Langston Hughes “Theme for English B” and Gerald Graff’s essay “Hidden Intellectualism” portray racial separation and intellectual isolation, respectively. Hughes’ essay is poetic justice, and Graff’s is a call to arms. Hughes’ is short and to the point and is simply what it is, no arguing or convincing, just raw thought. Graff’s is highly intellectual; offering examples and reasoning, and it could even be seen as a not-quite-finished plea to the nation to reevaluate our education system. But the many differences in these articles are not what they seem. These so-called “differences” are really just distractions we choose to see on the surface, but in fact, the essays work together quite well. When examined closely, looking past the obvious surface differences, Hughes and Graff are essentially speaking about the same thing: social separation.
One major difference between the two papers is the manner of which elements are presented due to the authors being, of course, different. This affects the method of delivery in the two essays, although they both still come to a similar emotional portrayal. In Hughes’ poem, he has a very raw and at times cynical approach to conveying his message. He uses black and white terms and is obvious in his attempt to demonstrate the separation he feels others place between black and white people. Consider the following lines “So will my page be colored that I write? / Being me, it will not be white,” (Hughes 800). Hughes feels this separation and states it outright between black and white, not of educational boundaries or anything else except racial bias. Then, in Graff’s essay, he goes much more in depth on the topic, talking about educational boundaries and how a teacher could actually get results f...
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...of social construction and really are about some negative sides of the human experience. Whether black or white, lower-class or upper-class, separation exists. It’s evident by these authors own experiences, no matter what method they use to convey it, whether that method be intellectual or emotional. Social separation, no matter what the cause, can be very damaging, and is felt by all kinds of people. Not just the black or the white, or the intellectuals or the “hoods.”
REFERENCES
Hughes, Langston. “Theme for English B” The Norton Field Guide to Writing with Readings. Richard Bullock, Maureen Daly Goggin, eds. New York: W. W. Norton & Compant, 2010. 799-800. Print.
Graff, Gerald. “Hidden Intellectualism”They Say, I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein and Russel Durst, eds. New York: Norton, 2009. 297-303. Print.
To understand why someone writes the way they do, we must understand where they come from. Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri, in nineteen-oh-two. He grew up with his grandmother due to his parents being separated. Growing up with his grandmother, Hughes was told stories of how slavery should be ended and this filled him with a great deal of pride and respect for not only himself, but his race. (“Hughes”)
Graff, Gerald, and Cathy Birkenstein. They Say I Say The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. New York & London: W. W. Norton & Company, 2010. Print.
“Poetry is the rhythmical creation of beauty in words.” –Edgar Allan Poe. Poetry is one of the world’s greatest wonders. It is a way to tell a story, raise awareness of a social or political issue, an expression of emotions, an outlet, and last but not least it is an art. Famous poet Langston Hughes uses his poetry as a musical art form to raise awareness of social injustices towards African-Americans during the time of the Harlem Renaissance. Although many poets share similarities with one another, Hughes creatively crafted his poetry in a way that was only unique to him during the 1920’s. He implemented different techniques and styles in his poetry that not only helped him excel during the 1920’s, but has also kept him relative in modern times. Famous poems of his such as a “Dream Deferred,” and “I, Too, Sing America” are still being studied and discussed today. Due to the cultural and historical events occurring during the 1920’s Langston Hughes was able to implement unique writing characteristics such as such as irregular use of form, cultural and historical referenced themes and musical influences such as Jazz and the blues that is demonstrative of his writing style. Langston Hughes use of distinct characteristics such as irregular use of form, cultural and historical referenced themes and musical influences such as Jazz and the blues helped highlight the plights of African-Americans during the Harlem Renaissance Era.
When reading the literature of Langston Hughes, I cant help but feeling energetically charged and inspired. Equality, freedom, empowerment, renaissance, justice and perseverance, are just a taste of the subject matter Hughes offers. He amplifies his voice and beliefs through his works which are firmly rooted in race pride and race feeling. Hughes committed himself both to writing and to writing mainly about African Americans. His early love for the “wonderful world of books” was sparked by loneliness and parental neglect. He would soon lose himself in the works of Walt Whitman, Paul Laurence, Carl Sandburg and other literary greats which would lead to enhancing his ever so growing style and grace of oeuvre. Such talent, character, and willpower could only come from one’s life experiences. Hughes had allot to owe to influences such as his grandmother and great uncle John Mercer Langston - a famous African American abolitionist. These influential individuals helped mold Hughes, and their affect shines brightly through his literary works of art.
