Question

Writing a paper on Langston Hughes and his poem I Too sing America.

Answer 1

LANGSTON HUGHES

James mercer Langston hughes was born february 1, 1902 in joplin, missouri. His parents divorced when he was a young child, and his father moved to mexico.He was raised by his grandmother until he was thirteen, when he moved to lincoln, illinois to live with his mother and her husband, before the family eventually settled in cleveland, ohio. It was inlincoln that hughes began writing poetry. After graduating from high school, he spent a year in mexico followed by a year at columbia university in new york city. During this time ,he worked as an assistant cook, launderer and busboy.

He also travelled to africa and europe working as a seaman. In november 1924, he moved to washington,D.C. Hughes 's first book of poetry ,The Weary blues was published by alfred A knopf in 1926.He finished his college education at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania three years later. In 1930, his first novel, Not without laughter won the Harmon gold medal for literature

Hughes who claimed Paul lawrence dunbar, carl sandberg and walt whitman as his primary influences is particularly known for his insightful portrayals of black life in america from the twenties through the sixties.He also wrote novels, shortstories, plays, and poetry and is also known for his engagement in with the world of jazz and the influence it had on his writing as in his book-length poem Montage of a Dream Deferred

Langston Hughes died of complications from prostate cancer on may 22, 1967 in new york city. In his memory his residence at 20 east 127th street in harlem has been given landmark status by the newyork city preservation commission, and east 127 th street has been renamed " Langston Hughes place".

I TOO SING AMERICA

SUMMARY

The speaker claims that he too sings America. He is the dark brother who is sent to eat in the kitchen when there are guests visiting.However he does laugh and he eats well and grows bigger and stronger. Tomorrow, he will sit at the table when the guests come, and no one will dare to tell him to eat in the kitchen, They will see his beauty and be ashamed for as he claims I too am america

ANALYSIS

The speaker begins by declaring that he too can "sing America", meaning that he is claiming his right to feel patriotic towards america, even though he is the darker brother who cannot sit at the table and must eat in the kitchen. This alludes to the common practice of racial segregation during the early 20th century, when african americans faced discrimination in early every aspect of their lives. They were forced to work, live, eat and travel separately from white counterparts, had few civil or legal rights were often victims of racial violence and faced economic marginalization in both the north and the south.One critic identifies the opening lines of the poem as illustrative of W.E.B. Dubois's theory of double consciousness