James Weldon Johnson My City Analysis

James Weldon Johnson My City Analysis
As humans who live there lives on day to day basis, we never stop to think about what we will miss most when our time on this planet has come to an
end. In the poem My City by James Weldon Johnson there is self discussion about what he will truly miss once his journey on earth ends. He comes to
the conclusion that what will truly be missed most, is his city . Johnson's use of sensory images, personification, choice of rhyme scheme and shift
helped portray the importance that his city has had on him. Johnson's uses sensory images sparks our sense of sight, smell and sound by giving us a
view into a few of the natural beauties his city has to offer such as; the sight of trees, the smell of flowers or the sound of the singing birds, and how
each
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The Road That Led African Americans
The road that led African–Americans to freedom in the United States was definitely not an easy road by any means. It was indeed a stony road, and
the chastening rod is used here to describe the harshness associated with slavery and the masters cracking the whip, or rod. So much blood was shed
during this point in time, before Reconstruction (during the Civil War), and after Reconstruction and the period leading up to theHarlem Renaissance.
In fact, even after African–Americans had gained their freedom they still experienced abuse, inequality, and suffering at the hands of their White
counterparts. The Jim Crow Laws were enacted and in effect in the South, which led to the mass migration to the North, and even in the North,
Blacks still experienced some indifference, though not on the same scale as they had in the South. In Lift Every Voice and Sing, Johnson uses
rhyming which of course is standard of most poetry. He also uses simile in line five with his comparison of how the sound of joy should be loud
like that of the rolling sea. Lift Every Voice and Sing is both carefully and craftily composed, and uses vivid imagery as well as religious theme,
which is also prevalent in a majority of Johnson's works, again displaying his strong Christian faith. This poem has become so well known, and so
popular, that it was recited by Reverend Joseph E. Lowery at the Inauguration ceremony of President Barack Obama in 2009. In 2008 Rene Marie, a
jazz musician substituted the words

Conformity vs. Individuality Essay
"People don't talk about anything...and nobody says anything different from anyone else" This quote, from Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury,
demonstrates how this fictional society had no individuality, yet they expressed no disprovement of the conformity. To be so simple minded as this
civilization was would have eventually lead to self–destruction. To support my theory, recall in the novel when the old lady chose to commit suicide
because she did not have freedom. She felt that even though she was "free" she was "enslaved" by the enforcement of limited knowledge. 
 Without individuality in today's society, the world would be filled with a population of large amounts of followers as opposed to leaders. Do you
know where and what this... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
 "You like bowling, don't you, Montag? "Bowling, yes." "And golf?" "Golf is a fine game." As you may have noticed,
this society dared not to have different opinions or to disagree. Everyone was predictable and identical, wouldn't that be a "perfect society?" No
one disagreeing, no disputes, no wars? I beg to differ because disagreeing and disputing create change. They also allow us to state our opinions as
well as to listen to others opinions. After allowing other opinions to be broadcasted, you might identify an error in your opinion which could
change your whole outlook on something. Widening your horizons and taking a dip in the sea of "why's" should be an experience we all have the
chance in experimenting with. "Not everyone born free and equal...but everyone made equal. Each man the image of each other." Just
imagine sitting in a classroom where everyone acted, talked, and looked the same way. They always agreed and never opposed. Instead of having
that individuality and being at one with yourself, and one in the eye's of others, you'd be accounted as a whole. Our country today is not only a
"melting pot" of cultures and races, but one of different ideas and knowledge waiting to be served, but if the people are not allowed to eat, then the
knowledge is never

American Architecture : Constructing An Identity
American Architecture: Constructing an Identity Throughout American history, people have been categorized based on what gender they are, and
what their race is. In order to explore these ideas and come to terms with their importances many musicians, film makers, and authors have described the
inner–workings of this societal construct. Indeed, both racial and female identities have been at the epicenter of many works of art throughout
American culture as can be seen in: Maggie: A Girl of the Streetsby Stephen Crane, film "Modern Times," Bessie Smith's "T'ain't Nobody's Bizness If
I Do," and James Weldon Johnson's Autobiography of an Ex–Colored Man. For starters, both Maggie: A Girl of the Streets by Crane and "Modern
Times" describe a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Ellen is an orphaned girl who appears to have agency up until the point that she runs into Charlie Chaplin who plays a factory worker. Once again,
the theme of upward mobility is shown with consumerism. This is alluring to Ellen and she becomes romantically involved with Chaplin. Prior to
this, Ellen appears to have great agency with her ability to maneuver for herself and her siblings even though she is extremely poor. However,
once the idea of acquire more than what is needed to survive comes into play the audience sees that she is satisfied with just being a housewife for
Chaplin. This film greatly exemplifies the complexities of the female identity because Ellen is clearly a woman who could posses independence,
but seemingly leaves that behind for the life of a housewife. The film however takes a turn when Ellen is revealed to be a dancer at a local
restaurant. By being a working woman, Ellen solidifies to the audience that she is an independent woman with complete agency. Thus, her
relationship with Chaplin is merely a romantic interest and not a way to gain social mobility as was seen with Maggie. This movie shows the
progression of a woman with agency. Similarly, in Maggie: A Girl of the Streets Crane develops a strong female character with Nellie. Crane describes
Nellie as, "A woman with brilliance and audacity" (Crane 62). As a female character she is much more like Ellen from "Modern Times" than she is like
Maggie. In fact, Maggie seems

Essay about Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man and Jews...
Autobiography of an Ex–Colored Man and Jews Without Money
To be a minority is a very difficult task. Fighting daily prejudices and trying to establish a unique identity that fits into society at the same time is often
one of the hardest things for a "different" person to do. Deciding one's daily activities and then watching the repercussions of those activities can be
discouraging at times. In the novels, The Autobiography of an Ex–Colored Man, and Jews Without Money, two characters, the narrator and Herman,
must fight the establish their own personal identity during a time when each are a minority.
One of the first things a person has to learn in order to find his own identity is the ability to make his own choices. He has ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
While finding a unique identity, a person must be careful who he trusts. Giving valuable information to a person who is not trustworthy can lead to
destruction. Everything that is worked for may as well be thrown away. Herman and the narrator learned this lesson the hard way. Shortly after
arriving in America, Herman started a suspender shop business with his cousin Sam Kravitz. As soon as business was getting good, Herman went on
a small excursion. When he returned he found that "[Sam] had stolen the shop" (Gold 109). Everything he worked for was taken away. His chance at
his own identity vanished. The same sort of ideal happened to the narrator. He was on his way to Atlanta University when he stayed over at a porter
house. Without thinking about it, he left his money and all his valuables in his trunk which was locked. When he returned "a dart of suspicion shot
through [his] heart; the arrangement of things did not look familiar...[his] money was gone" (Johnson 44). Just as Herman's hard earned money
disappeared, the narrator's did as well. They were both left stranded to fight as minority's empty–handed.
One must not settle for anything when finding out who he is. Just because something is easy doesn't mean it is the right choice. In order for a person
to make a unique place in society and not just conform to what everyone else is doing,

