Montage on a Dream Deferred

Langston Hughes

The poem and the play• A portion of this poem is the preface

to the play.

• What is the purpose of the preface?

• Answer: a statement preliminary or introductory to an article, book, or speech, telling its subject, purpose, and plan

I, too sing America,• I, too, sing America.• I am the darker brother.• They send me to eat in the kitchen• When company comes,• But I laugh,• 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.

Harlem• “Harlem”•• What happens to a dream deferred?

• Does it dry up• Like a raisin in the sun?• Or fester like a sore—• And then run?• Does it stink like rotten meat?• Or crust and sugar over –• like a syrupy sweet?

• Maybe it just sags• like a heavy load.

• Or does it explode?

Discussion• Why do you think Hansberry chose this

poem as her preface?• What do the following words mean: defer,

fester, Montage?

• Answers: • “deferred” – put off to a future time;

postpone; delay• “fester” – to form pus; ulcerate; to grow

embittered; to decay• “Montage” – the art of making a composite

picture by bringing together into a single composition a number of different pictures so that they are blended to form a whole while remaining distinct

Harlem• “Harlem”•• What happens to a dream deferred?

• Does it dry up• Like a raisin in the sun?• Or fester like a sore—• And then run?• Does it stink like rotten meat?• Or crust and sugar over –• like a syrupy sweet?

• Maybe it just sags• like a heavy load.

• Or does it explode?

Discussion Continued• What central question does the poem

ask?

• Rather than present the audience with the answer to the poem’s central question, Hughes develops the poem using a series of questions. Analyze the similes and metaphors.

Harlem• “Harlem”•• What happens to a dream deferred?

• Does it dry up• Like a raisin in the sun?• Or fester like a sore—• And then run?• Does it stink like rotten meat?• Or crust and sugar over –• like a syrupy sweet?

• Maybe it just sags• like a heavy load.

• Or does it explode?

Final Discussion• Although the poem is phrased as a

list of questions, Hughes is making a statement.

• What is Hughes’ message about dreams deferred?

• How do “dreams deferred” relate to the American Dream?