A slideshow I use with my Lit and Language 11 class to illustrate the power of Langston Hughes' language in his classic poem, "Harlem."

2. A Dream Deferred

3. A Dream Deferred
Langston Hughes

5. Title?

6. Title?
• What does deferred mean?

7. Title?
• What does deferred mean?
• defer 1

8. Title?
• What does deferred mean?
• defer 1
• verb ( -ferred , -ferring ) [ trans. ]

9. Title?
• What does deferred mean?
• defer 1
• verb ( -ferred , -ferring ) [ trans. ]
• put off (an action or event) to a later time;
postpone : they deferred the decision until February. See
note at postpone .

10. Title?
• What does deferred mean?
• defer 1
• verb ( -ferred , -ferring ) [ trans. ]
• put off (an action or event) to a later time;
postpone : they deferred the decision until February. See
note at postpone .
• • historical postpone the conscription of
(someone) : he was no longer deferred from the
draft.e conscription of (someone) : he was no longer
deferred from the draft.

12. First line

13. First line
• What happens to a dream deferred?

15. Meaning?

16. Meaning?
• This is a rhetorical question.
• A question that is used as a figure
of speech.
• There is no real answer.
• The point is to discuss the
question.

18. What “dream”?

19. What “dream”?
• What happens to a dream deferred?

20. What “dream”?
• What happens to a dream deferred?
• Whose dream?

22. Recognize him?

23. Recognize him?
• I have a
dream . . .

24. Recognize him?
• I have a
dream . . .

26. Martin Luther
King Jr.

27. Martin Luther
King Jr.
So what can we infer from
this so far?

28. Martin Luther
King Jr.
So what can we infer from
this so far?

30. Second verse --

31. Second verse --
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?

32. Second verse --
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore --
And then run?

33. Second verse --
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore --
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
or crust and sugar over
like a syrupy sweet?

35. Look at the senses . . .

36. Look at the senses . . .
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?

37. Look at the senses . . .
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?

38. Look at the senses . . .
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?

39. Look at the senses . . .
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?

41. Or fester like a sore --
And then run?

42. Or fester like a sore --
And then run?

43. Or fester like a sore --
And then run?

44. Or fester like a sore --
And then run?

46. Does it stink like rotten meat?

47. Does it stink like rotten meat?

48. Does it stink like rotten meat?

49. Does it stink like rotten meat?

51. or crust and sugar over
like a syrupy sweet?

52. or crust and sugar over
like a syrupy sweet?

53. or crust and sugar over
like a syrupy sweet?

54. or crust and sugar over
like a syrupy sweet?

55. or crust and sugar over
like a syrupy sweet?

57. Look at the contrasts

58. Look at the contrasts

59. Look at the contrasts

61. Third verse --

62. Third verse --
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

63. Third verse --
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

64. Third verse --
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

65. Third verse --
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

67. Or does it explode?

68. Or does it explode?

69. Or does it explode?

70. Or does it explode?

72. Look at the contrasts

73. Look at the contrasts

74. Look at the contrasts

76. Title?

77. Title?
•Harlem . . .

78. Title?
•Harlem . . .
•Significance?

80. Harlem

81. Harlem

82. Harlem

84. Race Riots

85. Race Riots

86. Race Riots

87. Race Riots

89. Even in MN

90. Even in MN