Adoption Are Beating The Adoption Odds By Cynthia D. Martin
Three books and authors dealing with the subject of adoption are Beating the Adoption Odds by Cynthia D. Martin, Adopting in America by Randall
Hicks, and Twenty things adopted kids wish their adoptive parents knew.
LindseyUCLA, By Duncan. "Child Poverty and Inequality." Directory for Child Welfare:Adoption / Child Abuse / Child Welfare /child Support / Child
Development / Child Care / Foster Care / Children / Destiny Child / Child Book / Child Abuse / Child Welfare /child Support / Child Development
/ Child Care / Fo. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2016.
"The Best Books about Adoption." The Best Books about Adoption. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2016.
Eldridge, Sherrie. "Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew." Barnes &... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Yerby, Frank. "Books by Frank Yerby (Author of The Foxes of Harrow)." (Author of The Foxes of Harrow). N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2016.
1b. One title of a book by Walter White is Rope and Faggot: a biography of Judge Lynch.
Walter Francis White, Kenneth Robert Janken (Illustrator). "Rope and Faggot." Goodreads. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2016. 1c. Ralph Ellison is the
author of the book The Invisible Man.
Ralph Ellison, Charles R. Johnson (Goodreads Author) (Preface By), Ralph Ellison, John F. Callahan (Editor), Ralph Ellison, John F. Callahan
(Editor), Saul Bellow (Preface By), Ralph Ellison, Robert G. O 'Meally (Editor), Ralph Ellison, Albert Murray, John F. Callahan (Editor), and Ralph
Ellison, John F. Callahan (Editor), Adam Bradley (Editor). "Ralph Ellison." Goodreads. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2016.
1c. The author of The autobiography of an ex– colored man is James Weldon Johnson.
Johnson, James W. "The Autobiography of an Ex–Colored Man." The Autobiography of an Ex–Colored Man, J. W. Johnson, 1912. N.p., n.d. Web. 27
Nov. 2016.
2a.
2b. The title of the book is The Distance Education Evolution: Issues and Case Studies.
2c. The book has three authors: Dominique Monolescu, Catherine Schifter, Linda Greenwood.
2d. The book can be found under the subjects of Distance Education– computer assisted instruction. Higher Education –computer– assisted instruction.
Education technology.
2e. The book was published in 2004

2f. The book is located in section xiv,

James Weldon Johnson Research Paper
African–American Racial Pride in James Weldon Johnson's Literary Work James Weldon Johnson (1871– 1938) was an important Black author, poet,
leader, and political activist whose work was very influential in his time. He was born in Jacksonville, Florida in 1871 to middle–class parents. In a
long career he worked as a teacher, a lawyer, a diplomat and the executive officer of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People). His literary works had a powerful influence on other African–American poets of the time, and those that followed him. His best
known work is the hymn, Lift Every Voice and Sing, which is considered the Negro National Anthem. He wrote many other poems such as The Color
Sergeant, To America, and The Creation. In these poems, he expresses the emotions and thoughts of African Americans. In The Color Sergeant, he uses
images and metaphors to convey the bravery and pride of a colored American... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Johnson was consistently attentive to these issues throughout his life. In his autobiography, Along this Way, Johnson states, "I had in the main known
my own people as individual or as groups; and now I began to perceive them clearly as a classified division, a defined sectionof American society ...
what black and white meant stood out starkly." According to Carroll A. Richards, he was influenced directly by the conditions of life for
African–Americans in the rural South (347). Johnson tried to bring the determination of African–Americans against these barriers to the attention of the
wider world. Allan H. Spear asserts that Johnson "was a part of the movement to create a positive and vital culture rooted in the folk experience of
the Negro people" (Richards 344). He accomplishes this goal in To America through the use of symbols to express racial

Passing by Nella Larsen
Another issue that Nella Larsen brings up in her story, Passing, is the aspect of lesbianism. Before the Harlem Renaissance began, people back then
were not very open about being a gay or lesbian person. As the years progressed, people became more open about their sexuality if they happened to be
different. The Harlem Renaissance was a time period that is known for the blossoming culture of African Americans. The Harlem Renaissance took
place in the vicinity of Harlem, New York. This event was a cultural movement for the African American community. It opened the gates for many
people to express themselves through visual art, literature, music and other creative activities that gave them the freedom to express their feelings as
they ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The first glimpse of homosexuality that Larsen incorporates into her novel is, "An attractive–looking woman...with those dark, almost black, eyes and
that wide mouth like a scarlet flower against the ivory of her skin" (15–16). Before Irene even recognized that the woman was Clare, she was instantly
attracted to her. When one really looks into Larsen's story, Passing, the reader can assume that Irene and her husband, Brian, do not have many sexual
encounters with each other because Larsen states that Irene and Brian sleep in different beds and they go even further by sleeping in separate
bedrooms. In the literary analysis, Passing – Nella Larsen written by Kinna, she mentions that Brian wants to quit his job in American and he wants
to move to Brazil. If sleeping in different bedrooms is not enough to put Brian and Irene's marriage on the line, then Brian wanting to settle down
and move to Brazil will do the trick. As if Irene and Brian's marriage is not on the rocks already, Irene goes and makes it worse because she just
goes on ahead and assumes that her husband, Brian, and Clare are having an affair behind her back. Nella Larsen makes it sort of easy for Irene to
make this assumption because Clare and Brian got awfully close to one another and Clare's husband is a successful businessman, which most likely
means that he travels almost all of the time. In the novel, both women are severely lacking sexual encounters

Of An Former Colored Man By James Weldon Johnson Essay
In James Weldon Johnson's "Autobiography of an Ex–Colored Man," the is written narrator to be perceived at face first as an average white male,
when in fact he is inherently of colored descent. Consequently, in regards to society 's principle of the one–drop rule, the narrator then faces an identity
complex in understanding whether he is black since society has categorized him on the account of his bloodline, or white because of his external
appearance. For at the end of the novel, he makes the conscious decision to pass as white. Yet in erasing traces of his his Negro descent, this question
whether the narrator's decision violates particular morals in "passing" as white. Or, whether the narrator's decision demonstrates that individuals like
himself, must recreate themselves out of necessity. In order to be liberated from societies categorization, and obtain their concept of happiness, that is
beyond the restricted principles from society. For the notion of recreating oneself for the means of progressing towards a future goal is understood in
F.Scotts Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby". For lowly Jimmy Gatz is given an opportunity to recreate himself as Jay Gatsby, and does so through
concealing his past identity from society. Yet in effect, this enables Gatsby to become limitless in how he progresses towards his idealized future. That
in which, this paper will combine significant similarities between the two novels, arguing how the modes of recreation is an essential concept

