KShaunna Ross Mrs.

Hampton American Literature Period 4 10-11-12 Harlem During the Modern Period in the 1920s, the Harlem Renaissance movement occurred. This movement as a whole and the writings during this period expressed the belief that the African American voice should be heard. The free-verse poem, Harlem, written by Langston Hughes, exemplifies the hardships and unfair treatment that African- Americans encountered during the Modern period. Harlem also addressed the belief that America was not for the people but for white people. Hughes dispenses this message by utilizing literary devices throughout his poem such as allusions and metaphors in an attempt to convince AfricanAmericans to feel encouraged to actually do something about the inequitable treatment of people of color. In the same order, Hughes also uses these literary devices to get White people to feel the guilt of the wrongful treatment caused by them towards people of color. Hughes opens his poem by using the literary device, of the metaphor, (Here on the edge of hell. . .). In the following line, readers find out that the speaker is referring to Harlem as hell. Most people, consider hell to be the underworld where the devil resides. The devil is described as the evil spirit of the underworld. Most people believe that if you have lived a good life on earth, then when you die you will be sent to heaven, where you will be able to rest in peace, but if you live a negative or bad life, you are sent to hell when you die, where you are unable to rest in peace because you will be with evil spirits which cause you to suffer endlessly in a place made of fire. When the speaker refers to Harlem as being on the edge of hell, he

means that the people of Harlem, particularly people of color, are on the verge of falling into a place of endless suffering that cant be escaped. Harlem is on the edge and hasnt falling over yet, so it still has time to change. In the same stanza, Hughes also uses the literary device of allusion. In lines 3-6, he states, . . . Remembering the old lies, The old kicks in the back, the old Be patient. They told us before. The old lies Hughes is alluding to are the lies that were told to African- Americans such as false promises of a change coming change that never happens. The kicks in the back allude to slavery and how African- Americans were abused. Hughes uses the word old because these were lies that people had been telling African- Americans for years. African- Americans had been very passive, which was why it was okay for people to continue to tell them these lies of the changes that were to come. The speaker uses these allusions make African- Americans feel obligated to actually do something and stop being so passive. Saying a change will come just isnt enough. Actions speak louder than words and Hughes is influencing African- Americans to take action. In the second stanza, Hughes uses the emotions of both audiences, African- Americans and Whites to deliver a message. In lines 12- 15, the speaker states, We remember the job we never had, Never could get, And cant have now Because were colored. The term we refers to people of color, as stated in line 15. By reading those lines, you would believe that America wasnt for all people, but was for white people. This poem excited emotion in me as a reader because I think everyone deserves the equal opportunity at a job. As a person of color, reading this makes me feel motivated and encouraged to go out and pursue new ways to help my race rise up in power. It also encourages me to protest and let the White community know that we have a voice as well and our voice deserves to be heard. On the other hand, if I was White, I

would feel guilt and embarrassment. I would feel ashamed because African- Americans were treated inferior and unfairly because of their skin color, and wonder who us Whites were to treat people of color inequitably because the color of their skin. I would try to put myself in their shoes and feel the inequality they felt. No one deserves to be treated differently because of their race and everyone who has a voice should be heard. The message to African- Americans in this poem is to take initiative instead of being passive with the unfair treatment that the White community had caused upon them. As people of color begin to take initiative, it influences the belief that the African- American voice should be heard. In the last stanza, the speaker says, . . . And [we] look out on the world And wonder What were gonna do. . . The poems overall message was to come up with a plan where people of color could be heard and treated equally. This not only reflects the beliefs of the time period, but it also matters because even today people of color are still treated unfairly. Maybe not to the extent it was during the time this poem was written , but there is still racism floating around amongst humanity.