Analysis Of Dream Deferred By Langston Hughes

The Harlem Renaissance gave birth to many African American artists who were eager to share their works with the rest of the world, but it also gave rise to already existing artists such as the poet Langston Hughes whose poetry was, and still is, incredibly influential. One of Hughes’ best works, “Dream Deferred”, is still in the canon because it is inspiring and highly relatable. Hughes uses negative imagery and simple diction to deliver a powerful message that appeals to a large 21st century audience.
Many people today, especially the youth, tend to withhold their dreams due to fear. They struggle to find the courage to pursue and fulfill those dreams. Therefore, it is not surprising that a poem such as “Dream Deferred” still prevails. By
Those changes could galvanize a revolution and ignite a spark of ambition inside the dreamer. Hughes uses these examples to show people that deferring a dream may not always have pleasant consequences and this should motivate people to pursue their dreams in life because dreams are meant to be followed, not suppressed or put on
The deferred dream mentioned in the poem symbolizes the American Dream that was unreasonably denied to all black people. This is still relevant today; the American Dream is unfortunately not available for everyone to follow. Recent examples to support this are the Ferguson and Baltimore riots, which are ongoing protests that were brought to the light due to the killings of innocent African-Americans by white police officers. These protestors demand justice and retribution. Most people would agree that black people are still fighting for equality and freedom.
Hughes asks if deferred dreams “fester like a sore/ and then run?” The comparison of the American Dream to a sore makes the poem much more relevant to today’s events; people are still getting hurt and murdered over a basic need and the more that dream is being withheld from people, the closer our world descends into chaos. Throughout the poem, Hughes uses simple words to convey a deep, meaningful message. By making the poem easy to read and comprehend, Hughes appeals to a wide range of