Analysis: The Harlem Renaissance
From the discrimination and fear African Americans dealt with after their emancipation from slavery less than a century earlier derived art and culture
so beautiful and unique, it would become one of the greatest movements in history. The Harlem Renaissance was a time when African Americans had
the artistic freedom to express themselves, yet they were still being oppressed by white society. African American musicians, scholars and poets made
social and political statements about the poor treatment of blacks and were finally able to express their emotions through art. Black America was
voicing the anger and suffering of the previous era, and now others were listening. This movement combined with events such as WWI and II, the Great
Depression ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Reid attributed this to his time spent in the North and the South, where he was able to gather information about the life of African Americans. This is
evident in the poem "The South", in which Hughes contrasts the North and the South. "The persona then sings lamentingly the swan song that was so
typical of Southerners during the great Migration of the Twenties. The poem closes with this irony: So now I seek the North/ The cold–faced North
/ For she, they say/ Is a kinder mistress/ And in her house my children/ May escape the spell of the South" (Reid). Spending his childhood in
Missouri also exposed him to the racism and violent acts of discrimination suffered by blacks in the South. "'Lament for Dark Peoples' makes even
more explicit the themes of enslavement and desired emancipation that had already been sounded in 'Our Land.' By the time one reaches the third
poem, 'Afraid', however, one finds an interesting and unpredictable shift, which is so brief that it can be quoted in its entirety: We cry among the
skyscrapers/ As our ancestors/ Cried among the palms in Africa/ Because we are alone/ It is night/ And we're afraid" (Evans). As Harlem was ahead
of its time with regard to tolerance and celebrations of African Americans and their heritage, many of the artists and writers did not have the exposure
to the violent and racist tendencies of the South like Hughes did. This helped

Harlem Renaissance Folk Art
Folk Art: Jazz, Blues, Folktales, Dance: The Harlem Renaissance During the nineteenth– mid–twentieth century, folk became very popular and widely
known within the United State of America. Folk art is considered as the agents of a conventional lifestyle and particularly as the originators or bearers
of the traditions, convictions, and expressions that make up an unmistakable culture. When people started to realize their potential and became open to
the public about their abilities, the folk art began to become more diverse. It became diverse in folktales, jazz, blues, and dance; some of the major
aspects that caused todays music to be what it is in the twenty first century. These are forms are sometimes passed on orally and were often shared ...
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Ryder as the dean of the Blue Vein Society. "The original Blue Veins were a little society of colored persons organized in a certain Northern city
shortly after the war. Its purpose was to establish and maintain correct social standards among a people whose social condition presented almost
unlimited room for improvement. By accident, combined perhaps with some natural affinity, the society consisted of individuals who were,
generally speaking, more white than black." (Chestnutt). Mr. Ryder, has a big issue accepting his past when it comes back in the form of his
former slave wife, Liza Jane. Mr. Ryder, along with other members of the Blue Vein Society had given up their former lives to live as honorable
members of the "not white, but light enough to be considered white" society. This society had many different stipulations to it which caused many
people to be something that they are not. Mr. Ryder came from a background where he was a trainee learning to do different skills for different jobs
and was about to be sold into slavery. He had nothing, including no education. He worked day in and day out to create a different life for himself in
Groveland. He learned a lot about literary works, poetry, and discrimination, but the irony to these great accomplishments is that he was discriminating
against his own kind. This story

Sonny 's Blues By James Baldwin
In the short story "Sonny's Blues", by James Baldwin there is the notion or a reoccurring theme of a conflict between light and dark between the
characters. The notion is carried throughout the story of two brothers finding their own lights and trying to work towards a greater life. In the late 50's,
after the Harlem Renaissance, adolescents are faced with drug sales everywhere and crime sprees around every corner, this is one example of the
darkness in the story. Kids began to form bad habits that revolved around drugs and crime because it was what they became used to seeing in their
everyday routine. Later on in life they would find themselves in unthinkable situations and not finding a way out. Sonny's older brother, who is also
the narrator of the story finds himself in disbelief because he finds out his brother is incarcerated because of a heroin addiction. Sonny wanted to be a
famous pianist but thought that heroin would open his mind up and make his creative thought flow. By using his music, Sonny tries to make a better
life for himself and attempts to return to the light after being in the dark for so long. The notion of light and dark reflects the character's personalities
and actions as they struggle to live in the ominous city of Harlem. The author expresses the human spirit throughout "Sonny's Blues" to reveal how the
characters and ordinary people find their own light within the darkness in which they live.
Baldwin had chosen specifically to use Harlem as the

Creation : The Creation, By James Weldon Johnson
The creation of the earth is mysterious, yet miraculous at the same time.
People have contemplated many different theories about the creation of the world. There are two versions that rival each other and those are the
religious and the scientific version.
Many writers and poets have made different works about how they believe the earth was created. One of these writers/poets is James Weldon Johnson,
who uses his poetic styles to recite the creation story from Genesis.
James Weldon Johnson was born in 1871 in Jacksonville, Florida. Johnson was the first African American To be chosen as executive secretary of
NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). He's best known for his poems and novels during theHarlem Renaissance. He
also composed songs such as "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" best known as the "Negro National Anthem". (Harlem Renaissance Poets, 2013)
The Creation is a poem about how God created the earth. This poem suggests a different perspective of the story of creation, in a way that even a
young kid would know how God created this earth and human beings. The reason of creation is to eliminate God's loneliness which gives an
invigorating and appealing aura to the poem.
This composition reads like a fantasy story but it actually arouses the imagination and edifies the human mind to actually value its existence.
The reader experiences euphoria and extreme amusement reading the entire poem which flows in a very stupefy way. But, it also promotes

Harlem And The Harlem Renaissance
The Great Migrations was the movement or relocation of over 6 million blacks from Southern rural regions to Northern urban areas. Looking to leave
behind the racial tension of the south, and with hopes of new job opportunities in the north, many blacks moved in to urban cities such as Chicago,
Detroit, and Harlem. Out of these northern metropolises, the most popular was Harlem; "here in Manhattan (Harlem) is not merely the largest Negro
community in the world, but the first concentration in history of so many diverse element of Negro life"(1050). Harlem became the mecca of black
people, and between the years of 1920 and the late 1930s it was known as the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance, brought artiest, poets,
writers, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Despite their many similarities, they have an equal amount of differences, which add to their experience in the black community. Arna Bontemps
was born on October 13, 1902 in Alexandria, Louisiana. To two loving partners, his father descendent of slaves and his mother was English and
Cherokee Indian bloodline. When Bontemps was a young boy, around the age of three his family moved to Los Angles California. Growing up he
was considered middle class and his partners influenced him greatly as they were involved in the arts. Arna went on to attend Pacific Union College
now known as UCLA and obtained a degree win teaching where he went on to become a teacher in Harlem in 1924. After his death, his Harlem home
was into an African American museum. In looking atLangston Hughes, we see that we were born on February 1, 1902 in Joplin, Missouri. Like Arna,
he was not fully black as both of his partners were biracial. However, unlike Bontemps, his partners separated when we was young, and was mainly
raised by his grandmother in Cleveland, Ohio. Hughes also obtained a higher education at Lincoln University and Columbia University. Having a
love to travel, he spent much time on the road until he made is home in Harlem. From looking at the background of these men, we see that they have
many similarities, however we also see big differences in their upbringing which all played a role in how they experienced being black, but more

