In the “Theme for English B” by Langston Hughes, the instructor assigned a student to write a page about anything with the belief that whatever comes out will be true. The student wrote about being black in a predominately white school and area in America. It is a poem of insight into one’s personal identity in society. Furthermore, it is a poem of what we learn from each other in society. The instructor stated “Go home and write a page tonight. And left that page come of you—Then, it will be true.” Hughes responded on his first line of the poem saying, “I wonder if it’s that simple?” Is it that simple? It is. Hughes wrote without a clear direction of where his piece was headed. He resulted in a well-crafted poem of insight into himself as a black man in America. Huges said he will be “a part of you, instructor / … /yet a part of me, as I am a part of you. / That’s American.” The meaning of the line is that America is made up of so many different diversities that we all influence the definition of America. We are united as an identity of various unique people from many different places.
-Justin Sander
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Justin -
Overall I agree with you about the issue of diversity in America. However, I believe there are still a lot of people who believe their are "Americans" and "people who call themselves Americans". We are still only a few decades from a time where racism thrived. People should be united but rarely are. Finally, what is your personal opinion about the poem?... besides what Langston Hughes says.
- Joe Najdek
I agree when you say the different diversities construct what America is. And Joe is right, the peak of racism in America was not so long ago. It seems as tho America has drifted away from that discrimination. But it currently still thrives and is hidden by our televisions that claim to be showing the true news.
-Jasper
I believe that America is a melting pot of culture. Racism is present, but just because people are still racist does not mean that those whom they are racist towards can not be considered part of what America is. Every race has someone who is predjudice against it so we can not say anyone who is descriminated by others is not a true American. We all define America.
-Brian S.
Post a Comment