The poem's central idea is acceptance of self. Although society today is more open-minded and accepting, in Hughes era, black people were looked down upon, shamed, ridiculed and discriminated against by the whites mostly due their darker skin completions. African American people therefore felt alienRead more
The poem’s central idea is acceptance of self. Although society today is more open-minded and accepting, in Hughes era, black people were looked down upon, shamed, ridiculed and discriminated against by the whites mostly due their darker skin completions. African American people therefore felt alienated and indifferent from the rest of the world. It was also greatly emphasised due to migration into the native land of America. The poem revolves around a dream shared by this community of being free and independent. Towards the end of the poem, the poet appears to have accepted this concern and hopes for a better future.
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Alliteration: Alliteration, ie, repetition of consonant sounds in succession. In this poem, /wh/ sound is repeated in the last line of the second stanza. Assonance: Assonance is repeated vowel sounds, in this poem, /i/in line 3 of first stanza and /ou/ sound in line 6 of the same stanza. Consonance:Read more
Lift Every Voice and Sing Summary