How Did James Weldon Johnson Impact Society
Carson Barrett Barrett, page 1 3/17/18 Ramp American Lit James Weldon Johnson James Weldon Johnson made a major impact in the world
throughout his life. He had many roles in society and each one affected and helped others in different ways. Much of his work was done to help other
African–Americans who were being oppressed at the time as a result of racism throughout the country. James Weldon Johnson was born on June 17,
1871. His parents were Helen Louise Dillet and James Johnson. He also had a brother named Josh Rosamond Johnson. "The boys were first educated
by their mother, a musician and public–school... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He was a major influence in the civil rights movement and to African–Americans all over the country. "Johnson accepted the position of field secretary
for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People" ("NAACP History: James Weldon Johnson." NAACP, www.naacp.org/). Johnson
used this leadership role to influence many African–Americans to fight for equality and rights. He did not encourage them to do it the same way as
most people would. Instead, he encouraged people to fight for equality through poetry and art. This relates to the ideals of the Harlem Renaissance by
promoting African–American music, culture, and art. This means he was most likely influenced by the ideas of the time and culture around him.
Barrett, page 4 Another one of his more influential occupations was "he became the principal of The Stanton School" ("NAACP History: James
Weldon Johnson." NAACP, www.NAACP.org/). Because this was and all black school, he was able to influence young African
–Americans of his ideas
of expressing themselves through art, music, and literature. He also expanded his influence on more children when he added a high school The Stanton

The Autobiography Of An Former Colored Man By James Weldon...
The Autobiography of an Ex–Colored Man, James Weldon Johnson
James Weldon Johnson's novel The Autobiography of an Ex–Colored Man was first published in 1912. This novel is one of the highly celebrated
works during the Harlem Renaissance although it was published prior in 1912. Johnson graduated from Clark Atlanta University in 1894. He was
appointed by President Theodore Roosevelt as United States consul to Venezuela and Nicaragua. He also was highly involved in the Harlem
Renaissance with his own writings and support for others work. Johnson was a member of and first black executive officer in the NAACP. The
Autobiography of an Ex–Colored Man is a fictional novel dealing with racial identity and the idea of "passing" into white society. The Autobiography
of an Ex–Colored Man depicts the life and travels of an unnamed narrator of mixed race. The narrator's physical appearance is that of a white man
though because of his mother's African American classification he would also be considered an African American man. He is the offspring of what is
suggested to be a wealthy white southerner and his mulatto or mixed race mother. The narrator is raised in the north in a somewhat privileged
atmosphere compared to the majority of African American people of the time. During his childhood he fails to recognize his racial identity as being
that of an African American boy until he is asked to sit down by the principal while all the white kids were asked to stand up. Not long

Analysis Of My City By James Weldon Johnson
Analysis Essay for "My City"
"My City" was written by James Weldon Johnson in 1923. This poem represents the different aspects Manhattan has in its city. In the poem "My City",
James Weldon Johnson used concrete sensory details, repetition, personification, and a rhetorical question to show what he will miss in thecity he lives
in when he dies. "My City" is a poem that has fourteen lines and two stanzas, also known as a Petrarchan sonnet. In these two stanzas the author uses
literary techniques to portray the meaning of the poem. Some literary elements the author uses is concrete sensory details and personification. James
Johnson uses these types of details to show the happy and peaceful things he will be missing when he dies. "Or smell the flowers or hear the singing
birds/Or watch the flashing streams or patient herds?"(Line 6–7) are two examples of the concrete details in this poem. "Or smell the flowers or hear
the singing birds"(Line 6) is referring to the author ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Repetition was used in every line in the poem besides lines two, eight, and thirteen. This element was used to show what was important in the poem to
help the readers understand the real meaning. "Dead"(Line 1,14) is one word that was used several times in the poem to put emphasis on him dying
and what he will miss when he is gown. "Her"(Line 9–12) was used seven times in the poem to show that the city of Manhattan is so important to him
he is giving it human like characteristics. Also "When is" another important word repeated because it shows the author is thinking about a time when
he will not be able to see the city he lives in and he wants to know when this will

Have you ever thought about what's after death? The things you will miss most about the world when you are gone? The poem "My City by
James Weldon Johnson shows manhattan's good quality as long as its bad, by using concrete sensory details. James Weldon Johnson had a long
career as a writer, teacher, diplomat, lawyer, and an black leader. through his work he expressed racial injustice and encouraged black achievement.
James Weldon is saying in his poem " My City" that when the time comes that he dies its not the small things he is going to miss like the smell of
flowers or the singing birds Or watch the flashing streams or patient herds. What he will miss the most is the whole city itself, all the bad and all
the good. James Weldon Johnson shows a deep love of the world by labeling it as "this bright world" (line 4) and show that he does not want to
leave it. He is worried that when the time comes that he passes away he will not be able to see his city with its good and its bad. In the poem he goes
on describing his city has destroyed the natural... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Not only does this poem talk about the smells of the city and the tall skyscrapers and her crowds it also talks about its slums "Her shining towers,
her avenues, her slums" (line 12). when you think of a city such as manhattan you normally think of its skyscrapers the biggest crowds of tourist
that have no clue of where they are going. but you normally tend to overlook the slums and the bad parts of a large city. James Weldon Johnson
expresses his love for his city even with all of its flaws by saying " O God! the stark, unutterable pity, to be dead, and never again behold my city" (lines
13–14). He does not want to see the day that he can no longer see all the wonderful aspects of a large

What Happens To A Dream Deferred By Langston Hughes Essay
During the Harlem Renaissance, many look towards big cities to pursue their dreams. Langston Hughes, a famous poet, knew how important dreams
were and he saw dreams crumble during his times. Dreams are a big deal in life because people set dreams to give themselves hope. When their
dreams crumble, their spirits die as well because they have nothing else to strive for. In Harlem, Hughes uses vivid imagery and similes to illustrate
how dreams deferred upset and defeat the human spirit inside one's self. Hughes starts his poem with the rhetorical question "what happens to a dream
deferred" (line 5)? He then offers a series of responses towards the question, to remind the world how important dreams are to the human spirit. In each
response, Hughes... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The mention of the "raisin in the sun" (line 3) makes the reader picture a dry shriveled raisin lying in the sun. After that Hughes states whether a
denied dream "fester like a sore" (line 4). Here the readers picture a nasty running sore, which coveys the consequences of deferred dreams. Hughes
then asks if dreams "stink like rotten meat" (line 6). This description makes the readers sense the rotten smell of meat, which is not a pleasant
smell. Next he says dreams are a "heavy load" (line10). This image makes one think of a person carrying hard work by themselves, without
anybody's help. They are so exhausted that they drop the load and put it away for now. People tend to put their dreams away and once their put
away it's hard to pick them back up. They tend to not have the same drive or momentum they had once before. To conclude this poem, Hughes ask
the final question whether a dream just "explode" (line 11). This is a very strong and bold word to compare a dream to because explode means the
end. This verb makes the readers picture and hear the sound of a bomb exploding. This is the final step of a dream crumbling because once one have
gone through so much, they can no longer contain themselves. This leaves their human spirit empty and

