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I liked this poem (Life Is Fine) because it showed what he thought (Langston Hughes) of life when he lived in America. What he thought of Emotions and death and liiving.

This poem can relate to the Harlem Renaissance because in the beginning he talks about how he couldn't think then sank, almost like he just gave in the racism, but then he realized it was cold and realized these times were hard and he came up on a elevator, came up stronger. He got very high which can mean he was getting closer to his goal then talks about how he could've died or given up, but he was born again and ends it with life is fine!

This was written in the early part of Langston Hughes's career - around 1932.

Dreams by Langston Hughes gives a positive message to never give up on dreams and never lose hope. He wants to remind americans to never lose hope and always follow their path of what they have always wanted to do. In th white city by Claude McKay he seems to be unsure of his dreams and questioning his dreams. That sends a negative message tha you shouldnt follow your dreams of what you have always wanted to do with your life.

In "dawn in New York" by Claude McKay, he sees the dawn of the sun over Manhattan is crimson-tinted and how the domes are cheerful. his spirit rises every day he sais because of this event. In December 1919 by Claude he talks about how much he missed his mother and how he had been feeling pain for ten long years.

In "One Friday Morning", Langston Hughes shows a very positive view of America. Even though Nancy Lee has all these great things that she earned taken away from her, she still believes in the purpose of America and she still loves the country even though it has taken the one thing that she had worked the hardest for. This is very different than Claude McKay's view on America in the poem "Enslaved". In this poem he talks about the race of black people being torn from their homes and being used and treated horrible and how his heart begins to turn to lead a with hatred and he talks about how black people have no home on this earth. He writes that he wants the white mans world of wonders to be swallowed into the earths vast tomb or roll upward like artificial smoke. He shjoews his hatred for white people and shows his hatred for america because of the white people.

"I have a dream", the famous speech spoken by Martin Luther King Jr., describes the dream that America will become a land of equality and justice. King said, "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed." He also talks about how he hopes that one day people will not be discriminated because of the color of their skin. Instead, he said that people should be judged by the content of their character. In addition, King discussed, metaphorically, that African Americans were given a check that read insufficient funds. However, he believed that his race was not "insufficient" and that there was a vast amount of opportunities for them. "One Friday Morning" by Langston Hughes similarly describes the racial discrimination of African Americans and the dream that one day America would ring of freedom. Although Nancy Lee was supposed to receive the art award, her color prevented her from the honor. She was "insufficient" and was not granted the opportunity that a white would've been. Furthermore, Miss O'Shay said, "Those who deny you this scholarship do not know the meaning of those stars." The meaning that she was talking about was life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And in both the speech and short story, determination for these rights was strongly fought for.

One Friday Morning by Langston Hughes is very similar to How it Feels to be Coldered Me by Zora Neale Houston because the main characters feel discriminated at first, but realized that they shouldnt worry about it. Zora says, "Someone is always at my elbow reminding me that I am the granddaughter of slaves. It fails to register depression with me. ". She doesnt feel the need to get mad over what other people think. Nancy Lee in One Friday Morning is upset at first but realizes she doesnt need to be. "​One hand went to the heart, the other outstretched toward the flag. Three thousand voices spoke. Among them was the voice of a dark girl whose cheeks were suddenly wet with tears, "...one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." "That is the land we must make," she thought." She knows that she can make a change and diesnt need to worry about what other people think. They csn both change lives and be themselves.

This was written in the early part of Langston Hughes's career - around 1932

After reading "Harlem (dreams deferred)", and Dream Variations" by Langston Hughes, we concluded that the general message was: Never give up on dreams because determination can lead to great things. In "Dream Variations", Langston Hughes talks about how he wants to be free and live a more happy life, but he cannot because he is black of skin. Additionally a poem, "Harlem (Dreams Deferred)" was written 19 years after, but in this poem Hughe's views were completely different. He discusses that we should keep moving the goal of our dreams because if we don't, our dreams will "explode".

The two poems can relate to eachother because both poems are talking about had Hughes have dreams about rights and in "Dream Variations" it seems like hes talking about how he is an African American, doesn't have many rights. i bet Hughes wrote these poems because he knew that a lot of the blacks were giving up on the thoughts of having rights and be equals with the whites.

After exploring poems of the Harlem Renaissance, I chose "In Time of Silver Rain" written by Langston Hughes. I enjoyed reading this poem because the poet's description of rain and how it gives birth to new life was very vivid. I especially liked the line, "The butterflies lift silken wings To catch a rainbow cry." I liked how in this line (and others) Hughes used non-living things and gave them human characteristics. Finally, the poem was positive, and I appreciated that the poet discussed how the rains of spring give way to new life. Because the Harlem Renaissance was a rebirth for African Americans, this composition is symbolic of that.

