They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed–
I, too, am America.
—"I, Too, Sing America,"
Langston Hughes
Based on what you know of Langston Hughes and his beliefs, what quality makes the speaker “beautiful” in the last lines of the poem?
A. He is beautiful because he is patient and kind.
B. He is beautiful because he knows more than those who sent him from the table.
C. He is beautiful because he is African American.
D. He is beautiful because he has a more healthful diet.
1 answer
The quality that makes the speaker "beautiful" in the last lines of the poem is C. He is beautiful because he is African American.
Langston Hughes's poem "I, Too, Sing America" addresses themes of racial identity, dignity, and the inherent beauty of African Americans, asserting their rightful place in the American narrative. The beauty referenced in the poem is tied to the speaker's identity and the strength that comes from embracing that identity in the face of discrimination and exclusion.
