illustrated portrait of American poet and author Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes

Start Free Trial

Langston Hughes Questions and Answers

Langston Hughes Study Tools

Ask a question Start an essay

Langston Hughes

The poem "Madam and Her Madam" by Langston Hughes explores the strained relationship between Alberta, a black domestic worker, and her wealthy white employer through first-person narration. Alberta...

1 educator answer

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes' poem "Long Trip" uses the sea as a metaphor for life, emphasizing its vastness and the sense of isolation it can bring. The poem's repetitive structure underscores life's monotony...

2 educator answers

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes' short story "Berry" explores themes of racism, inequality, and exploitation through the character Milberry Jones, a black man hired at a summer home for disabled children. Despite...

8 educator answers

Langston Hughes

The meaning of Langston Hughes' poem "Dinner Guest: Me" revolves around the artificial and condescending attitude of white hosts towards African Americans. Despite their attempts to appear...

3 educator answers

Langston Hughes

"In Time of Silver Rain" by Langston Hughes explores themes of renewal and rebirth, using springtime as a metaphor for new life and hope. The poem's imagery vividly depicts the transformation of...

3 educator answers

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes's play "Soul Gone Home" centers on the confrontation between a deceased son and his grieving mother. The son accuses his mother of neglect and blames her for his hardships. Themes...

5 educator answers

Langston Hughes

In "I Dream A World," the speaker envisions a world free of scorn, where individuals actively avoid judging others. This change would foster love and peace. The speaker dreams of universal freedom,...

1 educator answer

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes's poem "As I Grew Older" explores themes of dreams, oppression, and perseverance. The poem is structured as a single stanza in free verse, using symbols like the "sun" for dreams and...

7 educator answers

Langston Hughes

Mary and Bill didn't marry when they were young due to an unspecified, seemingly minor issue that arose between them, leading to their separation. Mary impulsively married someone else, while Bill...

1 educator answer

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes uses several literary devices in "The Dinner Guest: Me." Imagery contrasts black and white to highlight racial divides, while color imagery includes red elements like "fraises du...

2 educator answers

Langston Hughes

"Early Autumn" by Langston Hughes portrays a chance meeting between former lovers, Bill and Mary, in Washington Square, NYC. Their past breakup left Bill bitter, while Mary, now married and working...

1 educator answer

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes' "Berry" is a satirical short story that critiques racism and exploitation. It follows Milberry Jones, an uneducated African-American man, who works at Dr. Renfield's Summer Home for...

1 educator answer

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes was a key figure in the Harlem Renaissance, known for his insightful, colorful portrayals of black life in America. His works often explored the themes of racial pride, social...

4 educator answers

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes' poem "Cross" explores themes of identity and racial heritage. It reflects on the speaker's mixed-race background, with a white father and a black mother, leading to feelings of...

2 educator answers

Langston Hughes

In "Salvation," Langston Hughes explores a young boy's conflict between societal expectations of religious salvation and his personal experience of not feeling "saved." Tension arises from the...

1 educator answer

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes significantly contributed to the Harlem Renaissance through his poetry, novels, and plays that celebrated African American culture and highlighted social issues. His works, such as...

4 educator answers

Langston Hughes

The TPCASTT analysis of "I Look at the World" reveals a poem about empowerment and overcoming oppression. Initially, the title suggests a literal observation, but it figuratively denotes the...

1 educator answer

Langston Hughes

Nancy Lee retains her pride and self-worth despite the committee's actions due to Miss O'Shay's supportive words. Miss O'Shay, who also faced discrimination as an Irish woman, encourages Nancy to...

2 educator answers

Langston Hughes

"Life Is Fine" by Langston Hughes explores themes of resilience and the will to live despite life's hardships. The speaker contemplates suicide but ultimately decides to embrace life, emphasizing the...

4 educator answers

Langston Hughes

The theme of "Refugee in America" by Langston Hughes is the struggle for equality and the dichotomy between freedom and liberty for African Americans. Despite being free from slavery, they were not...

2 educator answers

Langston Hughes

"Freedom Train" by Langston Hughes contrasts the symbolic Freedom Train, which traveled the U.S. in 1947 without African American staff, with real trains marked by racial segregation. The speaker, an...

1 educator answer

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes' poem "Genius Child" explores society's fear and suspicion towards highly intelligent children, viewing them as threats to the status quo. The poem compares genius children to eagles...

2 educator answers

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes' "The City" is an eight-line poem divided into two quatrains with an ABCB rhyme scheme. The poem uses simple metaphors and personification to depict the city as a bird with wings and...

2 educator answers

Langston Hughes

To analyze Camille Dungy's "Because it Looked Hotter That Way," consider its acrostic form using words from Gwendolyn Brooks's "We Real Cool," which creates abrupt narrative shifts symbolizing life's...

