Student Question

What is the unspoken message about pursuing dreams in "Harlem"?

Quick answer:

"Harlem" conveys that unfulfilled dreams can harm a person's well-being, symbolized through vivid similes. Dreams deferred may "shrivel up" like raisins, "crust over," or sag like a "heavy load," indicating disappointment and burdens. The poem suggests that while some obstacles to achieving dreams are beyond control, individuals should strive to realize their dreams to avoid a life burdened by unfulfilled aspirations, potentially leading to explosive consequences.

Expert Answers

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The speaker in "Harlem" asserts that the realization of hopes and dreams is essential to a person's well-being. Through various similes, the reader is reminded of the harm that can come when dreams fail to come to fruition. Sometimes those dreams simply shrivel up like "raisin[s] in the sun" and turn to dust. Sometimes dreams "crust...over," the goodness hiding underneath an outer layer of disappointment. Although most of the similes are presented as questions, this simile is a direct statement:

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

The speaker leaves no room for question; unfulfilled dreams are burdens that weigh people down.

Sometimes dreams are "deferred" for reasons within an individual's control, and sometimes they are not. The speaker is therefore saying that as much as dreams can be fulfilled within one's own efforts, it is important to take the steps needed to accomplish them in order to avoid a life of dusty disappointments. A life weighed down by unfulfilled goals and dreams is a life that is "heavy" and ready to "explode."

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