Camille Gautier 2nde 10
Reader’s Response to “I, Too, Sing America” by Langston Hughes
After reading the poem, I analyzed it and I found three major parts; introduction, realization and affirmation. On the first line, he says; “I am the darker brother,”, and I immediately know that he is black. He is a “brother” because he is an American. On the second paragraph, he explains that he discriminated and that he does not have equal rights. However, starting line nine, he does say; “But I laugh, and eat well, and grow strong.”, it shows that he won’t let this injustice affect him and he will prepare for the future. The next stanza shows us how he demonstrates his movement and that he won’t stop until people start treating him and his fellow mates the same. He refuses to “eat in the kitchen.”, he does not want to be separated from the group, he wants to be there and have equal rights. Then, he talks about the realization and finally, his affirmation. Since the poem is written in the ”Singular First Person” form, I thought that the author was indeed Black and he was portraying himself a bit.
The poem reminds me of a book that I read last year entitled “A Lesson Before Dying” by Ernest Gaines. I thought about Jefferson, about Grant. The story is about Grant Wiggins, the only educated black man in the area and the only member of the black community to ever have been free of oppression and his attempt to save a slow-witted man named Jefferson who is convicted of murder and sentenced to death. The lawyer (Henry Pichot) called Jefferson a hog and throughout the book, it aims to take away the label given and to be acknowledged as a man. I remember how the depressing ending lifted up the hearts of everyone in the plantation and ultimately gave a ray of hope to the future. Langston Hughes’ poem awakens our conscience and recalls us the time of slavery , segregation, and hardship in the United States of America. I wish it was so easy for people to forget and accept.