Literary Analysis Of 'Theme For English B'

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Theme for English B by Langston Hughes is a creative poem that carefully ties together a utopian society to a rather stark reality of colliding social and racial classes. In this informal piece, there will be two different interpretation that I saw in this narrative. One was the feeling of being an outsider. Second being he didn’t want to be a sellout, but instead be a standout and to reverse current actions or stereotypes. Theme for English B is an honest poem that undermines current laws and society of which hampers human potential. First interpretation that I found was him feeling like an outsider. An example of this feeling can be quoted from Langston Hughes, “I am twenty-two colored, born in Winston- Salem. I went to school there, then…show more content…
One example of this viewpoint:“So will my page be colored that I write? Being me, it will not be white...Sometimes perhaps you don’t want to be a part of me. Nor do I often want to be a part of you. But we are, that’s true!... This is my page for English B” (Line 34-41).The ending of the narrative is a very raw, but an honest assessment of society with the white majority using only the good side of society and not embracing the diversity of society. This type of attitude can be seen today with the current administration supporting nationalist movements and discrediting minority groups. There are many negative stereotypes with people of color and over time it starts becoming a normal recurring cycle similar to my previous point of the outsider cycle. As a way of trying to improve these stereotypes for the better, he tries to break the stigma of his group by stating he is like any other regular person who has an interest that is beyond the current scope of his group’s interest. In a way, he wants to be true to himself and not be set by external rules and or norms that might interfere with his social and physical wellbeing in both the small and long term. Theme for English B by Langston Hughes is an honest assessment that attacks the standard rules of society for the hope of higher human potential. Some interpretations of it are the main character being an outsider of any function and him breaking the barrier of stereotypes for the purpose of finding himself. Theme for English B is a poem that is down to earth of stark realities of society and the reversal of
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