Theme Of The Autobiography Of An Ex-Colored Man
In The Autobiography of an Ex–Colored Man written by James Weldon Johnson, the theme that builds up throughout the novel is identity is shaped by
many different aspects, and, at times, it can be hard to find. The main character, James Weldon Johnson, goes through multiple different aspects of
society with hardships and difficulties while he is finding who he is. In order to find his identity, James finds out that he is a black man; he encounters
many hardships; wonders if his passion is with music; and, in the end, comes to identify himself as a white man.
Growing up Johnson is known by all, except his mother, that he is a white man. He is treated as a white individual with white privileges. This doesn't
really change until his second term of his first year in school. The principal comes to talk to the students. When he requests this, he asks for all white
students to stand up. James stands, but his teacher says "you sit down for the present, and rise with the others"(James Weldon Johnson11). James, not
understanding why, sits down with the other black children. After school, James runs home and into his mother's... Show more content on
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But it specifically shows the consent struggle everyone faces finding one's identity in a society. It shows the difficulty everyone has while finding his
or her own identity. It shows a true, vivid picture of a man fighting for his own identity and of his childrens through the hardships and success life
brings him.
It's hard for some people to find themselves, and it's easier for others. James Johnson is a good example of this. In order to find his identity his
mother dies, he moves to countless different places, and meets thousands of different faces. Yet he doesn't find who he is until his children are born
and his wife ends up dying. He is brought to realize the difficulties life has to bring him to be able to enjoy the simplicity of knowing who he

Charles Bukowski Research Paper
Charles Bukowski was born August 16, 1920 in Anderich, Germany. When he moved to America he worked odd jobs so he could have time to write.
He published his first book at the age of 24 and he started writing poetry at the age of 35. He also published his first poetry book in 1959. Bukowski
wrote over 45 books– as well as short stories novels and poetry. He died March 9, 1994 in san Pedro, California.
Bukowski attended L.A City College, drooping out at the beginning of WWII and moving to N.Y to become a writer. The next few years he spent his
time writing ad traveling and collecting numerous rejection ships. By 1946 Bukowski had decided to give up his writing aspirations, embarking on a
ten year binge that took him across the country. Ending ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Johnson is best remembered for his leadership of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, where he started working in 1917.
In 1920 he was the first black individual to be chosen as executive secretary of the organization, effectively the operating officer. He served in that
position from 1920 to 1930. Johnson established his reputation as a writer, and was known during the Harlem Renaissance for his sonnets, novels, and
compilations collecting both sonnets and spirituals of black

"When I come down to sleep death's endless night/ The threshold of the unknown dark to cross/ What to me then will be the keenest loss/ When this
bright world blurs on my fading sight?"(Lines 1–3), what will you miss when you die? Would you miss the trees? Or would you miss the smell of
flowers? Maybe you would not miss these things, but your city. James Weldon Johnson, author of "My City", uses rhetorical questions,
personification, a parallel structure, and concrete sensory details to show his losses if he died. Within the first stanza, Johnson asks rhetorical
questions, that evokes the reader and portrays what he will possibly miss if he died. The first question asked, "...What to me then will be the keenest
loss/ When this bright world blurs on my fading sight?", this line is the opener for other rhetorical questions and is the most important because it is the
overall point of the stanza (Lines 3,4). "Will it be that no more I... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Manhattan's sights and sounds, her smells/ Her crowds, her throbbing force, the thrill that comes/ From being of her a part, her subtle spells...", the city
being described as a human expresses Johnson's deep feelings for Manhattan (Lines 1–3). The next couple lines describe the "her slums" next to "her
shining towers", this shows that even though the city has a bad side it also has a beautiful side. Therefore, this is why Johnson will miss Manhattan
contrary to nature. Parallelism is used throughout the entire poem such as, "Or smell the flowers or hear the singing birds/ Or watch the flashing
streams or patient herds..."(Lines 6,7) the repeating of "or" suggests the many possibilities lost when he dies. In the second stanza, Johnson lists the
characteristics of Manhattan using commas. Including, "Her crowds, her throbbing force, the thrill that comes/From being of her a part, her subtle
spells/ Her shining towers, her avenues, her slums..." (Lines 10–12). These lines express his love and care for the city of

Analysis Of Langston Hughes 's ' Hip Hop '
Langston Hughes and Mos Def are writers of different epochs but still have a lot in common; the black experience. Langston Hughes wrote poetry
from a 1920's era point of view. Mos Def wrote "Hip Hop" that portrays what is happening now in the black culture. Although from different times,
both writers still had to deal with the issues of being black in America. Writers that wrote poetry during theHarlem Renaissance wanted to be treated
equally and fairly. They also wanted to show the world that they were educated and want to be taken seriously. Mos Def song "Hip Hop" looks at
how hip hop has effected the African American society as a whole. Mos Def's "Hip Hop" looks at the road blacks has taken to where blacks are today.
"We went from picking cotton, to chain–gang line chopping to be–bopping, to hip–hopping" (Def 585), Mos Def is describing the progress blacks has
made since the Harlem Renaissance. The writers from the Harlem Renaissance was looking for the dream, Mos Def response to Harlem Renaissance
is that blacks are living the dream. There are many flaws but there has been some progression since the earlier times of the Harlem Renaissance.
Langston Hughes poem "I, Too" was written during a time when segregation was in affect, blacks was not allowed to have a voice. "I, Too" spoke
volumes to the people of the Harlem Renaissance, it showed that blacks would rise and would become part of the American dream instead of facing
ongoing segregation. African Americans would

The Harlem Renaissance : An African American Intellectual...
The Harlem Renaissance was an African–American intellectual and artistic movement centered in New York City in the late 1920's and 1930's
(Hutchinson). It was part of the larger "New Negro Movement", which was made possible by the Great Migration – a large exodus of about six million
blacks out of the Southeastern United States to the Midwest, Northeast, and West that lasted from about 1915 to 1970 (Gross). The influence of the
Harlem Renaissance was widespread and long–lasting, in part, because it inspired and contributed to the Civil Rights Movement of the late 1940's and
1950's (Hutchinson) and modern American and international music through jazz and blues genres (Wintz). Out of this milieu came many notable
names, but one of the most famous and prolific writers was Langston Hughes, whose works were suffused with a combination of blues–inspired
rhythms with African–American speech and recurring themes of hope, violence, the struggle for freedom, and racial identity.
Various literary critics have pointed to Hughes' incorporation of blues and jazz rhythms in his poems. He spoke of the importance of African–American
forms of music to his people's survival, saying "... jazz to me is one of the inherent expressions of Negro life in America; ... –the tom–tom of revolt
against weariness in a white world..." (Hughes, The Negro Artist). Literary critic Lionel Davidas mentions the poem "Fantasy in Purple" as having a
series of alliterative consonants b's and d's to achieve the sound of

