Analysis of Artilesabout Langston Hughes - Essay Example

Annotated Bibliography for Langston Hughes Langston Hughes came into his professional years just as theHarlem Renaissance was becoming recognized on a more national scale and had the courage to both take inspiration from and yet disagree with mentors such as W.E.B. DuBois by writing about both the positive and negative aspects of black life as it was experienced. The following annotated bibliography reviews the themes of Hughes’ writings beginning with his own expository and creative work and explores, through authors such as WEB DuBois and Frederick Douglass, how his representation of life is different from that of his elders. By looking at works by DuBois, Booker T. Washington and Frederick Douglass, some of the history and literary context can be established while other authors such as Minnick and Wolfram help to provide insight into the technical elements, such as the use of dialect, used in Hughes’ writing. Spearman and Moore expand knowledge of Hughes the man as well as the lesser known writings while Mogan’s analysis of “Cubes” helps to illustrate the strong connections between Hughes’ poetry and the world around him. Hughes, Langston. (1995). The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes. New York: Vintage Classics. This book is exactly what it claims to be, a collection of poems written by Langston Hughes. What makes this book unique is that the editors have worked to gather together all of Hughes’ known poems and present them in chronological order by approximate composition date as well as in the final rendition as it had been left by Hughes. By presenting the poems in this way, the reader can begin to trace the prevalent themes of the major eras of Hughes’ life, including the ‘race’ poems, the ‘protest’ poems and the ‘children’s’ poems. At the same time, the concentrated presentation brings forward the sense of music that is built into Hughes’ work, preserving this element of the culture in the cadence and language used. This book is helpful to the present research in that it informs the reader of what was most important to Hughes at differing stages of his life. In combination with his journalistic works when applicable, the poems highlight the differences between Hughes’ vision and those of his predecessors or contemporaries and captures the sound and cadence of the black people of Harlem at this point in history. By telling the story in their own ‘language’ or linguistic style, the poet is able to preserve more of the intended meaning and nuance expressed within his culture and therefore convey much more about the actual reactions of those around him. Hughes, Langston. (2002). Fight for Freedom and Other Writings on Civil Rights. Ed. Christopher C. De Santis. MO: University of Missouri Press. This book is a compilation of Hughes writings regarding the formation of the NAACP and other thoughts related to the Civil Rights movement. Essentially, it lays a foundational understanding of the world of 1909, illustrating the social, political and economic elements of that world as it specifically related to black people. It was these elements that led to the formation of an organization specifically dedicated to protecting the rights and freedoms of black people. The book traces the history of the organization up to the goals it had set for 1963 as well as brings together some of Hughes’ columns on Civil Rights. Not only does this book provide the context from which Hughes approached his writing, but it also traces his political and social philosophies and changing attitudes over time. It demonstrates his awareness and deep understanding of greater themes affecting the black society and reveals his unique perspective on events. Only by having an understanding of how Hughes thought and interpreted the world around him is it possible to understand how his perspective differed from those of other black writers of his time and illustrates his importance in contributing to an increased understanding of the black experience. Minnick, Lisa Cohen. (2004). Dialect and Dichotomy: Literary Representations of African American Speech. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press. Although this book doesn’t apply its principles directly to the works of Langston Hughes, it is dedicated to exploring the ways in which dialect is used as an essential element to capture the heart of sentiment of the characters involved. The author takes a scientific approach to analyzing the ways in which language or linguistic choice can heavily influence the understanding of a text. This can occur to such an extent that a great deal of the meaning and metaphor of the language can be lost when ‘corrected’ into ‘proper’ English expression. After explaining the importance of linguistic choice in the subtlety of meaning involved, the author applies these concepts to various works of fiction that utilize dialect. In introducing the concept of dialect as an essential element of meaning in a text, this author really helps to illustrate why Hughes’ poems, written in dialect, are able to convey so much more meaning than a similar poem might had it been written in ‘proper’ English. It is through the use of dialect that Hughes is able to capture the specific music and rhythm of his culture. Although the author doesn’t address Hughes’ work specifically, the application of these ideas to other authors provides an example of how application can be