Theme for english b when was it written

Langston Hughes: Theme for English B

Theme for English B is a poem that was written by Langston Hughes in 1951, a time when diversity was a controversial issue in America. The context of the poem revolves around diversity and identity in University. It is about a young black male who is attempting to discern his identity and purpose in life through an English assignment. The writer is conflicted on the tone and themes of that he should reiterate in the theme because he is the only person of color in his class. He wonders if he should assume the tone of a white student, who form the majority of the ethnic population in school or stay true to his culture. This essay will discuss the various cultural and Historical contexts that are represented in this poem. The contexts and examples will be drawn from the poem, while the analysis will be drawn from a secondary article/book on poetry. The poem reiterates the economic, educational and racial inferiority, in a cultural context, that existed between White and black people in the 1950’s. In the first stanza, the poem begins with a quote from the poet’s English teacher (Hughes 1-4):

Go Home and write A page tonight And let that page come out of you- Then it will be true Name 2 The teacher advises the students to write for the heart so that their pieces may be true.

Nonetheless, in the next stanza, Langston Hughes, professes doubt to this piece of advice because he believes that he is different from all the other students. He

by Langston Hughes

The instructor said,

      Go home and writea page tonight.And let that page come out of you—

Then, it will be true.

I wonder if it’s that simple?
I am twenty-two, colored, born in Winston-Salem.I went to school there, then Durham, then here

to this college on the hill above Harlem.

I am the only colored student in my class.The steps from the hill lead down into Harlem,through a park, then I cross St. Nicholas,Eighth Avenue, Seventh, and I come to the Y,the Harlem Branch Y, where I take the elevator

up to my room, sit down, and write this page:

It’s not easy to know what is true for you or meat twenty-two, my age. But I guess I’m whatI feel and see and hear, Harlem, I hear you.hear you, hear me—we two—you, me, talk on this page.

(I hear New York, too.) Me—who?

Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love.I like to work, read, learn, and understand life.I like a pipe for a Christmas present,or records—Bessie, bop, or Bach.

I guess being colored doesn’t make me not like

the same things other folks like who are other races.So will my page be colored that I write?Being me, it will not be white.But it will bea part of you, instructor.You are white—yet a part of me, as I am a part of you.That’s American.Sometimes perhaps you don’t want to be a part of me.Nor do I often want to be a part of you.But we are, that’s true!As I learn from you,I guess you learn from me—although you’re older—and white—

and somewhat more free.

This is my page for English B.

Summary of Theme for English B

  • Popularity of “Theme for English B”: Langston Hughes, one of the renowned American poets, novelist and playwright wrote Theme for English B. It is a remarkable poem about the acute realization of racial segregation. It was first published in 1951. The poem speaks about the narrator’s quest for identity in a constantly changing world. It illustrates how he skilfully connects his simple English assignment to his life.
  • “Theme for English B”, As a Representative of Self: This poem is about the speaker’s attitude, interests, and background. The professor asks the narrator to write a page about himself. The speaker begins his assignment, providing some necessary autobiographical details because he wants true. After talking about his age, academic history and identity, he unveils a crucial reality that he is the only colored student in his class. He believes people belonging to different casts, color and identities share common interests. Also, he writes that his assignment will not fully represent him. Willingly or unwillingly, they both influence each other. In this way, all of his doubts, questions, and hesitations become his page for English B.
  • Major Themes in “Theme for English B”: Identity, creativity, and racism are major themes of this poem. Right from the beginning, the black speaker struggles to come up to the expectations of his white professor. Although there is a divide between the speaker and his professor, yet he writes about his experiences and likes to present his true character in his assignment. At first, he is a bit nervous as he feels indifferent. However, he realizes that his likes and interests are similar to the people belonging to other races, which makes him confident. The speaker establishes a ground reality that America is a land of diversity and people influence each other regardless of their identities and skin color.

literary devices such as similes, personifications, and metaphors are very important elements of a literary text. They bring richness to the text and help the readers understand the hidden meanings. Langston Hughes has also used figurative language to explain the effects of racism. Here is the analysis of some literary devices used in this poem.

  1. Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line. For example, the sound of /r/ in “I am twenty-two, colored, born in Winston-Salem” and the sound of /n/ in “Eighth Avenue, Seventh, and I come to the Y”.
  2. Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line. For example, the sound of /i/ in “I like a pipe for a Christmas present”.
  3. Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line in quick succession. For example, the sound of /b/ in “or records—Bessie, bop, or Bach” and the sound of /h/ in “I feel and see and hear, Harlem, I hear you”.
  4. Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. For example,up to my room, sit down, and write this page”, “This is my page for English B” and “So will my page be colored that I write.”
  5. Rhetorical Question: Rhetorical question is a statement that is asked to receive an answer. It is just posed to make the point clear. For example, “I wonder if it’s that simple?”
  6. Personification: Personification is to give human qualities to inanimate objects. For example, “And let that page come out of you.”
  7. Anaphora: It refers to the repetition of a word or expression in the first part of some verses. Here, ‘part of you’ is repeated in the final stanza.

“Yet a part of me, as I am a part of you.That’s American.Sometimes perhaps you don’t want to be a part of me.

Nor do I often want to be a part of you.”

Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in “Theme for English B”

Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is the analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this rhyme.

  1. Stanza: A stanza is a poetic form of some lines. There are four stanzas in this poem, each varies in length.
  2. Quintet: A quintet is a five-lined stanza in poetry. Here, first stanza is quintet .
  3. Free Verse: Free Verse is a type of poetry that does not contain patterns of rhyme or meter. This is a free-verse poem with no strict rhyme or meter.

