“I, Too,” by Langston Hughes

Question

I, Too
BY LANGSTON HUGHES

I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.

They send me to eat in the kitchen

When company comes,

But I laugh,

And eat well,

And grow strong.

Tomorrow,

I’ll be at the table

When company comes.

Nobody’ll dare

Say to me,

“Eat in the kitchen,”

Then.

Besides,

They’ll see how beautiful I am

And be ashamed—

I, too, am America.

Copyright Credit: Langston Hughes, "I, Too" from The Collected Works of Langston Hughes. Copyright © 2002 by Langston Hughes. Reprinted by permission of Harold Ober Associates and International Literary Properties LLC Copyright 1994 by the Langston Hughes Estate.

Source: The Collected Works of Langston Hughes (University of Missouri Press (BkMk Press), 2004)

Multiple Choice Question
Hypothesize which statement best describes the speaker’s purpose in “I, Too,” by Langston Hughes?
A.
The speaker writes about how horrible it is that people can eat and laugh while others suffer nearby.
B.
The speaker feels shame as a result of the discrimination he experiences and hopes one day the other people will feel ashamed.
C.
The speaker writes of the discrimination he faces, and while he claims that he “too” is a part of America, he doesn’t believe White people will accept Black people.
D.
While the speaker writes of the discrimination he faces, he claims that he “too” is a part of America and is hopeful White people will see the beauty of Black people–and all Americans.

Answer 1

The statement that best describes the speaker’s purpose in “I, Too,” by Langston Hughes is:

D. While the speaker writes of the discrimination he faces, he claims that he “too” is a part of America and is hopeful White people will see the beauty of Black people—and all Americans.

This option captures the essence of the poem, as the speaker acknowledges the discrimination he faces but also expresses hope for a future where he is recognized and accepted as an equal part of America.