“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.