Harlem Renaissance Literature Flashcards
Langston Hughes uses the title “I, Too, Sing America” to reference what poem written much earlier?
I Hear America Singing -Walt Whitman
The speaker of the poem is speaking for whom?
African American Community
The word “they” is used to refer to whom?
White Community
Hughes uses the metaphors of “eating in the kitchen” and being at the “table” to describe what?
Segregation- in the future being brought to society.
Hughes uses the word “tomorrow” to refer to what?
The future
The last line of the poem reads “I, too, am America” to emphasize what?
His identity as an American
In his sonnet “America”, Claude McKay juxtaposes (Contrasts) what two emotions in regards to America?
Hate and Love
McKay opens “America” with powerful verbs like “feeds”, “sins” and “steals” in order to establish a tone of what?
Hostility
Although the speaker asserts his “love” for America, he gazes “darkly” into the days ahead, suggesting what?
There’s still going to be injustice and oppression as they work towards equality
In “The Blues I’m Playing”, what is different about Osceola in comparison to all the other artist that Mrs. Ellsworth has sponsored in the past?
She’s African American
What does Mrs. Ells Worth ask Osceola to give up in order to pursue classical training?
Her relationship, work, living in Harlem
Ultimately, does Osceola have to give up love to pursue music?
No
Why is Mrs. Ellsworth so offended at the end when Osceola plays a jazz piece for her?
That’s not what she paid for
What is Langton Hughes communicating about art through this short story?
Art comes in many different forms
According to Zora Neal Hurston in “How It Feels to Be Colored Me,” when did she become colored?
At 13 years when she moved to a white backdrop
When Hurston says that she is “busy sharpening [her} oyster knife,” what does she mean?
She’s ready to embrace all the opportunities that life gives her
How does Hurston feel about being African American?
Proud
According to Hurston, when she discriminated against, what emotion owes she NOT feel?
Angry Langer / hate
When Countee Cullen uses the pronoun “we” in “From the Dark Tower”, who is he referring to?
African Americans
Why is the white community referred to as the “lesser man”?
Morally
What is the problem introduced in the opening octave of the poem?
African American work so hard for others to get benefit from it.
In the opening octave, Cullen repeats the phrase “not always” three times. What type of tone does this phrase establish?
Hopeful
How does the word “deferred” mean?
Postponed / delayed
What objects does Hughes compare the dream to?
Raisin, sore, meat, sugary sweet
Ultimately, what is Hughes message concerning the dreams of those living in Harlem?
They’re being forced to Fer their dreams due to social barrier’s