Why, You Reckon Essay
Harlem Renaissance Works Langston Hughes was an African–American writer in the 1920's. He was best known for his stories in the Harlem
Renaissance about the Black Culture. Hughes emphasized the theme that "Black is Beautiful." In Hughes' short story, "Why, You Reckon," he writes
through the main character, the narrator, a poor, 'hongry' Black. Hughes uses character and scene description, symbolism, themes, and dialogue to set
his story up and make it more interesting and historical to the reader. In "Why, You Reckon," Hughes establishes a setting through direct
characterization and word choice. In the beginning, the narrator says, "Depression times before the war plants opened up and money got to circulating
again and that Second... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Wealth is a symbol because the two Black men think of wealth as security, not being hungry anymore, warmth, and HAPPINESS." But wealth is a
two–way street. The white man, Edward, thinks of wealth as something to waste, and UNHAPPINESS. The different view of wealth from the Edward
and the narrator ties into the main theme of the story: People are never satisfied with what they have. This was shown throughout the story with the
symbol of wealth. Some other themes in this story is "lack of power and desperation leads to violence. This theme is shown when the narrator and the
other Black Man decide to nab the first white man that "looks like bucks." They are powerless, no money, starving–they resorted to violence because of
it. Another theme that takes place in this story is money does not buy happiness. Neither the narrator nor Edward are happy. One is rich, the other,
is dirt poor. A big theme in this story that applies to a lot of history is that by breaking the law and envying the rich there will still be one left empty
handed. Whether it is something small like robbing a rich person or something big by overruling a government there is still going to be someone who
is not benefiting. Even if it is for a good cause. Dialogue was important to this story as well. But one line was so important to the story that it made the
title. "What do you suppose is the matter with rich white folks? Why you reckon they ain't happy?" The meaning to this phrase started

How Did James Weldon Johnson Impact The Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance was a time period where African American influencers of the arts found cultural identity in a white domain in the city of
Harlem New York. The Harlem Renaissance is the rebirth of African American culture in the United States. The rebirth of the African American Culture
was not limited to Harlem, because it also took root in other places, such as Washington DC, Chicago, and Illinois. The positive culture of the Harlem
Renaissance pointed out some of the injustices African Americans were experiencing throughout theUnited States, and it was portrayed in their literary
arts. Original leaders in the Harlem Renaissance included James Weldon Johnson. James Weldon Johnson was one of the first publishers of
contemporary black poetry of the 20th century. The name of the book he published titled "The book of American Negro Poetry" was a reflection of the
writings of African American poets in the 1920s. James Weldon Johnson helped revitalize African American culture through his literary works and
poetry; the Harlem Renaissance continues to influence the African American culture through the literary arts, poetry, and the influence of the
originators of the Harlem Renaissance. James Weldon Johnson impacted the Harlem Renaissance through his literary works. One of these works is
known today as "The Black National Anthem." (Johnson), created in the 1900's. The Black National Anthem was written in celebration of Abraham
Lincoln's birthday, and it became originally titled as the "Negro National Anthem" as stated by the National Association for the Advancements of
Colored People(NAACP). Since then it changed to "The Black National Anthem." The words in the anthem symbolised the racism African Americans
encountered. The anthem was a way of showing patriotism and hope for the future, sung today in churches, assemblies, and black events throughout the
nation. One empowering part in the anthem is "We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered, Out from the gloomy past, Till
now we stand at last Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast." In reality, Johnson states that throughout history, African Americans have been
slaughtered, beaten, and tortured. African American's are a

James Weldon Johnson Essay
James Weldon Johnson was born on June 17 1871. He died June 26 1938 on He married Grace Nail Johnson They had no children. He went to
New York University and it does not tell me what he earn his degree in. He is most famous for being a Lawyer and a song writer and many
more.James supported the NAACP.He did this by doing creating the NAACP.This made him an inspiration to millions. He helped his brother take on
a music career also Johnson joined Theodore Roosevelt's successful presidential campaign and was rewarded with the appointment as U.S. consul at
Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, in 1907.James most famous work was being a civil rights activist and a writer. He was the author many book such as along
this way, Black Manhattan, Fifty years &

James Weldon Johnson Biography
My journey to manhood has been unique, to say the least and it's not even close to complete. I grew up in a small town in Southern Maryland and
attended the local public school where I excelled in school, baseball, and football. My goals weren't lofty, until my best friend that I always looked up
attended Gonzaga. I decided to visit the school and I fell in love with it immediately. From that point I had a goal to work towards and I worked
harder in academics, athletics, and community service to better my chances of getting in. After getting accepted, my family and I moved to Annapolis
to get closer to Gonzaga. even though we didn't know anyone in Annapolis and only one person at Gonzaga. Throughout my four years at Gonzaga I've
made many friends and changed in many ways including getting smarter and stronger, gaining close to one hundred pounds. ... Show more content on
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Nevertheless I worked hard and through training and top–notch coaching, opportunities to play football in college came. The Narrator from the
Autobiography of an Ex–Colored Man by James Weldon Johnson relates to my story. First of all he grew up in a small Georgia town and moved to
Connecticut for better schooling and life. His family valued education highly like mine, his mother wanted him to go to an Ivy league school and he
had the abilities to go to one. He "escaped" the small town like me and ended up doing astounding things. The narrator headed off to college and he
partook in many careers to get regain enough money to attend

Ragtime Music: The Autobiography Of John Weldon Johnson
Secret Synthesis
Music has a way of bring people together and evening the playing field, no matter a person's religion, race, age, social popularity, etc., it is almost
impossible to deny someone of their musical talent. Although there was still a great divide between European Americans and African Americans both
physically and mentally, it seemed that in this pre–rock era there were points in time when both races seemed to respect the talent and skill of the other
when it came to music. The history of rock and roll music contains both elements of European American andAfrican American styles however, race
relations did not have as much positive success in their synthesis as music did. The autobiography of John Weldon Johnson presents Ragtime... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
There is no percussion or vocals but, the European and African Styles can still be found in his song "Maple Leaf Rag". It has a strong, but ragged beat
keeping, and also exhibited the "piano thump". This important element comes from the influence of jigs and march music that African Americans were
known for in the 1800's. The piano is the sole instrument in this song and from that we gather our European influence. Ragtime music had the ability
to bring together both cultures of Black and White because of the well balanced mix of style influence. (Campbell and Brody Pg.

Analysis of Harlem by Langston Hughes
Analysis of Harlem by Langston Hughes
Through the turbulent decades of the 1920's through the 1960's many of the black Americans went through difficult hardships and found comfort only
in dreaming. Those especially who lived in the ghettos' of Harlem would dream about a better place for them, their families, and their futures. Langston
Hughes discusses dreams and what they could do in one of his poems, "Harlem." Hughes poem begins: "What happens to a dream deferred..."
Hughes is asking what happens to a dream that is being put off. What do these dreams do, do they do good, do they do bad, or do they do neither
good nor bad? He continues by stating this simile:"Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?" Using this simile he is ... Show more content on
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Hughes continues his poem by stating more on dreams that have been put off in lines four and five, he states:
"Or fester like a sore and then run?"
Here , Hughes uses a sore as a simile for dreams that have been put off. He wonders if these delayed dreams get worser and worser over time that
they just disapear from the person. Hughes continues his questioning by using another simile for postponed dreams, " Does it stink like rotten
meat?" Hughes is trying to convey that over a period of time a person may become so tired of the dream that they have postponed that it would
actually start to stink, they would start to hate it, and want to get rid of it just as if someone would want to get rid of a piece of rotten meat. He
continues by using another simile for postponed dreams: "Or crust and sugar like a syrupy sweet?"
Here, Langston Hughes states of a dream that could be so good and so sweet, but over time the dream has gotten old and bad just like a syrupy
sweet could crust and sugar over time. Hughes advances with another simile for defered dreams: "Maybe it just sags like a heavy load" Here,
Hughes states of a dream that is so huge and farfetched that it could never happen. He ends his poem by saying, "Or does it expolode?"
Langston Hughes relays that deferred dreams can do many things, though they mostly do worse than help you. He is tryng to convey that you really
should not postpone your dreams don't set

