I, too, sing America by Langston Hughes

I, too, sing America
by Langston Hughes

I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.

Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.

Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed--

I, too, am America.

Title: A poem about patriotism and how he fights for his country America.

Paraphrase: I think this poem is talking about how black people were not treated equally as the white people. When he said “I am the darker brother” I think the author is mentioning that he is black. When they say “eat in the kitchen” it means that he is unequally treated because of his race. However, the author does not care about the discrimination and he just laughs. He says he will “eat well and grow strong” because he will just patiently wait until the day. The word “tomorrow” is used to have implication of tomorrow and “nobody’ll dare say to me” meaning he will not give up fighting and will not lose the fire in him: Later, there will be a day where black people and white people are treated equal. The last stanza talks about soon or later people will recognize how beautiful black people are and white people will be ashamed of what they have done to the black people.

Connotation: Point of view- 1st person because it uses the word “I.”
“I, too, am America” – repetition. It is used to emphasize that black people are American and that they will fight to gain what they want.
“Kitchen”- symbolism for less important location. It is used to talk about how black people were treated not the same as the host of the house, which is white people. Back then when black people were discriminated, women were too treated unequally: women worked in kitchen which gives the meaning that kitchen is less important place and it not good enough for male white people.
“Table” – symbolism to explain a place were other people will see. Table is considered more important then kitchen.
“Company” – I think company is meaning the other country. If other country or people come to the house, which can represent the country, they would not want to show the black people, which they were considered lower than black people.
“Tomorrow” – symbolism for the future. It talks about how later in future black people will be treated equally.
“Eat well, grow strong” – symbolism that represents the power. It means later, black people will be having strong position in society.
“Beauty” – symbolism that describes a scale of supremacy over other country or race.

Attitude – Even though the situation is not that cheerful or hopeful the author’s tone is very bright and hopeful. The writer is not thinking about the miserable present time but bright future.

Shifts – A line between “when the company comes” and “But I laugh” has a shift that change the voice to brighter tone.

Title – The title represents the strength of African-American to fight against the racism. Also the title suggests that even though he is discriminated why his own people, white people, he is still proud to be part of America.

Theme – This poem is about a black slave who is trying to be hopeful even when the situation is miserable. The black slave it fighting against the racism without losing a fire in him and determine to never give up the hope. This is related to our life because it gives us life lesson of never give up even when things are not the best.

Ex-Basketball Player

Ex-Basketball Player by John Updike
Pearl Avenue runs past the high-school lot,
Bends with the trolley tracks, and stops, cut off
Before it has a chance to go two blocks,
At Colonel McComsky Plaza.
Berth’s Garage Is on the corner facing west, and there,
Most days, you'll find Flick Webb, who helps Berth out.

(Stanza)

Flick stands tall among the idiot pumps—
Five on a side, the old bubble-head style,
Their rubber elbows hanging loose and low.
One’s nostrils are two S’s, and his eyes An E and O.
And one is squat, without
A head at all—more of a football type.

(Stanza)

Once Flick played for the high-school team, the Wizards.
He was good: in fact, the best. In ’46
He bucketed three hundred ninety points,
A county record still. The ball loved Flick.
I saw him rack up thirty-eight or forty
In one home game. His hands were like wild birds.

(Stanza)

He never learned a trade, he just sells gas,
Checks oil, and changes flats. Once in a while,
As a gag, he dribbles an inner tube,
But most of us remember anyway.
His hands are fine and nervous on the lug wrench.
It makes no difference to the lug wrench, though.

(Stanza)

Off work, he hangs around Mae’s Luncheonette.
Grease-gray and kind of coiled, he plays pinball,
Smokes those thin cigars, nurses lemon phosphates.
Flick seldom says a word to Mae, just nods
Beyond her face toward bright applauding tiers
Of Necco Wafers, Nibs, and Juju Beads.

Title1- This poem is about a basketball player who retired from a team. - A poem about a basketball player who's glory has faded

Paraphrase - This is a poem about an ex-basketball player who was the best in the town. In third stanza it talks about how he was such a good basketball player in high school. However, the two stanzas at the beginning and the two stanzas at the end have dry voice to tell the basketball player after he retired. After he had ended his basektball career, he worked in a gas station. Out of work, he smoked, drank, and played pinball. It seems like he does not have the glory he had when he played basketball.

Connotation –
Tone – Dry
Point of view – 3rd person
the idiot pumps - personification
One’s nostrils are two S’s, and his eyes An E and O. - Allegory
trolley tracks: Alliteration
The ball loved Flick: personification
His hands are fine and nervous on the lug wrench. It makes no difference to the lug wrench, though. – personification
Checks oil, and changes flats - alliteration
His hands were like wild birds : Similes
As a gag – similes
loose and low : Alliteration
Grease-gray: Alliteration

Attitude – It is dry but it sounds little depressing. It keeps talk about the past when he was good and it contrasts now and back then.

Shifts – Shifts happen a lot in this poem. First two stanzas talk about what Flick is doing now. The third stanza shifts and talks about how good Flick was. Again, fourth and fifth stanza shift and talk about what a depressing he has now.

Title – It is a poem about a basketball player who was the top of the country basketball but now he is just an ordinary guy who works in a gas station.

Theme – I think the theme of this poem is to tell us to be the top of something you are good at. If you are not good enough, then your life will end up like Flick who did not find a place in this world. However, if you become a top, then you will find a place such as playing basketball in professional basketball team.