In "To One Coming North" by Claude McKay it gives the idea that winter is harsh and dark and that spring is revival or rebirth do the year. In "Time Of Silver Rain" by Langston Hughes, it gives the idea that rain is the revival or rebirth of a new life that is vivid and colorful.

This poem was similar to "To One Coming North" by Claude McKay because they both shared the same message of rebirth. In both poems, spring was described as joyous and thought to bring hope. The spring was like a light at the end of a dark tunnel; the season made the difficult times worth it. Comment by Molly J and Katelyn M

"Into Bondage" by Aaron Douglas was premiered in 1936 at the Texas centennial exposition for the hall of Negro life. The picture is meant to portray African-American history, especially history. Douglas belief that knowing the past better was the way to help move forward.

The way I interpreted this painting is Aaron Douglas is trying to remind the racists that white people enslaved them years ago and now they are free but they don't feel free. Another way that I interpret this is Aaron Douglas is telling the black community that they have come very far.

"Into Bondage" by Aaron Douglas clearly exhibited sending slaves across seas and trading them for goods, the man on the platform is clearly looking at the North Star, he is looking for freedom, because during that time, the North Star guided escapen slaves through the Underground Railroad. The radiating light seems to resemble the sun and what a new day may bring, like a new life away from slavery, the other man with arms in the air seem to have the same atitude, but the rest of them seem to have lost their hope in this new life. Their hearts have been beaten to believe nothing good will come.

I chose this poem because the way he spoke interested me, "Lawdy-mercy! I's frustrated!" He speaks with such a southern taste even though he lives in New York. He also seemed non-content with his life as in many of his other poems which he seems that equality doesn't spread to him.

Coming north and this poem are very similar, in this poem hes upset that his shoes mismatched with is like the mismatched ideas that people have in the northern land

What does the title of this poem suggest about McKay's audience? What is McKay's literal message? What is his figurative message?

This poem is very positive because Claude McKay is describing how the north is a beuatiful place. Then he goes on to say that the winter gets boring but then it blooms into a great bright beautiful accepting spring. On the other hand, "One Friday Morning" by Langston Hughes refelects on America negativley saying how America discriminates against African Americans and how it reflects on its culture and doesn't accept them into society.

America is portrayed in a positive sense in "To One Coming North" by Claude McKay. McKay describes America's faults, but later explains how the faults make it different from his home and therefore better. McKay explains this when he says: "But oh! more than the changeless southern isles/ When Spring has shed upon the earth her charm/ You'll love the Northland wreathed in golden smiles/ By the miraculous sun turned glad and warm." However, Langston Hughes disagrees with Claude McKay's view on America in his poem "Let America Be America Again". Hughes uses an opposite view as McKay, he explains all the good values America has, but doesn't follow. "O, let my land be a land where Liberty/Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath/ But opportunity is real, and life is free/ Equality is in the air we breathe./ (There's never been equality for me/ Nor freedom in this "homeland of the free.")" Both poems effectively describe what it was like to live during the Harlem Renaissance, but the author's outlook on life are quite different.

This picture represents hope because even though these people are being sold they believe they can create a new life in the city.

In "Aspiration", painted by Aaron Douglas, an idea of hope is depicted. After observing the image, I noticed that the people on the foreground are handcuffed. This leads me to the conclusion that they are slaves. Also, everyone seems to be reaching/pointing toward an illuminated, well-built building. Light usually symbolizes hope, so I presume that the it gives the slaves a glimmer of freedom. Finally, I observed that there is a large star in the direction that the people are pointing. In the Underground railroad, the North Star led the slaves to freedom. So again, Douglas illustrated hope through a sort of light.

Paintings by Aaron Douglas show a pattern of freedom, escape from slavery, this pattern is shown by a bright star which slaves followed through the Underground Railroad when they were escaping. This light gives them hope, hope radiates from the center of the picture and the slaves below raise their arms in praise and excitement. This optimism is bright in comparison to the negativity in the poem "Enslaved" by Claude McKay. "For weary centuries despised, oppressed, Enslaved and lynched, denied a human place In the great life line of the Christian West; And in the Black Land disinherited" Says Claude McKay as he speaks of his people, who were wrongly treated for their colors and cultures. They were rejected their god given rights and mistreated under the hands of the Christian West. This negative poem shows the cruelty and disgust of slavery in America, and reflects how Claude McKay thinks of it.

