My Dream In Langston Hughes's As I Grew Older

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Recommended: Langston Hughes use of imagery

Another poetic verse that illustrates Hughes' desire to establish a community of African- Americans who are accepting of their racial identities is As I Grew Older. The poem begins with: "It was a long time ago, I have almost forgotten my dream" (1-2). By starting with a "once upon a time" theme, it seems as though the speaker is reflecting upon a poignant time in his life which has most likely been his childhood years. Consequently, the speaker states: "I have almost forgotten my dream...in front of me bright like a sun..."(2-6). From the few statements, "dream" is centering idea. A dream is an intangible idea that powers ambition, and hope, rendering the individual confident and hopeful for the future. However, the speaker has "almost forgotten" his dream, meaning that his dream was no longer attainable or more simply, he could not reach it. Additionally, when the speaker states: "it was there then, in front of me, bright like a sun," the speaker acknowledges his blindness and the inevitable fact that like the sun which naturally rises and sets everyday without much reasoning, his dream was no longer his priority. By comparing the sun to his dream, the speaker is also alluding to the universal actions that all human beings all partake in. Every day, we are caught up by school, work, and life. However, we never once think about the surrounding natural events that occur around us. The sun gives us light and does not allow us to live in obscurity; the trees, the air that we breathe, and gravity helps us survive in this planet, but we take them for granted. In the same way, the speaker has forgotten what he has been living for and only acknowledges it once he has grown older and the racial struggles that he endures are now too hard ... ... middle of paper ... ...ooses "dark" instead of "black" to describe the hands because of the underlying message it holds- he wants blacks to come to terms with their racial identities. "Dark" is more descriptive and has a more definite meaning while "black" is universal and refers to a general race. Through the use of "dark," Hughes is essentially alluding to the richness and beauty of the hands: "my dark hands." They are the only resolves for the speaker and are capable of breaking through the wall because of the speaker's acknowledgement of his blackness. In As I Grew Older, Hughes seeks to show his African- American counterparts that the wall of injustice should not define an individual's life-long dream or goal. As long as the individuals acknowledge what makes them individuals of color, and put the world into their own "hands", no obstacle can hinder their passage towards their dreams.

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