1 educator answer

Langston Hughes

There is lots to learn from Langston Hughes, but some of the main takeaways are about the struggles and strength of the African American community. Hughes brought attention to problematic, racist...

1 educator answer

Langston Hughes

Mary's past relationship with Bill affects her identity by instilling a sense of regret and lingering affection. Her impulsive decision to marry someone else left unresolved feelings that have...

1 educator answer

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes' poem "Sun Song" uses repetition of the word "sun" to evoke emotional connections and employs opposites to illustrate the vastness of songs that can be sung and shared. The poem...

1 educator answer

Langston Hughes

Imagery in Langston Hughes’s poem “Dreams” includes images of life and death. He uses metaphors comparing life to a bird and a field, as well as personifying dreams by stating that they “die.” In...

1 educator answer

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes was a very important writer in American history, specifically in the Harlem Renaissance. His work helped shape the future of American literature and even helped change politics. He...

1 educator answer

Langston Hughes

A metaphor in poetry describes something as if it is something else, without using "like" or "as," to imply a comparison through imagery. Langston Hughes employs metaphors to convey deeper meanings...

2 educator answers

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes was a pivotal figure in the Harlem Renaissance, renowned for his poetry, novels, essays, and plays that centered on the African American experience. His works, like Montage of a Dream...

2 educator answers

Langston Hughes

In "Green Memory," Langston Hughes ridicules the tendency to overlook the violence of war when profiting from it. The poem critiques how wartime benefits those not directly involved in combat,...

1 educator answer

Langston Hughes

In "Berry" by Langston Hughes, Mrs. Osborn's only objection to Milberry Jones is his race (and her racism). He is Black, and she cannot think what to do with him when the employment office sends him...

1 educator answer

Langston Hughes

Hughes’s poetic forms are unusually diverse.

1 educator answer

Langston Hughes

The mother's intention to buy flowers for her dead son in Hughes's "Soul Gone Home" signifies her genuine, albeit complex, feelings for him. Despite resenting his birth for contributing to their dire...

1 educator answer

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes saw Booker T. Washington as a vital influence in the construction of Black consciousness in America and that his messages would continue to be important for future generations.

1 educator answer

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes frequently employs metaphors, similes, and symbolism in his poetry. In "Mother to Son," he uses a metaphor to compare life to a difficult staircase. In "I, Too, Am America," the table...

1 educator answer

Langston Hughes

"As I Grew Older" and "Dream Deferred" by Langston Hughes both explore the theme of dreams but with contrasting moods. "As I Grew Older" is hopeful, showing the speaker overcoming obstacles to...

2 educator answers

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes' poem "Dream Boogie" employs a jazz-influenced rhythmic structure, characterized by a syncopated beat and conversational tone. The formal features include irregular line lengths,...

2 educator answers

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes, in "Visitors to the Black Belt" and "Notes on Commercial Theatre," critiques the superficial understanding and appropriation of Black culture by white society during the Harlem...

1 educator answer

Langston Hughes

The speaker in "Love Song for Lucinda" is not explicitly identified, but is often interpreted as Langston Hughes himself. The speaker appears as an enthralled yet cautious lover, using vivid...

2 educator answers

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes's line "why democracy means everybody but me" reflects his critique of racial inequality in America. Despite the ideals of democracy and freedom, Hughes highlights that Black...

2 educator answers

Langston Hughes

Hughes's poem "Oppression" is written in a style that might be said to be conversational, but it is the poet speaking through the poem, not a character. The point of view might be considered "first...

2 educator answers

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes employs several literary elements in "Who's Passing for Who?" including characterization, point of view, and situational irony. He uses characterization by not naming the white...

1 educator answer

Langston Hughes

"Old Walt" by Langston Hughes explores Walt Whitman's creative process, emphasizing his methodical "seeking" and "finding" approach. Whitman began with questions, often uncovering more queries than...

1 educator answer

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes' poem "Sister" involves multiple speakers discussing Marie, a woman involved with a married man. The poetic persona, likely reflecting Hughes, questions why Marie chooses such a...

1 educator answer

Langston Hughes

Through the themes and techniques Hughes uses, in "The Pushcart Man" and "Drama for Winter Night," Langston Hughes's characters are both embedded and alienated. In "Drama for Winter Night," the "good...

1 educator answer

Langston Hughes

The ideas in "The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain" by Langston Hughes remain relevant today as black artists still face pressures to conform to white standards and stereotypes. Despite progress...

2 educator answers

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes explores American identity in his poetry by highlighting the experiences and struggles of African Americans. Through vivid imagery and rhythmic language, his work reflects themes of...

3 educator answers

Langston Hughes

Hughes uses a variety of rhetorical devices in his short story "That Word Black." The piece consists of a conversation between Simple, a black man, and an unnamed white person ("Where do you white...

2 educator answers