The Speaker’s Tone In “Harlem” Is Best Described As

The speaker’s tone in “Harlem” is best described as

1. conflicted.

2. frustrated.

3. joyful.

4. accepting.

Answer – 2. frustrated.

The tone in the poem ‘Harlem’ by Langston Hughes is best expressed as:

• Reflective
• Prophetic
• Frustrated
• Despairing
• Bitter
• Resigned

Though merely eleven lines in length, Langston Hughes has managed to express the themes of social injustice and oppression the African American community encounters in his poem 'Harlem.'

The title of the poem immediately provides historical and geographical context. Hughes refers to the African-American neighborhood in New York City called Harlem, where millions of African-Americans migrated during the 1910s and 1920s. Harlem eventually became the center of the Harlem Renaissance, giving birth to Black music, art, and literature, highlighting the personal experiences of African-Americans.

Langston Hughes grew up in Harlem and was witness to the oppression that the Black community underwent on a daily basis in America. Hughes wrote 'Harlem' in 1951, after the Harlem riots of 1935 and 1943, and during the early period of the Civil Rights Movement.

During this time, African Americans were subject to several discriminatory laws, police brutality, and violence in the name of white supremacy despite assisting America during World War II.

For example, African Americans were never promoted to higher positions at work. As a result, many people couldn't even hope to fulfill their career dreams because they were never presented with the opportunity. Furthermore, if an African American couple wished to purchase a home for their family, they would encounter innumerable hurdles that would eventually prevent them from fulfilling their dreams.

In Langston Hughes' poem, 'Harlem,' the poet begins by asking a question – “What happens to a dream deferred?”

The tone that follows can be considered reflective. The speaker, whether an unnamed African American or Langston Hughes himself, ponders on the question carefully and wonders what will happen to the millions of unfulfilled dreams of the African American community.

The discrimination that the community faces daily prevents them from living their American Dream. A sense of hopelessness prevails as the speaker thinks of the dreams and ambitions the community could not achieve, not because of the lack of qualifications but because of deliberate discrimination.

The prophetic tone remains present throughout the poem. Initially, the reader might not catch on to this because the speaker presents a series of hypothetical possibilities that might happen when a dream continues to be postponed for a long time. But the moment you link the context of the poem to the title 'Harlem,' the rhetorical questions transform into prophetic possibilities.

The reader realizes soon that the speaker isn’t listing out a series of hypothetical situations but highlighting realistic futures that might come true if the African American community continues to defer their dreams under the oppression of white supremacists.

The feelings of frustration, despair, bitterness, and resignation find expression in the unpleasant images that Hughes conjures. Throughout the poem, the images of rot and decay are expressed through words like 'dry up,' 'fester,' and 'stink.' A somberness hangs upon the readers as they realize that these rotting images are equivalent to what it feels to constantly defer one’s dreams.

The hypothetical questions that Hughes presents range from mild (when he compares a deferred dream to a dried-up raisin) to violent (when he conjures up the images of an explosion). Since the poet made his home in Harlem, these responses might be ones that he has seen around him amongst the residents of Harlem.

Perhaps the most tragic outcome of a deferred dream is – “Maybe it just sags/ like a heavy load.” If Hughes’ hypothetical questions are truly based on the responses of the African American community around him, then this suggests that several people feel their dream is now a burden.

While some have resigned themselves to their fate, others keep suppressing their anger until Hughes suggests they will "explode." Look over any historical movement, and you’ll notice that almost all of them were a result of an outburst of anger and frustration after being oppressed for years.

As the Black community continues to defer their dreams in the face of systematic oppression, racism, and police brutality, Hughes wonders whether the feelings of anger won’t keep piling up until they explode violently.

In conclusion,

The eleven-line poem by Langston Hughes encapsulates the feelings of despair, anger, and frustration of the African American community living in Harlem as they continue to postpone their dreams in order to survive in an oppressive world. Throughout the poem, the somber tone hangs in every sentence as Hughes' hypothetical suggestions of what happens to a deferred dream continue to grow more horrific until it ends with a violent prophecy.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the central theme in the poem ‘Harlem’?

Ans: The central theme of the poem ‘Harlem’ explores the frustration of the African-American community as they struggle with oppressive racial discrimination and have to defer their dreams. The weight of shattered dreams is too much to bear for the community as they express feelings of frustration and resignation at having to shelf their dreams and ambitions.

2. Why did Langston Hughes title his poem ‘Harlem’?

Ans: Langston Hughes’ poem ‘Harlem’ is named aptly because he explores the feelings of frustration of the African-American community as they fail to achieve their American Dream. Though Hughes has kept his subject vague throughout the poem, the title makes his implications quite clear. It immediately places the poem in the context of the African-American neighborhood in New York City.

3. Who is the speaker in ‘Harlem’?

Ans: Though Hughes has not specified the speaker of 'Harlem,' many scholars assume it is Hughes himself. Since the poet has grown up in Harlem, the African-American community in New York City, and is one of the great thinkers of the Harlem Renaissance, this assumption is not wrong. However, you can also consider the speaker to be an African American who has grown frustrated by the struggles of the community.

4. What is the central question asked by the speaker in ‘Harlem’?

Ans:  The poem begins by asking the central question – “What happens to a dream deferred?” The poem that follows is an answer to that question. The speaker presents a list of possibilities that might happen to a deferred dream, and the theme of rot and desiccation remains constant in these possibilities. He finally ends the poem on a violent note, wondering if a deferred dream will eventually explode.

5. What symbols did Hughes use in ‘Harlem’?

Ans: Langston Hughes used two symbols in his poem 'Harlem' – a deferred dream and an explosion.

Hughes begins the poem by talking about a 'deferred dream.' The title 'Harlem' suggests that the dream is possible that of the people in the Black community.

The second symbol is 'explosion.' It implies that when the dream is deferred for too long, it might lead to an outburst of chaos and destruction.