Quotes to be Used

The lines stated below are suitable for a speech while teaching unity and talking about the common interests and likes of the people across the globe.

I guess being colored doesn’t make me not like
the same things other folks like who are other races.”

Theme for english b when was it written
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‘Theme for English B’ is one of Langston Hughes’ best-known poems. It delves into themes of identity and race through the depiction of a black man’s writing assignment.

Within ‘Theme for English B,’ Hughes creates a young, twenty-two-year-old narrator who speaks about his own experience as a black man in a primarily white community. Despite having been written decades ago, this poem, like many others Hughes wrote, is still applicable to today’s society. 

Theme for english b when was it written

Summary of Theme for English B

‘Theme for English B’ by Langston Hughes explores the mind of a young black man, setting out to write an assignment for his English class. 

The poem describes the assignment, one page of writing, and the speaker’s apprehension about completing it. He isn’t sure that he’s going to be able to simply sit down and write. He is sure that it’s more complicated than that. His apprehension turns into success as he mulls over his feelings and explores his personality and heritage. He speaks on his similarities to his classmates and his differences, as well as his relationship with the white instructor. 

You can read the full poem here.

Structure of Theme for English B

‘Theme for English B’ by Langston Hughes is a thirty-six line poem that is divided into stanzas of varying lengths. The shortest is only one line long and the longest is twenty lines. There is not a single pattern of rhyme that Hughes used to structure the entire poem, although the poem does contain rhyme. For example, the second stanza rhymes AABB. Other examples include “me,” “free,” and “B” at the end of the poem and “you” and “who” at the end of lines thirteen and fifteen. 

Poetic Techniques in Theme for English B

Hughes makes use of several poetic techniques in ‘Theme for English B’. These include but are not limited to personification, anaphora, and alliteration. The latter, alliteration, occurs when words are used in succession, or at least appear close together, and begin with the same sound. For example, “Bessie, bop, or Bach” in line twenty-six and “hear, Harlem, I hear” in line thirteen.

Hughes also makes use of anaphora, or the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of multiple lines, usually in succession. This technique is often used to create emphasis. A list of phrases, items, or actions may be created through its implementation. For example, “I like” at the beginning of line sixteen, seventeen, and eighteen.

Personification occurs when a poet imbues a non-human creature or object with human characteristics. It can be seen in the third line with “let that page come out of you,” as if the page has agency and the ability to make its own choices. It is described as crafting its own destiny. 

Analysis of Theme for English B

Lines 1-5 

The instructor said,

Go home and write
a page tonight.
And let that page come out of you—
Then, it will be true.

In the first lines of ‘Theme for English B,’ the speaker begins by laying out the assignment he was given. The speaker, who is a young boy, explains in simple terms that he was told to “God home and write / a page tonight”. It could be anything, it just needs to ‘come out of you”. This use of personification makes it feel as if the page is acting on its own, making its own choices. It should be a natural process the teacher suggests. 

Lines 6-14

I wonder if it’s that simple? I am twenty-two, colored, born in Winston-Salem. I went to school there, then Durham, then here (…) Eighth Avenue, Seventh, and I come to the Y,

the Harlem Branch Y, where I take the elevator

The third stanza is ten lines long and contains the young speaker’s thoughts about the possibility of writing. He wonders if it’s likely that it’s “that simple” to write. He gives the reader bit of his background. The speaker is a young man, twenty-two years old, black, born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He’s the only coloured student in his class. These facts set him apart from those around him. They make him wonder if he will be able to write. 

Lines 15-19

up to my room, sit down, and write this page: (…)

hear you, hear me—we two—you, me, talk on this page.

The next stanza of ‘Theme for English B’ is shorter, only five lines long. It expresses his uncertainly about where he is in life and how that position relates to those around him. It’s hard to know when you’re young what’s true and what isn’t. But, he knows the basic facts. He’s there and he can “feel and see and hear, Harlem, I hear you”. This place calls to him and jumbles the language making it hard to tell who is speaking and what they are referring to. He is at a place in his life where he is just starting to understand who he is and what role he has to play.

Lines 20-27

(I hear New York, too.) Me—who? Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love. (…) the same things other folks like who are other races.

So will my page be colored that I write?

In the next set of lines, the speaker compares the life he lives with that of his classmates. They are similar in a number of different ways, the primary ones being reading, learning and understanding life. He is not that different where he doesn’t like “the same things other folks like who are other races”. But, he adds, he is different in an important way. The page that he writes will “not be white”. 

Lines 28-40

Being me, it will not be white. But it will be a part of you, instructor. (…) I guess you learn from me— although you’re older—and white—

and somewhat more free.

The speaker comes to understand in the last lines of ‘Theme for English B’that there are different parts of himself that are all important in their own way. The page he writes, a metaphor for the life he is going to live, will be influenced by “you, instructor”. This person is white, so it will have their influence as well as that of New York and Harlem. 

He thinks over his relationship to “you,” the instructor, and wonders about how much a part of one another they are. Sometimes they don’t want to be part of one another’s lives or stories, but they are “that’s true!” He learns from his white instructor and suggests that maybe they learn from him as well. This might be the case even though they are “older—and white— / and somewhat more free”. 

Line 41

This is my page for English B.

The poem ends with the line “This is my page for English B”. He set out to write and let land on the page what was “true,” as the instructor suggested. The assignment completed itself.