Rodriguez 1

Jackie Rodriguez
Mrs. Garza
English II 7
February 27, 2015
Dreaming of Equality
Langston Hughes was an African American poet whose literary works changed American
politics and literature (Langston Hughes). He focused on writing to people of the working
class (Langston Hughes). Other thought provoking masterpieces by Hughes are directed
towards African American culture including As I Grew Older. This particular poem creates an
understanding of the hardships African Americans faced during the early 1900s. The fight
against discrimination and persecution towards people of color is portrayed through this poem.
Hughes was one of these fighters in the Civil Rights Movement, striving for racial equality
(Prudchenko). He was also a very significant writer and thinker apart of the Harlem Renaissance
(Langston Hughes). Hughes was an extremely intelligent man who turned to his pen and paper
to influence generations. In As I Grew Older Hughes uses a couple different poetic elements to
portray African American culture through intriguing similes, hyperboles, and imagery.
Hughes writing was strongly influenced by the neighborhood he lived in during his
young adult life. He witnessed everyday life in the streets of New York Citys Harlem
(Langston Hughes). His daily life was constantly surrounded by racial injustice towards
African Americans. As a kid, he must not have noticed the ethnic indifference, but as he aged it
must have became evident. During his lifetime discrimination was an outstanding issue. Hughes
wrote poetry to celebrate African American culture and condemn racism (Langston Hughes). It
must have been a taboo topic to address at the time, but Hughes was not afraid to open peoples

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eyes to the truth. He was an outspoken man who wanted to share his pride for his heritage. Often
times he reflected his peoples actual culture including all of the good and even the bad
(Langston Hughes). Hughes writing reflected his life experiences during the time he lived in
the primarily African American neighborhood of Harlem (Langston Hughes). He wrote about
what affected him and what the people around him faced in their daily lives of discrimination
and inequality. This life in Harlem resulted in his insightful and lively portrayals of African
Americans.
African Americans aspirations are brought to life by Hughes simile in As I Grew
Older. The line Bright like a sun- is the simile scripted (Hughes). Hughes is comparing his
dream to the bright sun. Here a tone of hopefulness is sensed as he describes his dream so
positively (Osborne). At this point, his dream is seen as an achievable goal, easily reached. It is
explained that this simile is comparing a dream to the sun as the line above says I have almost
forgotten my dream (Hughes). His dream was almost forgotten, which now brings a tone of
hopelessness to the poem (Perles). Hughes also says It was a long time ago referring to his
dream saying it must have been one he possessed when he was a child (Osborne). As he grew
older he must have realized how hard it was for his dream to be fulfilled. The difficultly to
achieve his dream resulted from the discrimination against African Americans. His dreams were
no longer as bright as the sun, but dark like the times that overshadowed them. The simile
brought a sense of hopefulness, but left the reader realizing it was hopelessness.
Hyperboles add to the severity of the poem that revolved around the issue of
discrimination and racial injustice (Prudchenko). Hughes discussed even the bad and dark times
for his race. In As I Grew Older one line reads, rose until it touched the sky (Hughes). This
line refers to the wall later mentioned, The wall (Hughes). It is an extreme exaggeration that

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emphasizes the hardships African Americans faced when wanting to reach their personal goals
and dreams. The wall represents what hinders them from reaching their goals, which would be
their color since Hughes states, I am black (Hughes). This could be a metaphor indicating the
shadow, I lie down in the shadow, or a statement that explains what stops him from seeing
over that wall to fulfill his dreams (Hughes). Many times in his own life he must have seen
friends and family having to forget what the wanted because their color would not allow them to
receive fair treatment. It was something that may have even affected Hughes when he wrote this
kind of poetry and tried to get it published. These real life obstacles he faced could relate to the
line that says the wall was Between me and my dream (Hughes). This wall was formed by
hatred and inequality that was expressed through Hughes hyperboles.
Imagery brings an understanding by incorporating the five senses to his poem. We can
see and then hear the desperate plea of Hughes. He yearns to Break through the wall in order
to reach his dream (Hughes). In lines 24 and 25, Hughes urgency becomes clear through
imagery when he says, Help me to shatter this darkness/ To smash this night (Hughes). The
words shatter and smash can be heard like a vase breaking against tile (Perles). The darkness and
night refer to the racial issue that is building up that wall. Hughes wants to shatter it because his
whole life he has witnessed discrimination negatively affect so many people around him. The
sound of Hughes cry is heard when he writes, To break this shadow/ Into a thousand whirling
dreams (Hughes). Again the sound of a vase or glass breaking can be heard as these words are
read. Then the whirling sound of dreams sounds like being in a wind tunnel when all you can
hear is that high pitched noise. Not only are we able to read the poem, but we can also hear it. It
gives the reader a better understanding of the poem to empathize with the poet.

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Hughes not only wrote poetry, but also wrote truth about his culture and his peoples way
of life. His life in Harlem created experiences to derive the kind of emotion felt in his poems
(Langston Hughes). Seeing the people in his life struggle with the issue of discrimination
prompted him to write the kind of poetry he wrote. As I Grew Older reflects all of this and his
own personal experience, whether good or bad, and turns it into something that can affect others
in an even more positive approach. In this way others will not feel like they are going through it
alone and know that others feel the same way. Anyone can imitate Hughes and turn their own
possibly bad experiences into something that positively affects others.

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Works Cited
Langston Hughes. poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d.. Web. 10 Feb. 2015.
<http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/langston-hughes>
Perles, Carrie. What Figurative Language is in As I Grew Older?. synonym. Demand Media,
n.d.. Web. 2 Feb. 2015. <http://www.classroom.synonym.com/figurative-language-as-grewolder-1893.html>
Langston Hughes. Americaslibrary.com. n.p., n.d.. Web. 10 Feb. 2015.
<http://americaslibrary.gov/ad/hughes/ad-hughes-subj.html>
Prudchenko, Kate. What is the Tone in the Poem As I Grew Older?. synonym. Demand
Media, 2012. Web. 11 Feb. 2015. <http://classroom:synonym.com/tone-poem-as-grew-older2012>
Osborne, Kristen. Langston Hughes: Poems summary and analysis of As I Grew Older.
gradesaver.com. n.p., n.d.. Web. 9 Feb. 2015. <http://gradesaver.com/langston-hughespoems/study-guide/summary-as-i-grew-older>
Hughes, Langston. As I Grew Older. poemhunter.com. n.p., n.d.. Web. 5 Feb. 2015.
<http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/as-i-grew-old/>