While the speaker of “Dream Variations” envisions a life free of racial oppression,
he also dreams of ways to survive oppression
. The poem suggests that the speaker’s art—his dancing, and the art of the poem itself—helps him to survive life in a racist society and imagine a better future.
What do Dream Variations mean?
The poem Dream Variations by Langston Hughes is
a nostalgic lyric which poignantly expresses the singer’s wish for a carefree life away from color persecution and racial discrimination
. The title of the poem suggests Hughes’s main theme of the Afro-American dream. This poem is notable for its musical changes.
What is the theme for Dream Variations?
The theme of “Dream Variations” is
racial pride and equality
, which Hughes was known for. The poem expresses a feeling of freedom. The narrator describes a longing to feel completely free, to “fling <their> arms wide” and “to whirl and dance.”
How does the motion of the figures in the painting reflect the mood of Dream Variations?
The meter, or “motion,” of “Dream Variations” serves to
both reflect the emotion of the speaker himself
and to evoke emotions in the hearts of his audience. … Because the rhythmic makeup of these lines varies only slightly, the meter remains relatively constant.
What figurative language is in Dream Variations?
Some figures of speech in this poem include
similes and personification
. For example, some similes are “Dark like me” and “Black like me.” Some examples of personification are “While night comes on gently,” “Night coming tenderly,” and “In the face of the sun.”
How does Hughes characterize the speaker in I too?
“I, Too” Speaker
The speaker of “I, Too” is a black man. In line 2, he refers to himself as the “darker brother.” Taken literally, this suggests that
he is part of a family
—a family that includes people who are not as dark as he is. In other words, the family is mixed: it has both white and black members.
What is the speaker’s goal in the poem Dream Variations?
“Dream Variations” is a poem by Langston Hughes that describes the speaker’s
desire to escape the pressure and discrimination s/he faces in
…
What does the line Till the white day is done mean?
Dance! Whirl! Whirl! Till the quick day is done. … He writes, “
To whirl and to dance /
Till the white day is done. / Then rest at cool evening.” This is a poem about dreams, and whirling and dancing are powerful ideas in this poem because they express his desire to be free and express himself fully.
Why does the speaker have to eat in the kitchen when company comes?
Why does the speaker in “I, Too” have to eat in the kitchen when company comes? … He has to eat in the kitchen
because he is an African American
. Eating in the kitchen represents how the whites did not see the blacks as being equal to them [segregation].
Who wrote the poem Dream Variations?
Dream Variations by
Langston Hughes
– Poems | Academy of American Poets.
What is Langston Hughes’s opinion on dreams do you think that dreams have any role to play in our lives Write your response with reference to the poem dreams?
‘Dreams’ by Langston Hughes encourages
readers to hold fast to their desires and goals, because without them, life is bleak and without hope
.
What is the central theme of the poem dreams?
“Dreams” Themes
Through its metaphorical images of brokenness and barrenness, the poem
depicts life without dreams as no longer worth living
. The speaker begins by advising the reader to hold on to dreams, illustrating the pain of a life without them by comparing it to an injured, earthbound bird.
What emotions did you feel when reading Dream Variations?
In “Dream Variations,” this idea of Africa as a place of freedom, unspoiled charm, and celebration is suggested by the speaker’s
feeling of contentment from morning
till night.
Why does Langston Hughes use repetition in dreams?
First, Hughes uses repetition. For example, Hughes restates the line, “Hold fast to dreams” twice. He is
trying to emphasize that you should really hold on to your dreams and chase them
. You should do this no matter what because otherwise your dreams may slip away.
Can dreams be personified?
Personification: Personification is to give human qualities to inanimate objects. For example, ‘dream’ in the third stanza
is personified
as if a dream is a spiritual teacher who can guide him.
What literary devices are used in a dream deferred?
| DESCRIPTION | Alliteration Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginnings of words in a sentence or line | Imagery The use of descriptive or figurative language to create vivid mental imagery that appeals to the senses |
|---|
What does the speaker mean when he says I too am America?
What does he mean by the last line “I, too, am America.”? A possible answer is that the
speaker is confirming his right to be a part of the promise and purpose of America, Another, he to is proud of America and what it does, he is also American.
How important do you think dreams are explain?
Dreams are important for all ages. Dreams encompass goals and more. They
give your life purpose, direction, and meaning
. They shape your life choices, help you build toward the future, and give you a sense of control and hope.
He describes how, in spite of the racism and discrimination he faces in America, he won’t be deterred from claiming his rightful place in the country. Hughes demonstrates this resilience in the following phrase: “
But I laugh, / and eat well, / and grow strong
” (5–7).
Why is it important that the speaker does not define exactly who they are?
Part B: Why is it important that the speaker does not define exactly who “they” are?
It protects the speaker’s relationships by not offending one specific group
. It keeps readers interested in the poem by maintaining their curiosity. It holds the focus of the poem on its subject, which is the speaker himself.
Why did Langston Hughes write dreams?
Langston Hughes wrote ‘Dreams’
because he wanted to encourage his readers to hold onto their dreams despite life’s adversity
.