James Weldon Johnson Mother To Son Comparison
The poems "The Gift to Sing" by James Weldon Johnson and "Mother to Son" by Langston Hughes deliver a similar theme in their poems: hope can
be found in the darkest of times. They both use their tone to convey the message of hope, however, some differences can be found in their manner of
writing and diction. Throughout both poems, the tone of the author can be interpreted as hopeful. However, differences linger within the readers'
heads while reading the poems. In the poem "The Gift to Sing", the author shows in a variety of ways that he is writing in a hopeful tone. The singing
in the poem represents the hope the author has during the darkest of times. Therefore, Johnson makes a metaphorical connection between singing and
hope. By singing, he overcomes the gloom and pierces the darkness. This is a metaphor connecting singing and hope, for he is hinting that so long as
he has hope, he can get through the darkest of times. In the poem, the author has written, "But, oh, I have a magic way / To turn the gloom to cheerful
day" (3–4). The author has a "magical way" to make his day better and to escape the dreary worries of his day. The description of "gloom to cheerful"
also shows that if he hopes, he will have a better day. By having a hopeful attitude, Johnson can have a better day.... Show more content on
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It is stated in the poem, "And sometimes goin' in the dark / Where there ain't been no light" (12–13). This quote shows that the author is speaking with
a hopeful tone because the mother of the son, or the speaker of the poem, went through tough times without a bright side to look forward to. However,
she never gave up hope and persisted through difficult times. She describes how she has been through many ordeals and tribulations, but she never
gave up hope. She writes with a hopeful tone, showing us that she believes that things will get better if keeps dreaming, going on, and waiting for better

Critical Analysis Of Langston Hughes's Note On Commercial...
Even after the Harlem Renaissance was off the forefront of the nation's mind, Langston Hughes continued to comment on the demoralization that white
people have historically done unto the African–American community. In his 1940 poem, "Note on Commercial Theater", Hughes looked to the writers
for Broadway and the presentations of commercial theater and saw the appropriation of black culture and perversion of music introduced by the
Harlemites. These writers made the music whiter while stripping the credit from those who established it. Despite not having the recognition of white
people at that time, Hughes still knew that "someday somebody'll / Stand up and talk about me, / And write about me–" even if it would only be
himself (Note on Commercial Theatre 12–14). Somehow, somewhere, someone would always be able to identify the wrongs white people inflict on
others and be able to pay homage to the struggle while still celebrating their culture. His awareness of the ability of the black community to join
together and acknowledge progression demonstrates his confidence in that community as a whole. It does not matter whether or not his own words are
heard in his time, but instead that someone else will take them to heart and further the progression towards a better situation. The promise of a future
ties the entire black community together towards more opportunities for growth.
Angelou herself was merely twelve years old at the time of Hughes' publishing "Note on Commercial

Lessons From The Harlem Renaissance Essay
Shyheim Benton
Annotted Bibliography
Bremer, Sidney H. "Home in Harlem New York: Lessons from the Harem Renaissance essayists." PMLA, 1990: 47–56.
This article tells about what the essayists of the Harlem Renaissance thought about home, Harlem New York. This article demonstrates the distinction
between really living in riches and painting the photo of "living in riches". It indicates how the craftsman of the time envisioned Harlem and how they
made the general population trust that they were "living in riches". This could help my examination since it educates a considerable measure regarding
how Harlem was around then, and in addition, what number of the craftsman themselves lived amid the season of the Harlem Renaissance.
Harlem Renassiance: ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This article informs a bit regarding how African American needed to view Harlem rather than what it was. A great deal of craftsman, performers, and
artists are specified in this article. I could utilize this since it enlightens a ton regarding the way of life of the dark groups and dark amid that time.
ushistory.org. The Harlem Renaissance. 2011. http://www.ushistory.org/us/46e.asp (got to March 2, 2011).
This sites gives much data on my point. On the off chance that first tells what is going on the planet that pave the way to the Great Migration. At that
point, it expressed what African American expected once they achieved the North. It gives awesome insights about what African Americans expected
and what they were given. This could help me with my exploration.
Wintz, Cary D, and Finkleman Paul. Reference book of the Harlem Renaissance. New York: Taylor and Francis Book, Inc., 2004.
Yes, I can utilize this asset. This reference book is useful for my exploration since it has everything from the diverse specialists that were included in
the Harlem Renaissance to reasons the Harlem Renaissance began and finished. This book contains the most data about the Harlem Renaissance and it
has so much foundation data on my

Rhetorical Devices Of `` We Wear The Mask `` And `` Harlem ``
In literature, rhetorical devices are primarily used to convey a particular feeling or action to the reader. Through the use of rhetorical devices such as
imagery, description, and metaphorical allusion, the author gives the reader the ability to connect with the text on a more intimate level that otherwise
would not have been achieved without the use of them. Subsequently, Harlem Renaissance writers such as Paul Lawrence Dunbar and Langston Hughes
employed the rhetorical devices of imagery, description and metaphorical allusion to convey the egregious realities of the black experience in the
United States during the early twentieth century. In writings such as, "We Wear the Mask" by Paul Lawrence Dunbar and "Harlem" by Langston
Hughes, the use of rhetorical devices gives each writer the ability to provide commentary on the social, economic, and political circumstances that
African–Americans faced in inner–city Harlem during the turn of the twentieth century.
In "We Wear the Mask", Dunbar primarily employs the rhetorical device of metaphorical allusion to give the reader a sense of how African
–Americans
navigated socially in a traditionally white supremacist, patriarchal society. He begins his poem, with "We wear the mask that grins and lies, it hides
are cheeks and shades our eyes" (Dunbar, "We Wear the Mask"). Here, he employs the use of the mask to elaborate on the "double
–consciousness" that
African–Americans had to exhibit in order to function during that tumultuous

James Weldon Johnson My City Essay
The sonnet poem, "My City," by James Weldon Johnson is about how a man is so in love with his city, Manhattan that he doesn't want to die and
never be able to see it again. This poem shows the emotion connection he shares with his city. The mood, tone, theme, imagery, repetition, and
personification in the poem will help you to understand it better. If it weren't for these details, you wouldn't quite understand this piece as well, since
there would be many ways to interpret it. The speaker gives a personal statement in this piece of poetry. He asks what his greatest loss would be once
he dies, and he answers it in detail. You will see the poet's love for Manhattan, and see how beautiful his emotional connection is with it.
In ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The poet talks about all the things that he won't miss after death, which is nature. He uses imagery to express it. Johnson (1923) writes, "Will it be
that no more I shall see the trees/ Or smell the flowers or hear the singing birds/ Or watch the flashing streams or patient herds?" (p. 677). He gets you
to imagine nature and its beauty, and then writes, "No, I am sure it will be none of these." (Johnson, 1923, p. 677). Now that you know it's not nature
that he will miss the most, he continues to talk about his city, Manhattan, and that it would be the thing he would miss the most. The poet then uses
personification and repetition to explain what he loves about his city. Johnson (1923) writes, "But ah! Manhattan's sights and sounds, her smells,/ Her
crowds, her throbbing force, the thrill that comes/ From being of her a part, her subtle spells,/ Her shining towers, her avenues, her slums–" (p. 677).
The personification here clearly shows the emotional connection he shares with his city. The fact that he refers to his city as a "her" just shows how
much he loves Manhattan. Also, as you can see, there is a repetition of the word "her," which creates excitement in the tone of the poem. It changes the
mood entirely and the fact that the poet constantly refers to his city as a "her," and not an "it" just shows how much love he has for Manhattan. The

