Prejudice Exposed In I, Too, By Langston Hughes

780 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: “I, Too” Langston Hughes interpretations

Prejudice has been impacting people's behavior since the beginning of time, however certain characters refuse to fall victim to these injustices, and take matters into their own hands. They know that the true value of a person is not determined by the color of their skin, but their contributions to the world around them. The narrator in “I, Too” by Langston Hughes exhibits pride in his racial background, negating the idea of inferiority delegated by ethnicity. He uses intelligence to counter the segregationists methods of undermining him, and explains that he has the same rights as any other citizen with the phrase “I, Too am America” Introducing himself as a “darker brother” sets a tone of a sarcastic, non formal attitude possessed by the narrator, along with adding imagery to the racial dilemma being encountered by the nation. Seemingly counter productive, the narrator chooses words which will catch the attention of readers, and the term brother implies a close relationship. Because he begins with such a distinct explanation of himself, the reader can deduce that he has a certain level of pride about his African decent. This description used by the narrator mirrors the description used by white citizens, and it is put in place to show the derogatory nature of using skin color as a defining characteristic. …show more content…

Normally, this would anger an American, but the narrator only laughs and gets his fill of food while growing strong and healthy. This docile reaction is a result of his intelligence, because he foresees a opportunity to discredit the segregation ideas with pure intimidation, and strength. The narrator is resourceful and can adapt to a situation in order to make it benefit himself, even turning a regularly negative situation in to one in which he comes out the

Show More
Related

  • The Theme of Identity in Sonny's Blues

    1620 Words  | 4 Pages

    The omission of the brother's name by the author is clearly intended. By having no defined identity, the brother stands in as the representative of the black community. The narrator is a responsible family man. His job as a high school math teacher illustrates his interest in helping others through education. His decision to marry suggests that he is respons...

    Read More

  • Similarities Between A Raisin In The Sun And Langston Hughes

    535 Words  | 2 Pages

    Walter is experiencing racial identity when he is talking to Mama telling her that “Them white boys talking [a] bout’ deals worth millions” (Hansberry - 87). Walter is jealous of businessmen who have more money than he will ever have. He is beaten by the fact that men his age have a higher chance of success because of the color of their skin. This quote shows how African-Americans were seen in the 1950’s. “I, Too” is a poem by Hughes. It is about a slave who cannot eat at the so-called “dinner table” because of the color of his skin. The narrator saying that “[He’s] the darker brother” (Line 2). This quote sums up the rest of the poem and how it relates to Walter, and how African-Americans were treated with disrespect. All in all, racial identities appear both in

    Read More

  • James Mcbride's Identity In The Color Of Water

    847 Words  | 2 Pages

    In this time, the black community in America was beginning to find their voice and stand up for what they believed in and who they truly were. The problem with James is that he didn’t know who he truly was. He didn’t understand how he could be two different things while all of his siblings identified as one. They instilled a sense of resentment toward whites in him that confused him beyond belief. This confusion left him believing that his mixed race was a curse and something that he would have to carry on his back for the rest of his life. He believed it to be a burden, as he felt that he didn’t truly belong anywhere because of it. "I thought it would be easier if we were just one color, black or white. My siblings had already instilled the notion of black pride in me. I would have preferred that mommy were black. Now, as a grown man, I feel privileged to have come from two worlds." - James McBride. In his memoir, on of James' main realization about his life is that in the transition from adolescence to adulthood, he learned that being mixed race wasn’t so much a curse as a blessing.

    Read More

  • Suffering and Struggle in Sonny´s Blues by James Baldwin

    1195 Words  | 3 Pages

    The transition of being a black man in a time just after slavery was a hard one. A black man had to prove himself at the same time had to come to terms with the fact that he would never amount to much in a white dominated country. Some young black men did actually make it but it was a long and bitter road. Most young men fell into the same trappings as the narrator’s brother. Times were hard and most young boys growing up in Harlem were swept off their feet by the onslaught of change. For American blacks in the middle of the twentieth century, racism is another of the dark forces of destruction and meaninglessness which must be endured. Beauty, joy, triumph, security, suffering, and sorrow are all creations of community, especially of family and family-like groups. They are temporary havens from the world''s trouble, and they are also the meanings of human life.

