by Langston Hughes
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?
This poem does resemble Bigger from Richard Wright's "Native Son". I enjoy reading this book because it makes me realize how awful and oppressed Bigger must have felt growing up in the 1930s in Chicago. I am white and never had had to dealt with the extent of racism Bigger and many other African Americans have went through in their lives, but I imagine I would act and feel simaliar to how Bigger feels and acts in "Native Son". He has a lot of pressure on him from his family and he resents the limited resources he has available to him in order to try and help his family. He is oppressed and goes without. Being constantly looked down upon can be very damaging to a person, especially a man who is expected to be the main provider for his family. Times are tough for Bigger as well as every single black person at that time in America. When people are held down for so long they will rebel and use force to try to fight their oppressors, white America. If I were in Bigger's position I would feel anger inside, not necessarily to the point he does but then again I don't really know what it's like to be in his shoes.
No comments:
Post a Comment