Analysis Of The Poem ' Harlem '
James Mercer Langston Hughes was an American poet; a Joplin, Missouri native and an active, versatile writer, earning acclaim as a poet, novelist,
playwright and columnist. He was one of the first poets to explore an innovative sing–songy, stylized delivery called jazz poetry.
As an African–American, his point of view, collectively synergized with this then–new literary art, catapulted his writings between the 1930s – 1960s.
He is often credited as the leader of the Harlem Renaissance, and "famously wrote about the period that 'the negro was in vogue.'" (Langston).
Throughout his body of work, Hughes spoke eloquently to the full spectrum of dreams – both their inspirational power and their heavy burden, if not
fully realized. His famed ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In his 1951 poem, the title alone, "Harlem (Dream Deferred) makes the reader immediately conscious of the speaker's dismissal of ownership.The
piece examines, upon deferral, what happens to a dream – "Does it dry up / like a raisin the sun?"
Hughes later deduces "Maybe it just sags like a heavy load." There, with its indication of weight, the reader draws comparison to a dream being a
burden – an unbearable, unattainable measuring stick in the speaker's life, or in this piece's case, America's life.
Hughes, now older, having seen "more of the world" is grappling with the injustices of equality and equity. Can an African–American attain his/her
dream without it wilting under the prejudices of an unfair America? He saw the dreams of many residents of Harlem, New York disintegrate in the
wake of World War II. Some read this poem as a warning, believing that the speaker "argues that deferred dreams will lead to social unrest. Notably,
Lorraine Hansberry chose a line from this poem as the title of her famous play, A Raisin in the Sun, which explores the idea of delayed dreams in the
world of a black family living in the South Side of Chicago during the 1950s. Both the play and Hughes 's poem champion the power of pursuing
dreams, and both comment on the state of civil rights in America.(Shmoop)"
This work seems to continually call for the

Remembering the Harlem Renaissance
During the early 1920's, African American artists, writers, musicians, and performers took part in a cultural movement known as the Harlem
Renaissance. This migration took place after World War 1 and brought African Americans of all ages to the city of Harlem located in New York (Holt).
There were many inspiring young artists; one of them in particular was Augusta Savage.
Augusta Savage was born on February 29, 1892, in Green Cove Springs, Florida. Savage began making art at an early age using clay that she could
find. She enjoyed making animals and other small objects yet her father, who was a Methodist minister, did not approve of her hobby. He did all
that he could to stop her. Savage once said her father "almost whipped all of the art out of me" (Savage). Even though her father objected her
hobby, she continued to make sculptures. The family moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 1915. After this move Savage faced a new problem, a
lack of clay. She eventually found some clay from a local potter and created a few figures that she entered in a county fair. Her work received a
winning prize and the support of George Graham, the fair's organizer, who encouraged her to study art. Savaged moved to New York Cityin the 1920's,
but struggled financially throughout her life. She studied at the Cooper Union and she received a scholarship after her first year to help with living
expenses. She exceled at the Union and finished in three years instead of the usual four. Savage learned

The White Witch By James Weldon Johnson
Brovold 1
Emily Brovold
Sackett
English 11
2/17/17
The White *itch "And back behind those smiling lips, / And down within those laughing eyes,.../ The shadow of the panther lurks, / The spirit of
the vampire lies" (25, 26, 29, 30). The supernatural poem "The White Witch" by James Weldon Johnson gives us an insight to what lay behind the
curtains during the Harlem Renaissance. The poem takes a real life situation of the era, white women luring black men to their death via false blame,
and portrays it as a fairy tale. Using symbolism, white women are represented by an attractive and powerful witch who takes the black men as prey to
portray the message of how deceiving and evil white women were to falsely blame African American men of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Johnson 's description of the witch 's features became the most significant facet of the story, especially the significance attaches to color symbolism:
"Her lips are like carnations red, / Her face like new–born lilies fair, / Her eyes like ocean waters blue..." (13–15). J. Johnson uses the power of
imagery here by depicting the evil witch as a shockingly beautiful lady. He utilizes similes to convey that she is gentle looking and captivating. With
this image in mind, Johnson also makes it clear that looks can be deceiving:
"The great white witch you have not seen?
...Like nursery children you have looked
For ancient hag and snaggled tooth;
But no, not so; the witch appears
In all the glowing charms of youth." (7, 9, 10, 11, 12) The evil force of women in this time does not appear to look like what you would assume. She
is youthful, not old and snaggled toothed. Through this we can see that the theme is the portrayal of a black man that has fallen victim to the witch's
power, and is now warning his brothers and friends. White women that had power over black men, and even black women, abused their privileges and
the people in the lower class were the ones affected. In analyzation, the connotation aspect of this poem is how women during this time, specifically
white women, used their power over black men and their freedom. Although the texts' literal interpretation, or denotation,

James Weldon Johnson Essay
James Weldon Johnson James Weldon Johnson (1871
–1938), was a highly talented and celebrated African American writer. He was a poet, songwriter,
novelist, literary critic, and essayist. Along with his wide–ranging literary accomplishments, Johnson also served as a school principal, professor of
literature at Fisk University, attorney, a diplomatic consul for the United States in Venezuelaand Nicaragua, and secretary for the NAACP from
1920–1930. He is considered one of the founders of the Harlem Renaissance and the first "modern" African American.
Johnson's primary concerns were with the black writer. This included what the black author needs to know and what he must do in order to produce
quality work. Johnson's ideas on blackness ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Along with this viewpoint, he stessed black distinctiveness within notions of spirituality and creativity. In much of his works, this idea of black
distinctiveness was paralled with the legitimacy of black literary independence, another concept of which he was a proponent.
While Johnson was a highly celebrated and versatile literary figure, his most well known work is The Autobiography of an Ex–Colored Man . Even
though this title suggests that this work was his own story, it was actually a novel, the first African–American one to mask itself as an autobiography.
In this novel, the illegitimate son of a southern white man and his mulatto mistress struggles to find his identity and place in the world. Being
light–skinned, he does not discover his black blood until he is segregated from the white students in his school. As he ages, he leaves the south to
discover his identity. His travels lead him to New York City as well as Europe. The narrator, who is never named, struggles with his mixed heritage and
concludes that he must decide whether to embrace his African–American self and or pass for white and devote his life to accumulating wealth. His first
attempt is to be a proud black man and adopt the struggle for racial justice. After witnessing a devastating lynching, however, he reverses his original
course and focuses on passing for white. In doing so, he travels and

James Weldon Johnson My City Analysis

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