The persona in Langston Hughes' poem "Harlem" is someone who is questioning the consequences of not being able to fulfill one's dreams, particularly in the socio-political context of racial discrimination and oppression in Harlem during the early 20th century. The poem reflects the frustration and hopelessness felt by African Americans at the time, whose aspirations and ambitions were often thwarted by systemic racism.
The socio-political context of racial inequality plays a crucial role in advancing the theme of the poem, as it highlights the devastating effects of racial discrimination on the individual level. The speaker uses vivid imagery and vivid language to convey the various ways in which a deferred dream can manifest: from drying up like a raisin in the sun to exploding with pent-up frustration.
The speaker employs language effectively in advancing the themes of the poem by using powerful metaphors and similes to evoke a sense of despair and frustration. The use of sensory imagery, such as the comparison of a deferred dream to rotten meat or syrupy sweet, adds depth and emotion to the poem, allowing readers to empathize with the speaker's plight.
Hughes, L. (1951). "Harlem." In Montage of a Dream Deferred. Holt.
The identity of the persona and the role that the socio-political context play in advancing the theme of the poem.
How does the speaker employ language in the advancement of themes in poem.
Please provide Harvard refererences
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore-
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?
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