American Racism Exposed in Poems by Langston Hughes and Sherman Alexie

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American Racism Exposed in Langston Hughes' "Let America Be America Again" and Sherman Alexie's, "Capital Punishment"

The issue of racial discrimination has become societal norm in America. Poems like Langston Hughes' "Let America Be America Again" and Sherman Alexie's, "Capital Punishment" show the injustice that still exists. Both poems speak to the prejudice that is accepted and current in America's past and present. Alexie and Hughes, both from minority groups, have seen the ugly face of racism. Both poems have many similarities, including the obvious tone of anger. The pieces also have their differences, while Hughes poem speaks from the viewpoint of one of the oppressed; Alexie's speaker is just a witness. Both writers draw attention to the injustices that minority groups face daily in this land of the free.

Sherman Alexie, A Spokane/Coeur d'Alene Indian, grew up on a reservation in Washington yet attended a high school where he was, as he so eloquently said, "the only Indian...except for the school mascot."(Alexie) Even though he was a star basketball player he still faced the torment of his schoolmates due to his heritage. This injustice influenced Alexie to compose the poem, "Capital Punishment." This poem tells the story of an Indian who was sentenced to death, the story is told from the perspective of the cook who prepares his last meal. The line "I am not a witness" is repeated throughout the poem, it is said after Alexie addresses a sensitive societal issue. Topics concentrated on are prejudice, homosexuality and clearly capital punishment. Alexie uses subtleties at first, alliterating to his stance on capital punishment but by the end of the poem the anger and frustration is prevalent. The speaker o...

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...ure. Not only does Hughes reject the idea of "the American Dream" he discards the proposal that America is the land of the free. Would America properly function without the oppressed, the people who work 50 hour weeks at minimum wage, the people who created this "America?" Without those people the comfortable lifestyle most of us know would be gone. So, the poor, colored and those of a different nationalities are denied chances to succeed to keep the traditional values.

Both poems address the widespread societal issue of racism that is so prevalent in America. Hughes and Alexie seem to agree that judgment of others has been the disgrace of our nation. If the color of a man's skin did not have such a great value in our society maybe then America could be everyone's. Not just the rich white man's but the immigrants, the Africans, the Indians and the poor.

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