One Friday Morning by Langston Hughes - Essay Example

Her race was a minority race, which meant she couldn't enjoy most of the privileges that were given to majority groups. For instance, Lee couldn't receive a scholarship to study arts, something she was passionate about, due to racial discrimination. This, to Lee, became a reality in an American society that never believed inequality. Numerous themes can be derived from this story. Looking at the life of Nancy Lee and other people of color, it is evident that Hughes forms his story around the themes of the American dream, equal rights, and racism.

America seems to forget the very foundation on which it exists - that of equality. The society also seems to forget about the American dream, which is what made the country more attractive to people of all nationalities. This is diminished by the eminent racism that doesn't seem to fade away from Nancy Lee's reality. Nancy Lee has to live with it. Regardless of these racial injustices in the country, Nancy Lee seems to, at times, forget about her color as her peers seemed to overlook her skin color to see her for her abilities.

Most of them saw Lee as a young, ambitious girl whose love for paintings saw her produce extraordinary artwork. Nancy was so talented that she was even considered for a scholarship to a prestigious art institute. Lee had created a painting of her grandparent seated on a bench with the American flag flying right before her. This was a representation of the American dream and the blacks' desire to succeed in this society that seemed to be vibrant. It was also Nancy Lee's expression of a desire for a society that respected the rights of everyone, regardless of race.

This painting was initially chosen for scholarship since it was expected to have been created by a white student. This shows how much blacks were disregarded in this society. It seemed as if whites were more competent than their black counterparts. Sadly, she failed to receive a scholarship after the institution learned of her race. The scholarship opportunities were mostly meant for white students and not for colored individuals. This news was broken to her by Miss Oshay, her school principal.

Miss Oshay, in this story, was a representation of the white educators who went against the tides embrace black students, who had earlier been seen as slaves. The society considered blacks as people who were undeserving of such privileges as quality education. This is seen as Miss Oshay broke the bad news to Nancy lee, encouraging her not to give up but to fight for her dreams. The story employs the use of symbolism, such as a reference to the bright spring day that Nancy Lee saw through the window as she talked to Miss Oshay.

It was a depiction of the brighter future that she, Nancy Lee, had imagined as she drew the bright shining sun in her scholarship award-winning art piece. It revealed the type of hope that was brought by Miss Oshay as she spoke to this ambitious girl whose dreams had been thwarted based on the fact that she was black. The show of discrimination by the administration at the art school that rejected her never made her lose hope in the American dream. She becomes more ambitious and believes that the war on black communities will be won through a collective effort by her, Miss Oshay, and others who believed in this American dream.

She is determined to work for all those colored boys and girls who would otherwise lose opportunities like she did if no collective action was taken. Her ambition and desire are revealed through her pledge of allegiance to the American flag, with emphasis on the line that declares "liberty and justice for all." According to Nancy Lee, this discrimination needs to stop if black communities are to witness this liberty and justice. It is what America stands for, and she is prepared to fight for equal rights at whatever cost.

Discrimination seems to be the only stumbling block that needs to be pushed off everyone's way. Nancy Lee, a colored girl, was intentionally chosen for this story to show how African Americans survived in an environment of racial injustices. Colored people were never considered as having equal rights as their white counterparts. Being a black writer made it possible for Langston Hughes to depict these stories in the most accurate way. The story is an encouragement to people that they should never give up on a fight for their rights.

Regardless of the disappointments attributed to racial injustice, people are to keep pushing until they gain equal rights that are rightly theirs. This is all supported by Hughes in her citation of the pledge of allegiance to the flag. Liberty is part of the crucial element that forms the real America that colored people dream off, a type of America that believes in equal rights rather than racial discrimination.