Asked by sfv

Read the excerpt from the poem "Harlem" by Langston Hughes.

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
* * *
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

According to the poem, the speaker feels that the relationship between whites and African Americans is
happy and equal.
tense and unequal.
strong but calm.
unhappy but peaceful.

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
tense and unequal.

The imagery of a deferred dream “dry[ing] up,” “sag[ging] like a heavy load,” and potentially “explode[ing]” expresses frustration and pressure from unmet expectations — reflecting unequal, tense relations rather than happiness or peacefulness.