made to Hughes. Wolfram, Walt. “Dialect in Danger.” American Language Review. Vol. 4, N. 6, (November/December 2000). This article focuses on the unique linguistic elements of the traditional outer banks brogue that was characteristic of the Carolinian coast. This may not seem to have much to do with the writings of Langston Hughes, but in its exploration of the development and unique pronunciation of particular vowels or letter combinations the article provides a sense of the history of place and shared community development among the individuals who speak it. This not only helps to trace their historical roots, but establishes a sense of connection between peoples who have never met because they are instantly able to communicate according to shared concepts of sounds, meaning and metaphor within their linguistic eccentricities. At the same time, the article highlights the importance of dialect as a means of preserving a culture and a tradition that can be quickly lost with the introduction of greater integration or assimilation into a greater society. In relation to the writing of Hughes, this article helps to fuel a discussion of the importance of dialect within his writings, which is an important distinction from other black writers of his time and before. For many, the use of ‘black’ dialect was interpreted as a means of highlighting the ignorance of the black people. Taken in context with historical, social and political elements as they are revealed in Hughes’ journalistic writings, the use of dialect in his poetry can be seen through the insights provided through this article as a means of preserving the tenuous links with tradition and culture that was all the former slaves had left that could truly be called their own. Spearman, Rawn Wardell. (1981). “The Joy of Langston Hughes and Howard Swanson.” The Black Perspective in Music. Vol. 9, N. 2, (Autumn): 121-138. The author of this article is actually presenting the edited transcript of a conversation he had with Howard Swanson, a man who worked closely with Langston Hughes in putting some of the poet’s works to music. As a result, Swanson has some terrific insight into Hughes’ goals for his writing and his intended or hoped for audience. Swanson illustrates how he and Hughes tended to view the black community as being analogous to the plight of poor people everywhere in which the only thing that really matters is their opinion of themselves rather than external social measures. The interview touches on the responses of other black writers at this time, Hughes’ approach to his particular writing style and choice of subject among many other things. This article is very helpful in gaining insight into the culture and attitude of Hughes from a personal perspective. It helps to fill in some of the gaps in understanding that might be encountered through some of the other sources and begins to introduce the humanity of the author into the conversation. Because Swanson was a close personal friend of Hughes, he has perhaps a greater insight into the thoughts and actions of the author under consideration during his daily life. By providing these sorts of personal insights, the interview helps to transform the subject from one of pure literary merit into the realm of reality and identification as the poet begins to take shape as an individual human being rather than simply the words he left behind. Moore, David Chioni. (2002). “Colored Dispatches from the Uzbek Border: Langston Hughes’ Relevance, 1933-2002.” Callaloo. Vol. 25, N. 4, (Autumn): 1115-1135. This article highlights a segment of Hughes’ life that is not often widely discussed in other volumes. While most writers tend to focus on analysis of his poetry and elements of his life in America, particularly his definition of the Harlem Renaissance, this author focuses on Hughes’ involvement in Central Asia and how this involvement affected him just as he was entering into his ‘protest’ period. After providing the details behind Hughes’ trip to Central Asia and the activities he engaged in there, the author launches into a discussion of Hughes’ writing that most people remain unaware of but that helps to highlight his ability to make connections and form insights that were often missed by others. The article will be helpful to the current research in that it reveals an element of Hughes life and writings that are not often mentioned and therefore not typically included in any study of his literary importance. However, as the exploration of these writings reveals, the experiences Hughes had while abroad only convinced him that many of the issues and themes he wrote about regarding America were equally applicable in other areas of the world. The article also helps to highlight the generally optimistic approach Hughes took to his subjects, managing to find something if not positive, at least neutral, regarding even the worst of experiences of social inequality or injustice. Moglen, Seth. (2002). “Modernism in the Black Diaspora: Langston Hughes and the Broken Cubes of Picasso.” Callaloo. Vol. 25, N. 4, (Autumn): 1189-1205. Langston Hughes is often discussed in terms of his use of dialect and music within his work as it reflects the unique experience of the black American. This article explores his work from the more social political viewpoint of how significant shifts in contemporary society were affecting the culture and traditions of the blacks even as they were shaping the same elements