Langston Hughes' poem "Theme for English B" discusses the relationship between a black student and his white instructor. It explores how they can learn from each other despite their differences in ethnicity. The student describes himself and wonders if his writing will reflect his black identity. He acknowledges that while he and his instructor have different backgrounds, they are both American and part of each other. The poem's overriding message is that through open-mindedness and understanding other perspectives, people of all backgrounds can find commonality and benefit from each other.

1. Theme for English B
By Langston Hughes
By Li Chien, David Choe, Mathew
Hetzer and Hunter Fitzgerald

2. Introduction
 Title: Theme for English B
 Author: Langston Hughes
 Published on 1951
 Theme: Two people may learn from each other
no matter what their ethnicity is.

3. Biography
1902 Born in Joplin, Missouri in February 1, 1920
Mother: Carrie Mercer Langston
Father: James Nathaniel Hughes
 Unlike his father, Hughes had great pride in his race.
1903-1907 Hughes’ parents separated.
1907-1915 Hughes moved to Lawrence, Kansas to live with his grandmother,
Mary Patterson Leary.
 Hughes’ grandmother instilled him with African American pride.
1915-1920 After the death of his grandmother, Hughes moved to Lincoln, Illinois
where his mother was.
In Lincoln, Hughes attended a high school where he was elected as
the class poet simply because he was black.
1924 Hughes enrolled in Columbia University, and became involved with
writers in Harlem.

4. Biography
1924 Hughes soon leaves Columbia University and gets more involved in
Harem, continuously publishing his work in the Crisis and
Opportunity magazines.
1925 Hughes wins a poetry contest in the magazine, Opportunity, for “The
Weary Blues”
1926-1929 Hughes enrolled in Lincoln University and graduated with a B.A.
degree.
1930-1956 Many of Hughes’ work was published, including “Not Without
Laughter”, “The Dream Keeper”, “The Ways of White Folks”, Mulatto
(play), “The Big Sea”, “Simple Speaks his Mind”, “Montage of a
Dream Deferred”, “I Wonder As I Wonder”,
1967 Hughes died in May 22, 1967

5. Biography
Style
He put forth the images of African-Americans in his work.
Hughes used rhythms of African American music, such as blues and
jazz, when writing. Blues and jazz formed the subject and structure of his
work and he tried to bring out the sound and rhythms from blues and jazz
music.
He used humor, loneliness, and despair to imitate the sound of blues and
jazz music.
“I am twenty-two, colored, born in Winston-Salem.
I went to school there, then Durham, then here
To his college on the hill above Harlem.”

6. Biography
“Go home and write
A page tonight
And let that page come out of you---
Then, it will be true.”
“I feel and see and hear, Harlem, I hear you:”
Langston Hughes describes in his poem, that his school and Harlem
influence his feelings and thinks it is problematic that black students
struggle to understand their identities.

7. Biography
“So will my page be colored that I write?
Being me, it will not be white.
But it will be
A part of you instructor.
You are white---
Yet a part of me, as I am a part of you.”
Hughes addresses that this negro problem is not only a problem for the
blacks, but also for the whites to deal with, and therefore emphasizes the
inseparability between the whites and the blacks.

8. Structure and Language
 Concise, straight-to-the-point sentences when making a statement
(“That’s American.”/”Being me, it will not be white.”)
 Long details when concentrating on an important characteristic (“I am
twenty-two…Harlem.”/”Well I like…Bach.”)
 Informal tone because they are both equal (“you” is used 12 times/”But
it…instructor.”)

9. Overall Meaning
 The theme for “Theme for English B” is two people may learn from each
other no matter what their ethnicity is.
 This is the theme because in the last stanza Hughes writes:
“As I learn from you,
I guess you learn from me---
Although you’re older---and white---
And somewhat more free.”
 Hughes begins the poem by describing himself and then moves onto how
he wonders if his writing will be “colored” because of the segregation at
the time. He then compares himself to his instructor and how his
instructor is white and how he is black making them different, but they
are both Americans and they both are apart from each other.

10. Overall Meaning
 “But it will be
a part of you, instructor.
You are white---
yet a part of me, as I am a part of you.
That’s American.”
 During the time the poem was written there was a lot of controversy over
segregation. Hughes states that no matter who we are we can all learn
from each other and even if people don’t see it we are all a part of each
other. This message also applies in today's society. People have different
beliefs and ideas and they are often disputed. People may think
differently but they are apart of each other and everyone learns from
each other.

11. Reflection
 Republicans and Democrats often have different opinions but share some
of the same views. Democrats are more liberal in that they support a
strong federal government, and implement taxes that would benefit the
less privileged. They believe the government should work to achieve the
welfare of the whole nation. On the other hand, Republicans are more
conservative and believe that the government should lessen their
intervention and leave the answers to the people. They emphasize
property rights more than well-fare rights, giving economic benefits to
those above equality. Despite these differences, the Republicans and
Democrats argue about each other’s ideas and all of this contributes to
the United States, making it a better nation and helping the US find the
middle ground and what is best for the country. They are clearly two
different parties, but they learn from each other and are inseparable.

12. Works Cited
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Humanities Council." Kansas Heritage Group. Kansas Heritage Group. Web. 16 Apr.
2012. <http://www.kansasheritage.org/crossingboundaries/page6e1.html>.
"Langston Hughes." The Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation. Web. 16 Apr. 2012.
<http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/langston-hughes>.
"Langston Hughes Timeline." History Timelines. History Timelines. Web. 16 Apr. 2012.
<http://www.history-timelines.org.uk/people-timelines/23-langston-hughes-
timeline.htm>.
"Langston Hughes." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 04 July 2012. Web. 16 Apr. 2012.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langston_Hughes>.
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<http://alboett.blogspot.com/2009/12/analysis-of-langston-hughes-poem-
theme.html>.
"Theme for English B Analysis « Jenny | This I Believe." This I Believe | A public dialogue
about belief - one essay at a time. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2012.

13. Works Cited
<http://thisibelieve.org/essay/78305/>.
"Theme for English B”• by Langston Hughes - Literature Essay." Free Research Papers: Free
Essays and Term Papers. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2012.
<http://www.freeonlineresearchpapers.com/theme-b-by-langston-hughes>.
"Predicament of a Black College Student: Themes For English B." HubPages. HubPages. Web.
17 Apr. 2012. <http://a-k.hubpages.com/hub/Themes-For-English-B-by-Langston-Hughes>.