“Dream Deferred” and “Dreams”

“DREAM DEFERRED” AND

“DREAMS”Pages 904 and 905

LANGSTON HUGHES (1902-1967) Born in Missouri First African American to have a “strictly

literary career” Several different jobs before Ability to express “the spirit of Black

America” Influenced by his grandmother and her

stories and by the Harlem Renaissance

(1920s)(video)

“DREAM DEFERRED” (1951) deferred: (adj.) put off until a future time First word of the poem:

Harlem “What happens to a dream deferred?” means:

What happens to a dream that isn’t realized– put off? What does Hughes compare a dream deferred to?

(series of similes) a raisin in the sun (dry up) a sore rotten meat syrupy sweet (crust over) heavy load

Last line: Metaphor? why is it italicized? explode- violent act bomb relates to Harlem (people)

Message (Theme) of the poem: postponing dreams can lead to frustration/violence

“DREAMS” Metaphors:

When dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird

when dreams go, life is a barren field frozen with snow

The speaker tells the reader to:hold on to dreams… don’t let them go

What is the theme of “Dreams”A life without dreams is nothing-- dreams

are what give life meaning… dreams give us hope