Hughes, Langston. The Negro mother, and other dramatic recitations. Freeport, N.Y.: Books for Libraries Press, 1971. Print.
Graff, G., Birkenstein, C., & Durst, R. K. (2009). The Growing College Gap. "They say/I say": the moves that matter in academic writing : with readings (p. 379). New York: W.W. Norton & Co.
Ungar, Sanford J. “The New Liberal Arts.” They Say/I Say: The Moves That Matter In Academic Writing. Ed. Gerald Graff. 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 190-197. Print.
Graff, Gerald, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel K. Durst. "They Say/I Say": The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing: With Readings. Vol. 2e. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2012. Print.
Both authors took a leap by publishing works that criticized their oppressors, a leap that put them each in harm’s way. Each poet was able to inspire and educate in their own way, using their own personal touches; Hughes, working to inform his people and unite them against a common enemy through passionate prose, and McKay, working to ignite the passions of his audience in order to compel them to take a forceful stand. The importance of both perspectives operating in unison cannot be understated. A broader set of perspectives and beliefs about the same issue is effective in inspiring a broader, larger, and more diverse group of readers. The sad image that Hughes creates was most likely effective in reaching even the white Americans who already enjoyed their full freedom, by opening the eyes of whites and other unoppressed races to the plights of early African-Americans. In contrast, McKay’s poem was most likely more effective in rallying African-Americans specifically. The advantage of these (though not greatly) differing messages was immense, and underlines the importance of differing viewpoints, and also inspired different groups of people, in order to bring about a more rapid, and more universally agreed upon change. Against a tyrannical force such as a racist majority, these two viewpoints
Herbert, Bob. “Hiding From Reality.” They Say I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. Graff, Gerald. Birkenstein, Cathy. New York. London: 2012. 566.
The contradiction of being both black and American was a great one for Hughes. Although this disparity was troublesome, his situation as such granted him an almost begged status; due to his place as a “black American” poet, his work was all the more accessible. Hughes’ black experience was sensationalized. Using his “black experience” as a façade, however, Hughes was able to obscure his own torments and insecurities regarding his ambiguous sexuality, his parents and their relationship, and his status as a public figure.
Graff, Gerald. “Hidden Intellectualism”. They Say/I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. Comp. Graff, Gerald, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russell Durst. New York W.W. Norton & Company, 2006.
Hughes, Langston. "Harlem (A Dream Deferred)." Literature and the Writing Process. Elizabeth McMahan, Susan X. Day, and Robert Funk. 6th ed. Upper Saddle River. Prentice, 2002. 534.
Through the lens of Readers-Response theory, “Theme for English B” by Langston Hughes can be seen as an a students’ protest against racism in his country, but, more specifically, in an educational setting. Having only read a few of Hughes works, I assumed after just reading the title that it would take a shot or two at his English professor. Although, Hughes is coming off annoyed and aggravated because of the professor came off as condescending when assigning the paper. Upon my first read, I related with the poet a bit because I have often felt belittled by professors assumptions and questioning and assumptions. Upon my further readings I became empathetic with the poet. The more I read the poem the more empowered and at one I feel with the
“You are white-/ yet a part of me, as I am a part of you./… As I learn from you, I guess you learn from me-/ although you’re older-and white-/ and somewhat more free” (Hughes 31-32, 37-40). At this point of the poem the speaker speaks with a solemn tone, because his/ her white instructor gets more freedom because of their race. The speaker is also saying that he/ she teaches the instructor at times. That the instructor isn’t the only one teaching in class. In the poem Hughes uses terms and phrases like “white”, “colored”, and “more free”. In this way the speaker suggests racial inequality through these terms/ phrases while comparing himself/ herself to the instructor. The speaker also uses these terms/ phrases to compare himself/ herself to the instructor, implying who is more free.