The context of a poem can help you to understand it better. Context can include:
the time and place the poem was written
.
how the poem has been read at different times and in different situations
.
Which Four Rivers does the speaker mention?
In ‘The Negro Speaks of Rivers” the writer talks of the four rivers in America, Africa, and the Middle East:
The Congo river, the Euphrates, the Mississippi, and the Nile
.
What is the poem any human to another about?
In Countee Cullen’s poem, ‘Any Human to Another,’ the speaker
describes how essential human interaction is
. He also reveals how one person suffering affects everyone. … Countee Cullen paints a picture of this unification of two persons through the common experience of pain.
What Langston Hughes did?
Langston Hughes. Langston Hughes was one of the most important writers and thinkers of
the Harlem Renaissance
, which was the African American artistic movement in the 1920s that celebrated black life and culture. … His literary works helped shape American literature and politics.
What was the purpose of I, Too?
“I, Too” is a poem written by Langston Hughes that demonstrates
a yearning for equality through perseverance while disproving the idea that patriotism is limited by race
. It was first published in March 1925 in a special issue of the magazine Survey Graphic, titled Harlem: Mecca of the New Negro.
Why did Oodgeroo Noonuccal written municipal gum?
In ‘Municipal Gum’ Oodgeroo Noonuccal, an Australian
aboriginal activist explores themes of subjugation, displacement, and injustice
. The poem’s mood is mournful as the speaker delves into the struggles and pains of the tree, as the connection to the poet’s life and the lives of aboriginal Australians becomes clear.
What type of poetic form is used in the poem alone by Maya Angelou?
“Alone” is
a free verse poem
—there is no set rhyme scheme or meter (metre in British English). It sits on the page somewhat like a song lyric and has been set to music, its repetitive yet loose structure being helpful in this respect.
What quality do the four poems have in common?
What quality do the four poems have in common? All
four poems present a single event in the lives of African Americans
. Each poem presents jazz as a unifying and liberating idea. All four poems describe ways of singing, playing, or listening to the blues.
What does the title dream variations suggest about the speaker?
The poem’s title, “Dream Variations,” lets the reader know that the poem will be about
the speaker’s “dream”—a vision of the life he most wishes for
. … In the poem’s opening lines, the speaker begins to describe this dream. He imagines himself “fling[ing]” his arms “wide” in a gesture of openness and freedom.
Why did Langston Hughes leave Columbia University?
He wanted to go to college so he asked his father to help him. His father agreed to pay for colleges as long as he studied engineering. Hughes attended Columbia University where he dropped out
after one year due to racism he faced on campus
. After dropping out he continued his writing career (Constantakis 98).
How does the motion of the figures in the painting reflect the mood of Dream Variations?
The meter, or “motion,” of “Dream Variations” serves to
both reflect the emotion of the speaker himself
and to evoke emotions in the hearts of his audience. … Because the rhythmic makeup of these lines varies only slightly, the meter remains relatively constant.
Which line in the poem suggests that the speaker was only dreaming?
Answer: The line, “
I scratched myself when I woke up
‘ suggests that the speaker was only dreaming.
Do poems stanza?
In poetry, a stanza is used to describe the main building block of a poem. It is a unit of poetry composed of lines that relate to a similar thought or topic—like a paragraph in prose or a verse in a song. Every stanza in a
poem has its own concept and serves a unique purpose
.
Why is the poem titled Dream Variations?
The poem Dream Variations by Langston Hughes is a nostalgic lyric which poignantly expresses the singer’s wish for a carefree life away from color persecution and racial discrimination. The title of the poem suggests
Hughes’s main theme of the Afro-American dream
. This poem is notable for its musical changes.
What does barren mean in dreams?
To be barren means
that nothing can grow
, and if this is applied to one’s life, it means that all one’s potential is lost. Pursuing our dreams, then, is what makes us grow and develop, and in the absence of dreams, this growth becomes impossible.
What is the tone of the poem dream deferred?
The tone of the poem is
unnerving and disquieting
because it uses strong similes and evokes a disturbing image to the audience.
What figurative language is used in the poem Dreams?
In this poem, Langston Hughes is talking about how to take care of dreams and explaining what dreams are by using figurative language. He achieves this by using
hyperboles, metaphors, and personification
. Langston Hughes in this poem uses hyperboles by dramatizing what will happen if you lose a dream or let them go.
How is this last line different from the previous descriptions of deferred dreams?
The final line compares
the deferred dream to a bomb by describing it as something that would be able to “explode
.” The implication, here, is that if the dream of racial equality continues to be denied to African Americans, then the result with be both violent and dramatic, and it will impact everyone, not just the …
Do we need to hold fast to our dreams?
When you know what you truly want to do, what your dream is, the quote
urges us to hold fast
, or hold on tightly, to them. … Without our dreams, we are as lost as a bird who has lost the gift of flight.
What type of dreams do the two poets highlight?
The poem by D. H. Lawrence refers to two types of dreams- a.
nightmare which people dream by night in the dusty recesses of their mind
and b. dreams with open eyes which conscious people dream either at night or in day time.
