Langston Hughes Comparison

432 Words2 Pages
Langston Hughes Comparison Langston Hughes was a master with words when it came to his poetry. He used techniques that pulled the reader into the poem. His greatest use of technique skills would be the creation of his personas, and his clever use of dialect. He uses these in poems such as “Mother to Son”, “Theme for English B”, and “Dream Boogie.” The poem “Mother to Son” is simply about a hard working mother talking to her son. She warns him about life’s hardships and tries to encourage him to never give up. The way creates the mother puts such a clear image in your head; you can practically smell her perfume. When you read a line such as, “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair”, you can understand she may not be formally educated, but she understands the way the world works. The dialect he uses strongly aid in her characterization. The uneducated, but soulful, way he writes her words make you read it in her voice, rather than his. With a small amount of words such as, “So boy, don’t you turn back,” he creates passion and wisdom in a fictional woman who cares for her child. “Theme for English B” has a much different setting. The persona is a young, educated, African-American man. The poem itself is an essay the young man is writing for his white professor. The dialect is educated and wise, as the young man is proving he is no different than his professor. He uses lines such as, “yet a part of me, as I am a part of you” to attempt to prove it. The young man also says, “I am the only colored student in my class” to also state that he also knows his race, as simple of a thing it is, still has a large impact. “Dream Boogie” focuses more on the fake smile people put on. A Young woman is directing herself to a man, most likely a boyfriend or love. She is almost singing with her the rhythm of her words. In the end the poem practically turns to song. /

More about Langston Hughes Comparison

Open Document