Poetry Analysis Essay on "Let America Be America Again"

Introduction

In the last centuries, the world had experienced tremendous social issues affecting social, economic, and political aspects of almost the entire world. In this regard, it is more critical to realize the need for the exploration of social issues. It is, therefore, worth understanding that social issues also depict both the economic and political system. In this case, this essay primarily focuses on the social issues in the United States through the poem known as 'Let America Be America Again' by Langston Hughes. Despite the fact that this poem portrayed an issue of social injustice and racism; it also provided depth insight into the history of the United States. This provides the opportunity for carrying out research about the social issues depicted in the poem. And furthermore, there is a description of the ideas brainstormed on the ways that information depicted in the aforementioned poem is helpful in finding solutions for the issues.

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It is more significant to consider the history of Hughes in order to be in a position to understand his influence in the artwork in New York City in the early nineteenth century. The aforementioned poem was published in 1936 when the issue of social injustice and racism were the backbone of the discussion about fair justice for the country's citizens (Shi et al., 45). And Hughes was among the individuals who addressed unspoken problems that Americans were facing in the eyes of the government. Thus, this resulted in the so-called 'Harlem Renaissance' which brought a new perspective of artwork in the country, and the entire world at large (Shi et al., 37). This is more helpful for understanding the social issues addressed in the poem; hence making it easy for the realization of helpful ideas related to the issue.

In the beginning, the poem revealed the dreams of the American people, and further showed things which would prevent the attainment of the desired dreams in America. "Let America be America again. Let it be the dream it used to be." (Hughes, 1). Hughes mentioned at the start of the poem. This is a clear indication of the desire of the American people to see another America that is good for all. It further stated that "Seeking a home where he himself is free." (Hughes, 1). In this context, it is important to consider the diversity of cultures in America for being in a position to explore the desired dreams of the Americans. For effective exploration, America is comprised of the indigenous, White, Black, Hispanics people, and Asians as well (Ellis, 1172). And as previously mentioned, the poem addressed the issue of injustice on account of the color of skin and origin.

In the third stanza, the poem started saying that, "It never was America to me." (Hughes, 2). This is particularly based on the fact that there was social injustice that limited Americans to experience their desired dreams. And it insisted that "O, let my land be a land where Liberty Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath, but an opportunity is real, and life is free..." (Hughes, 5). With regard to this statement, it indicated that Americans' justice was confiscated by the false patriots who claimed to redeem the nation from unjust and unfair actions of the enemies. However, this supported by the assertion that "There's never been equality for me, nor freedom in this homeland of the free." (Hughes, 6). It is also more essential to know that equality did only affect the Black people, but also the poor White people who found themselves isolated from the others on account of their economic status.

During the nineteenth century, America was effortlessly improving infrastructure across the country in order to sustain development for its growing population. This influenced many immigrants from all the corners of the world to reach the shores of America from Asia and Europe (Shi et al., 51). Thus, it marked both racial and economic inequality in the country due to the increasing number of free Black people, and immigrants who were placed on the same table to compete with the rich individuals who owned factories and other businesses. In the poem, it is stated that "I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart, I am the Negro bearing slavery's scars. I am the red man driven from the land, I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek..." (Hughes, 8). It is quite clear that the poem addressed the various issue in American society.

With consideration of the above-mentioned statement, it indicates that the growing capitalism in America was also addressed because it brought economic inequality in the America society (Eltis, 1165). And as a result, it created various classes among the White people community. On another hand, the Black people were bearing the past experience of slavery in the changing society that admitted injustice to have a better place in its existence; hence find it hard to heal the scars of their past. In addition, the injustice touched almost all the segment of the American society because the indigenous people suffered a lot due to the growing desire for cultivating and business establishment by the rich people (Shi et al., 62). This a representation of the social carried against a minority, weak and poor individuals.

The depiction of capitalism, racism, and cultural conflicts became the main idea throughout the poem. And however, this was carried out a way to address those issues with the hope for the changes in American society. It is stated that "I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil. I am the worker sold to the machine. I am Negro, servant to you all." (Hughes, 10) Despite the dreams the Americans had about their future and country's future; the growing social injustice did not stop but instead damaged all the aspects of redeeming the nation for good (McMahan et al., 23). Nevertheless, the poem also touched European social issues in order to get depth insight into the social problems that America was experiencing in the early nineteenth century.

Since the European immigrants continued to come into America for job opportunities, but it is more vital to understand that it was as a result of the economic crisis in Europe. In this perspective, the European immigrants came with the hope to find a better life across the ocean from their home (Eltis, 1159). This was the same experience that the Asians immigrants faced during this period. And little opportunities were provided to them due to discrimination, and they were forced to offer cheap labor. On another hand, the Black people were struggling to be at the same level as their fellow Americans who looked down upon them (Shi et al., 67). This was the violation of the Declaration of Independence in America which provided equal opportunity to all people.

As it is commonly known, American society is made up of diverse cultures and races. And it is, therefore, more important to consider the provisions of the Declaration of Independence. In the social perspective, it encouraged the unification of various communities in what it called 'American Dream' (Eltis, 1183). However, the poem clearly showed the challenges that American people faced in the attainment of these dreams. With depth insight of the problems, the American people had a different perception on how America would be; hence made it easy for one race or class to put others down in order to gain profit (Shi et al., 54). This implied that American society was profit-oriented even on the expenses of its members.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there is a description of the main issue portrayed in the poem known as 'Let America Be America Again'. However, it is required for realizing that the essay primarily focused on the exploration of the social and cultural issues addressed in the poem. With regard to this, it portrayed the issue of social injustice in American society through the depiction of the injustice made against the indigenous, Black, immigrants, and poor people. For clear understanding, the poem came into the public reach in the early nineteenth century when the nation was experiencing an increase in population, and as well as economic growth. But this affected some aspects of the America society including fraternity and brotherhood of the people as provided in the Declaration of Independence. And moreover, the poem largely emphasized the challenges that prevented the achievement of the American Dream with an aim to make awareness of the social injustice in American society.

Work Cited

Hughes, Langston, Antonio Frasconi, and Antonio Frasconi. Let America Be America Again. George Braziller, 2004.

McMahan, Elizabeth, et al. Literature and the writing process. Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2005.

Shi, David E., and George Brown Tindall. America: A narrative history. WW Norton & Company, 2016.

Eltis, David. "Europeans and the rise and fall of African slavery in the Americas: an interpretation." Critical Readings on Global Slavery. BRILL, 2017. 1155-1186.