    Read More

  • What Does A Country Boy Can Survive Mean

    952 Words  | 2 Pages

    In addition to the previous paragraph, the author uses hyperbole and metaphor to show his self-assurance. In this case the author states, “Besides, / They’ll see how beautiful I am/ And be ashamed/ I, too, am America.” The author is showing the feelings of the man by expressing his self-confidence to prove he too is just as good as everyone else is even if he is a different race, he is still a person who has rights as a citizen of

    Read More

  • Hughes, Lucille Clifton, And I, Too, By Langston Hughes

    862 Words  | 2 Pages

    This poem is often compared to Walt Whitman’s I Hear America Singing because of the similarities of the two poems. In this poem, Hughes argues that the African American race is equal to whites. Hughes even declares that one day the African American race will be equal to whites. Hughes proclaims, “Besides, They’ll see how beautiful I am and be ashamed-I, too, am America.” Hughes was very bold and daring when he wrote these lines in this poem. He is implying that the white people will regret what they have done to blacks. That they will be ashamed of how they treated them. Undoubtedly, this poem expresses Hughes cultural identity.

    Read More

  • Comparison Of Racism In America By Langston Hughes And Dear White America

    733 Words  | 2 Pages

    In “Dear White America”, Smith discusses the current problems that the United States of America have. He says: “[…] ‘why does it always have to be about race?’ Because you made it that way! […]” (5) This example can be related to the “All Lives Matter” movement which went against the “Black Lives Matter” saying that everyone’s life matters. Which is true, but the Black Lives Matter movement was not created to make themselves more important than other races. It was created to say that they need to matter because nobody seems to care about what is going on to them. ”, As for “I, Too”, Langston Hughes talks about how he’s also American and how he’s also a human just like the other’s even though he’s not seen as equal due to his skin color. He says: “I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen. When company comes,” (2) He’s referring to white Americans sending him away when visit comes to the house. This leads us to believe that he’s not welcomed to sit with them due to his skin color which is extremely

    Read More

  • Analysis Of The Talented Tenth By W. E. B. Dubois

    1410 Words  | 3 Pages

    While Harper develops the mulatto characters considerably, the dichotomy of speech in the novel further develops the idea of a “Talented Tenth.” Two events represent the contract within conversations between the black and white communities: the secret meeting amongst the slaves at the beginning of the novel and the Conversazione. The secret meeting takes place in a hidden, dark atmosphere, while the Conversazione takes place in a bright, open atmosphere; this difference juxtaposes the oppression of the dark-skinned slaves with the relative open freedom of the lighter-skinned blacks. The transition away from darkness throughout the novel represents the black community gradually altering their identity in order to become more similar to the white

    Read More

  • Compare Harlem And I Too

    1772 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the line “I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen” (Hughes 2-3) is denial of a particular person due to the pigmentation of their skin. The African American race had to suffer and be treated differently because of one small detail that was out of their control. Many individuals struggled with how they were treated during this time and others let such treatment make them stronger. As seen in the following lines “Nobody’ll dare say to me, “Eat in the kitchen, then.” Hughes illustrates that the narrator is in touch with being the same as everyone else. These lines show that he knows what he deserves and he will stand up for himself. Guilt of being a certain race is not hanging over the narrator’s head unlike many others who feel defeated. This poem stands for those who see themselves equally with the ones that look down upon them. “I, too, am America” is a testament of faith in his countrymen and women to recognize and appreciate the contribution of African-American citizens.” (Lewis) shows that America should be proud of the strong ethnic mix. Hughes possessed optimism for all human beings and took a lot of pride in showing that through his