of the white world, although in different ways. By analyzing the poem “Cubes”, this article illustrates the intimate connection between Hughes and the modern movement of the early to mid-1900s in terms of its structure, content and style from a socio-political standpoint. Much of the sources used thus far in the bibliography have focused upon the individual techniques used by Hughes in order to present his unique view the black experience to his readers, regardless of color. This article illustrates how he artfully included elements of political unease, social inequality and contemporary movements to capture the minds of his readers and make his concepts accessible. At the same time, the discussion helps to expand understanding of the artistry of Hughes’ writing in its incorporation of so many elements to achieve a single, focused objective. DuBois, WEB. (1970). The Gift of Black Folk: Negroes in the Making of America. New York: Washington Square Press. In this book, WEB DuBois continues several of the thoughts and themes of his earlier work “Souls of Black Folk” (1903) as well as several strongly felt essays written during the course of his years as editor for “The Crisis,” the African-American newspaper affiliated with the NAACP following its formation in 1910. Because these writings are more personal in nature, rather than addressed to a specific newspaper- or journal-reading public, the author allowed more of his own rage, sadness and frustration toward the white-dominated world around him to show through as well as demonstrated more pride of race, joy in culture and richness in character. Arguing in a perfectly grammatically correct English prose and with reasoned logic and direction, DuBois points out the strength of the psychology of the black man is the only thing that can make Americans happy. This book provides an example of the accepted black writing that existed when Langston Hughes began writing. It was believed by men such as DuBois that the only way in which black men could gain the respect of white men was if they were able to communicate in the white man’s style. Although he loosened his rigid structures somewhat in this later work, there remains a stiffness of form even in the wonderfully descriptive passages and strong imagery that manage to paint the black man as somehow more human or soulful than the white. Washington, Booker T. (1996). Up From Slavery. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. Another early mentor for Hughes was found in the writings of Booker T. Washington. Writing his autobiography in 1901, Washington details his rise from the ranks of slavery to the position of a degreed professor even as he highlights the various reasons why he feels an industrial education is the correct course of action for the majority of black men and women. Writing in an easy, flowing style, Washington works to present himself as clearly as possible, making it easy to understand the major events of his life as well as to see where the founding principles of his ideas came from. While he appreciates the value of an academic education as a means of providing his community with the expertise and educated voices necessary to gain the support of the white community, Washington couches his narrative in a style that remains foreign to his fellow black men while dealing with a subject that is foreign to his white readers. In examining the writing style of early black writers such as Booker T. Washington, it is possible to appreciate the tremendous break from tradition represented in the writing of Langston Hughes. In addition, while Washington and DuBois write about the deplorable conditions of the black man, conditions that hadn’t improved overmuch by the time Hughes was writing his poetry, Hughes chooses to focus on more mundane elements of life in a breezy, lighthearted style that begins to illustrate some of the resiliency and survival skills he feels are unique to his race. Douglass, Frederick. (2001). Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. Yale University Press. In this early narrative of his life, the author details his early life and education in such a way that he illustrates both the dehumanizing effects of slavery as well as those factors that operated to inspire him to ‘become a man’ rather than remaining in the role of a slave. Douglass’s narrative begins with his earliest knowledge about himself, which is far less than most people’s knowledge and highlights the degree to which black people were considered beasts of the field. A turning point in the book seems to come as Douglass begins to describe the singing of the slaves in the fields. Although he took part in the singing, Douglass illustrates how very few people, slave or white person, truly understood the deep significance of these ‘work’ songs. It is this element of the book that I think will be most helpful to the present research. Frederick Douglass was an escaped slave who was educated in segments, first from a mildly sympathetic and probably bored female owner and later as he intentionally sought out those who could teach him and immersed himself in books. While he also adopts the European English of accepted literature, he begins to introduce the significance of language in understanding the soul of the black man. It was perhaps this understanding that helped Hughes overcome the rigid lines of the literati to include the use of dialect as an important element of his work. Read More