a form that could be consumed. The "sugary sweet," now crusted over, is a disappointing reality. In each of these cases, there is a distaste toward the change. This could reflect the way the speaker's experience has shifted each time his dreams of equality have been delayed. He used to exist in one form, but because of his experiences, his outlook toward America has grown more dissatisfied.
• Form in "America": Interestingly, McKay has chosen a sonnet to convey his thoughts about America. Sonnets are typically considered poetic forms of love, so this form underscores his belief that America can be the country of his dreams. He draws inspiration from America's "might," allowing her greatness to "sweep [his] being like a flood." You can examine the shift in tone that occurs in the final couplet, which is typical of sonnets.
• Form in "Harlem": Hughes begins with a key question, which is separated from the following stanza. He answers this initial question with more questions before creating another break. Hughes places his supposition alone, creating a visual break before and after "Maybe it just sags / like a heavy load" to emphasize that this is not a question. The deferral of dreams is a burden that weighs down the speaker. He ends with a final line written it italics, dropping it like a bomb at the end of the poem. Hughes is predicting the violence that would later follow in America as Black people demanded that their dreams be realized. There are echoes of this same sentiment in McKay's poem.

I hope this basic outline helps you examine the poems with greater clarity as you construct your essay. Good luck!