Unfulfilled Dreams Exposed in Hughes Harlem Essay

Unfulfilled Dreams Exposed in Hughess Harlem Most of us have dreams that we one day hope to fulfill. They could be little dreams that will take little time and effort to accomplish, or they could be big dreams that will take more time and energy to fulfill. Nevertheless, whether ones dream is as mundane as hitting the numbers or as noble as hoping to see ones children reared properly, each dream is equally important to the person who has it (Bizot 904). Each dream is also equally painful when it is taken away; or if we never have the opportunity to make the dream a reality. In the poem Harlem by Langston Hughes, the different emotions that people feel when a dream is deferred is presented through Hughess unique†¦show more content†¦For some of the words, he uses the dictionary meaning, yet for others he uses the connotative meaning. When Hughes uses a word connotatively, he wants the reader to receive a deeper meaning than the dictionary definition would give. For example, the word deferred in Harlem means unfulfilled. The dictionary meaning, however, is to postpone. In the dictionary, postpone means will happen at a later date or time. However, the dreams that Hughes refers to are ones that will never come true. Hughes also uses the connotative meaning for the word fester (line 4). The dictionary meaning is to form pus, yet this definition does not seem strong enough for the emotion the word is trying to express. The word fester in the poem means to become a source of pain or anger. This is exactly what becomes of a persons deferred dream. It becomes painful because that dream never leaves the persons mind. The person might forget about it for a little while and go on with his or her life, but like most painful memories, it will pop up when the person least expects it to. Each line in the poem Harlem gives an imaginative description of what a person with a deferred dream can become. Since this poem does not define or give examples of the dream, well have to make up our own (901). Lines two and three ask, Does it dry up / like a raisin in the sun? We know that aShow MoreRelatedThe African American Struggle During The United States Essay2085 Words   |  9 Pagesout about the problems African Americans faced. Wilson, Hughes, and Hansberry explore the themes of racism and the American dream in their works to reveal the situation for black Americans in the United States during the time period after World War II. The American dream is the idea that every person should have the chance to be successful in the United States. People from all over flocked to the US in hopes of achieving this American dream that everyone talked about; however, things were not quiteRead MorePoverty and the American Dream Essay2446 Words   |  10 PagesPoverty and the American Dream Research Paper Final Draft Jeffery White English 101 Section 7 December 20,2012 The American Dream has driven many people for a long time. The dream has been presented in Hollywood movies showing a family or person striving to succeed in America. When the dream is mentioned it is done so as a powerful symbol inspiring a whole nation of immigrants. However, the â€Å"Dream† is misleading because it implies there is only one rather than many. Moreover, there are many