    Read More

  • Messages from Point of View in Langston Hughes’ I too

    1046 Words  | 3 Pages

    The writing of Langston Hughes in “I too” is significantly dependant on his point of view. The actions that occur in the poem are as realistic as they can get because Langston Hughes is speaking from the heart. He passed through the Harlem Renaissance and faced constant struggles with racism. Because of that, his writing seems to manifest a greater meaning. He is part of the African-American race that is expressed in his writing. He writes about how he is currently oppressed, but this does not diminish his hope and will to become the equal man. Because he speaks from the point of view of an oppressed African-American the poem’s struggles and future changes seem to be of greater importance than they ordinarily would.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast How It Feels To Be Colored Me By Langston Hughes

    1849 Words  | 4 Pages

    From slavery to the Harlem Renaissance, a revolutionary change in the African American community, lead by poets, musicians and artists of all style. People where expressing their feeling by writing the poem, playing on instruments and many more. According to the poem “ I, Too” by Langston Hughes and article “How it feels to be Colored Me” by Zora Neale Hurtson, the poem and article connects to each other. The poem is about how a African Man, who sits in the dinning café and says that, one day nobody would be able to ask him to move anywhere, and the in the article written by Zora Neale Hurtson, she describes how her life was different from others, she was not afraid of going anywhere. They both have very similar thoughts,

    Read More

  • An Understanding of The White House and I, Too, Sing, America

    796 Words  | 2 Pages

    During the 1900s, many African Americans experienced the effects of racial segregation but they still had hope, their oppression did not stop their belief for future change. In “I, Too, Sing, America”, Langston Hughes has makes it clear that he envisions change. In the beginning of the poem, he speaks of being treated differently than others in his home, making it hard to live equally. Hughes writes, “I am the darker brother, they send me to eat in the kitchen when company comes” (Line). He chooses to discuss this issue because his darker shade of skin in comparison to the other residents in his home, makes it possible for him to eat separately so that he will not be seen by the guests; this depicts segregation in his home due to race. Because of the racial conflicts that Hughes experiences, he hopes that there is some form of change in the future, where he can sit equally with others. He goes on to write, “Tomorrow, I’ll be at the table when company comes, nobody’ll dare say to me, eat in the kitchen “(Line). Hughes...

    Read More

  • I, Too by Langston Hughes

    694 Words  | 2 Pages

    The poem begins "I, too, sing America. I am the darker brother." From those two lines alone, one can see that he is proud of who he is and introducing himself to the reader. In the line "I, too, sing America" he is explaining that he is an American like everyone else in the country, but he is only of a darker skin color as he follows up in line two with "I am the darker brother." He says that even though he is of another color he is still an American and he should not be treated any differently from any other American.

    Read More

  • Comparing Poems 'I, Too And' Theme For English B

    973 Words  | 2 Pages

    The speaker talks about how challenging his assignment to write about the truth when everybody’s truth is different (15). Race was a large factor in how the speaker saw himself. He was born in the South, a place where colored culture and people were widely rejected. The speaker has never felt free in his life: how could he complete this assignment about writing about the truth when it could not set him free? This is where “I, Too” and “Theme for English B” draw similarities. Race is an obstacle both speakers had to face but were able to successfully overcome it. In fact, the speakers embraced their race and made it their life’s determination surpass all

    Read More

  • Family Relationships in Morrison's The Bluest Eye

    1780 Words  | 4 Pages

    A main theme in this novel is the influence of family relationships in the quest for individual identity. Our family or lack thereof, as children, ultimately influences the way we feel as adults, about ourselves and about others. The effects on us mold our personalities and as a result influence our identities. This story shows us the efforts of struggling black families who transmit patterns and problems that have a negative impact on their family relationships. These patterns continue to go unresolved and are eventually inherited by their children who will also accept this way of life as this vicious circle continues.

    Read More

More about Prejudice Exposed In I, Too, By Langston Hughes

Open Document