Throughout this section, while reading selected poems written by Langston Hughes, I began to enjoy not only the reading of the poems, but also the way the author presents the very idea in the verses. Langston Hughes writes about the struggles of the working minority, people suffering from unfair labor and discrimination, and he describes it in a way that has a deeper effect and meaning to the message he is trying to convey. His mental impact, transmitted through poetry, is so lively and positive that it is almost impossible to remain unanswered. The author emphasizes the meaning of his poems using rhymes, various poetic structures and metaphors. Among his works, I especially remember the poem “Theme for English B”. In this answer, I will analyze how “Theme for English B” differs from other poems by Hughes.
I think the poem “Theme for English B” was one of the most powerful because it really touches on how black students can feel. This gives us an idea of what they might have experienced. This poem is very sad. A black student was afraid to write a page about something because he thought his white professor wouldn’t be able to understand it. The contextual significance of the poem “Theme for English B” lies in the complexity of how to communicate one’s identity. The theme of this poem is that two people can learn from each other, regardless of their ethnicity. I feel like it was a real learning experience for a professor and a student.
I liked the rhyming schemes that Hughes included in some of his poetry. The rhymes changed frequently and gave the impression of a smoothly flowing story with abrupt changes in some parts. At first, everything seems to be clear and consistent, but at some point the rhyming scheme changes and the story opens up from the other side.
I also liked the fact that the endings of Hughes’ poems could be not only optimistic, but also pessimistic, as well as open. This makes me think about real life, because life is not only optimistic or pessimistic, it is a combination of these factors and during life the end is always open.