Theme for English B by Langston Hughes Teacher: Ms. L. Rowe

The Instruction said, “Go home and write a page tonight. And let that page come out of you – Then, it will be true” This was the directive given to the students. The person is unsure whether it is that simple. In the first stanza the persona gives some information about himself to highlight his doubt as to what the instructor considers true.

Personal Information about the person He is twenty two – he highlights his age because he is still young and would not be very experienced. He also gives information as to where he grew up and went to school “born in Winston-Salem. Went to school there, then Durham, then to this college on the hill. He is the only black student in his class.

The persona states where he has to walk to get home. The persona highlights that he has to climb down the hill from the school to get into Harlem where he lives. This is a predominantly black community that is laced with crime and poverty. The fact that he has to go down into Harlem symbolises not only the poverty of the people but also shows their inferiority to their white counterparts. The persona also has to walk from eighth ave down until he gets to the Y. This shows that he is also poor. He lives at the Harlem branch Y where he writes his paper. Highlighting that this is his experience.

He is talking to the instructor The persona writes that it is difficult to know what is true for the teacher and for himself. He is younger than the instructor and he is also black. He uses Harlem to highlight this. His experiences are what he feels and sees and hears. This is his truth which would be different from the instructor’s. He is speaking for the black people in Harlem. There is a sense of unity here when he said “Harlem, I hear you: hear you, hear me – we two...”

(I hear New York, too) Showing that there are other black people in the wider society of New York that he can also identify with.

Me-Who? Here the persona is again giving information about himself. This information however could be anyone. He has not stated again that he his black. He is stating the things he likes “I like to eat, sleep and be in love.” Highlighting the fact that he is human like the whites. He is also showing that he likes the things the whites like as well. The type of music they like “Bessie bop and Bach” – white musicians.

Will my page be colored...? The persona is showing that even though they may share similar likes they have different experiences. “Being me, it will not be white”. This is showing that his experiences are black and so he can be nothing else but black. He highlights the fact that though they (he and the instructor) are a different skin colour they have one thing in common. They are Americans and so they are apart of each other.

Racism Racism is highlighted when the persona talks of the black from Harlem. The location of the school is symbolic. That is, it is on the hill above Harlem and it is predominantly white students there. He also said that the instructor may not want to be apart of him and that would be because of his colour. This is also shown when he said “I guess you learn from me – although you are older – and white – and somewhat more free.” The blacks do not enjoy the kind of freedom the whites do. This was the period of segregation

Devices Rhetorical questions – “I wonder if it that simple?” Highlighting the fact that it cannot be as simple as the instructor believes because they have two different experiences. Me, who? He is telling who he is. Showing that he is a person just like the whites Will my page be colored that I write?

Devices cont’d Repetition – Harlem, I hear you: hear you, hear me...” emphasises that he is speaking for and shares similar experiences of the black people of Harlem. However, these would be different from the instructor.