The Imagery of Langston Hughes’s Harlem

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The Imagery of Langston Hughes’s Harlem

“What happens when dreams are deferred?” is the first line in Langston Hughes’s “Harlem,” a very interesting social commentary on Harlem in the early 1950’s. It talks about a “dream deferred” Harlem, which was a haven for literature and intellect in the late 20’s and early 30’s, but has become run down and faded to a shadow of its former existence. Langston Hughes’s “Harlem” is filled with extremely vivid imagery.

“Harlem,” by Langston Hughes uses various examples of imagery that one can relate to. The key to turning words into images is the ability to relate them to common experiences. No matter the person, we all cringe at the thought of rotten meat. “Harlem” contains the line “Does it stink like rotten meat?” Now we as the audien...

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