I think this picture shows the African Americans celebrating with music and the arts that they now have freedom to express. They seem happy and hopeful of the future now that they were free.

"Let America be America again" by Langston Hughes and "From Slavery to Reconstruction "by Aaron Douglas These work of writing and art, both by different men but in the same time period, depict America as a great hope or a great oppression. In the picture, " From Slavery to Reconstruction" There seems to be a bright source, just like most of his paintings. I believe if he wanted to show America being a terrible nation, he would have made the whole painting dark and gloomy, therefore making people interpret that there is no light, thus no hope. In" Let America Be America Again" He talks about how America is a faux, filled with ulterior motives, and a place where dreams are let down.He also says that they should just let America be what it was seen as in the eyes of dreamers. But he damped the notion when he said in pasrtheseses " ( it was never America for me)" . Both these pieces paint two entire different pictures of America. This shows that the outlook people have on America varies from their experience with the people and the politics.

The painting "The Aspects of Negro Life: An Idyll of the Deep South" by Aaron Douglas depicts slaves going about their daily activities. Some slaves are are working in the field and some are playing instruments. But one slaves attention is captured by a very bright star in the sky. This painting shows hope because he is looking to the star for hope.

I chose this poem because it although was written after the time of slavery, Langston Hughes still thinks that America is not completely fee, America is not America to him, there is no equality for him, this poem expresses his feelings of America

Let America be America by Langston Hughes s very opposite to Claude McKay's To One coming north. This is because McKay says such good things about the north and all this equality, but Hughes disagrees, he says that America is a free place but not to him, he has no equality there, freedom does not spread to him. Their points of view are very different.

"Let America Be America Again" By Langston Hughes is a negative poem. Criticizing the way America treats its lower class but vital citizens, this poem uses quotes from famous documents like the Declaration of Independence to show that America never achieved its dream of equality. A positive counter-image is seen in Aaron Douglas's "Song of the Towers". In the foreground of this painting, a man stands on a bridge made of a gear in front of a row of towers. Between two towers, the statue of liberty is visible, shining a bright light on the man.

I like this poem because Langston Hughes is standing up for himself and talking more about equality. He sends a really strong message with just short and simple words.

In the poem "I, Too" By Langston Hughes he brings a real positive message about America saying how "I, Too am America." And how everyone is equal and everyone is America. He also says how he is the darker brother but how he also sings America. "I, Too Sing America." He brings this message about how everyone sings and is America no matter how they look. The poem that is more negative torwards America is "America" by Claud McKay. Claud starts off "Although she feeds me bread of bitterness, And sinks into my throat her tiger's tooth, Stealing my breath of life, I will confess." Claud is referring she to America, and how she does all this to him. He describes all the harsh things Claud has witnessed. He also talks how he feels about America and how he is scared almost. "I stand within her walls with not a shred Of terror, malice, not a word of jeer." Claud and Langstons poems have very different views in their poems. One is scared of America, and one feels he is America.

After reading poems written by Claude McKay and Langston Hughes, I observed a sense of emotion toward America. In some, for example, the poet's tone was harsh and grim. But in others, there was a feeling of hope and revival. The two poems I have chosen to discuss were written by people with very different beliefs of America, and we can see their opposite feelings through the writing they compose. In "I, Too", Langston Hughes wrote positively about the "tomorrow" of America. He described how he, as the darker brother, was always put in the kitchen when company came. And although throughout the poem Hughes talked about the inequality of America, he never seemed to give up hope. He wrote that he ate well and grew stronger because he had faith that one day he would be able to dine at the table when company came, "They'll see how beautiful I am." While "I, Too" is uplifting and exhibits trust in American equality, other poets portrayed their feelings in a more bitter way. Claude McKay, for instance, wrote in "Enslaved", "My heart grows sick with hate, becomes as lead/ For this my race that has no home on earth." As you can see, McKay's words have a harsher edge to them. Throughout the poem, he continued to write boldly and with a strong hate of America's injustice. Although Hughes and McKay had different ways of presenting their hopes, we, as readers, could identify the goal they both wished to portray: freedom and equality in America.

I like this poem because it shows that people arwe free to imagine, but that it is not just a fantasy, that those things can happen in real life. Everything starts with a thought and that's why this poem is so moving.

I like this poem because it talks about how deary and nostalgic the mornings in New york can be compared to its night life.

I really liike this poem becase it describes the peace of New York before the sun rises. The details are very vivid and paint a clear picture dawn in New York.