Harlem

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?

“Or does it explode?”

            The last line in this poem states “Or does it explode?” this explains the last outcome that can happen when a dream is put aside. This line is represented by a fist punching through water as it highlights the theme of anger and violence. When something explodes is bursts violently as the combusted emotions developed can become uncontrollable in individuals causing people to turn to violent behaviour and attitudes. Failure becomes feared when dreams are unfulfilled and this can trigger violence and anger. The fist represents the dangerous outcome the pressure of accomplishing dreams can cause. The act of punching requires great strength and pressure and becomes a release for the build up of anger on has inside. The photo implies the power of anger and the possible self and physical destruction that can be an effect of the deferred dreams. The main focus of this poem is to express the negative emotions caused due to ignored dreams and this image expresses actions out of anger as it is associated with this feeling.   

“Maybe it just sags/ like a heavy load”

           In this poem the lines “Maybe it just sags/ like a heavy load.” Creates a visual of being overwhelmed by a deferred dream. Heavy loads cause objects to sag as the over powering weight becomes to hard to withstand. The image used to represent this overpowering weight is the visual of someone stinking into dark water. The feeling an unfulfilled dream can cause often creates tremendous negative weight on a person’s life. This feeling of rejection from one’s desires weighs down a person’s ability to succeed. The words “sag” and “heavy load” corresponds to this image as someone’s weight of unfulfilled desires drags them down towards darkness and negativity. The drowning represent the overpowering weight that leads people to their downfall. The image represents the pressure and lack of strength someone develops that causes them to decline negatively in their everyday life. The location of this image is in a random room representing the effect this feeling has on someone’s life as she is drowning in her own home.   Deferred dreams compare to the weighed person in the image as they sink and become consumed by their failures and unsuccessful passions.

“Or crust and sugar over— like a syrupy sweet?”

In the poem “Harlem” written by Langston Hughes the line “Or crust and sugar over/ like a syrupy sweet?” uses a simile to represent the negative outcome of ignoring a dream. When a syrupy sweet food is not taken care of properly they often become hardened and stale. This is comparable to the effects of a deferred dream as many times people become consumed by their forgotten desires as they feel trapped in failure. The idea of these lines is represented by tied hands as they show the feeling of being trapped just like individuals become stuck in the past and the inabilities to accomplish dreams successfully. A syrupy substance is described as a thick and sweet liquid, just like a dream as it seems hopeful and positive but can become harder over time as reality causes people to become confined. The feeling of being trapped is common when dreams are not foreseen as lives are lived without accomplishing ones dreams. Putting a dream aside can complicate the ability to move on through life as the burden becomes overwhelming. The tied hands represent the trapped mindset of many people as they are consumed by the possibilities of success or the reasons to why failure occurred.  

“Or fester like a sore— And then run?”

            In the poem “Harlem” written by Langston Hughes, the line, “Or fester like a sore— And then run?” is a simile that is negatively portrays ones dream when it is put aside. This simile is comparing ones dream to a sore the is untreated and results in it becoming infected. This is suggesting that a dream that is not treated will never heal itself, therefore it will become infected with regret and frustration. This subject of this poem is focusing on the result of what happens when a dream is not fulfilled. In the 1950’s and 60’s, black people were struggling for equal rights and opportunity in America. In fact this poem was written about the struggle of the black race in America in 1951. The author, Langston Hughes was apart of the protest and was inspired to write about their struggle of his race being limited in society. This image shown above is picture taken in the 50’s of a crowd of black men protesting with signs that promote the stop of racial discrimination. This issue was a “sore” in America’s society for many years and was untreated due to racism. Therefore, this “sore” of racial discrimination became infected with the frustration of the black community and began to spread all across the American society which resulted in many protests, deaths and riots. This demonstrates that when an issue goes unresolved, it will only get worse by spreading and getting stronger just like a disease in a wound. If ones dream is limited due to society, the frustration will one get stronger when untreated and put aside, just like issue of racism in America.

“Does it dry up/ like a raisin in the sun?”

            In the poem “Harlem” written by Langston Hughes, the line, “Does it dry up/ like a raisin in the sun” is a simile that is negatively portrays ones dream when it is put aside. This line is truly ironic because a raisin is already a dehydrated grape, and therefore the sun is just an additional feature that Hughes uses to get his “dry” imagery across to the reader. As well, by Hughes using a raisin to represent a dream it suggests that a dream is already very frail, and if one puts that dream to the side it will easily be lost. The image shown above is a picture of the dessert featuring sand, dead trees and a bright sun. In a like manner to the quote, the dessert is already a dry place and the scorching sun is an addition to the image that emphasizes the subject. Furthermore in the image, the contrast in colour of the sand from the base of the picture to the sand dunes in the distance transitions from a grey shade to a brown shade. This implies that there may have been a pond that has dried up due to the heat. By there being evidence of a dried up pond, it also an exaggeration on the “dry” imagery. One of the main focus’ of this image is the sun shining which is placed right in the top, middle of the picture. The sun overpowers the sky by shinning white rays in all directions over the top portion of the picture. By the sun being a major focus in this picture, the viewer will associate heat and dryness to the brightness of the sun as the sun is the main source for heat for humans and the environment.        

Thesis

In Langston Hughes “Harlem” the similes used throughout the poem represents the overall negative effects that are caused when one puts their dreams aside.