Langston Hughes' poem "Jazzonia" explores the world of jazz as a place where black people can freely express themselves through music without facing discrimination. The poem contrasts the narrator's "altered life" surrounded by judging white elites with the safe haven of Harlem cabarets, where jazz musicians play and their souls can shine. Through repetition and a shifting tone between forceful and sarcastic, Hughes advocates for equality and celebrates jazz as a world where all people are equal regardless of race.

1. By: Langston Hughes
JAZZONIA

2. TITLE
 The title “Jazzonia” stands for the world of
jazz and how each person in the world
represents a specific aspect of jazz.

3. PARAPHRASE
 Langston Hughes uses his poem “Jazzonia” to
show the altered life of the blacks as society
surrounds them telling them they are not good
enough. Their altered life of the “silver tree” of high-
class people surround them putting them down;
however, their “shining rivers of the soul” are still
apparent. They blacks are safe in their “Harlem
cabaret” as the “jazzers play” because it distracts
them from the world they are living in. Here the can
play their music and be whoever they want to be
without being judged or put down.

4. CONNOTATION
 The first stanza begins with “oh silver tree!” meaning an altered part of
life. We usually think of trees as being green, but Hughes uses it as
being silver meaning it has been changed to show more of a high class
piece of work that has much more value. The “shining rivers of the soul”
represents the people that love jazz and are trying to shine through and
show people that they are all into it; they are so involved and they want
more people to join them. The second stanza talks about “six-long
headed jazzers” playing in a “Harlem cabaret” showing the egos of the
players as being long and narrow, however they are in a Harlem cabaret
representing the Harlem Renaissance time period. The dancing girl with
the silken gold dress as she lifts her spirit to the audience as she dances
her way through the time period. The dancer is referred to as Eve
meaning before and is then compared to Cleopatra showing how it could
still be the same golden dress and they are just as high class as anyone
else. This comparison shows how they are just like high-class people
and they should be high up in social stature. Repetition is present
throughout this poem showing the importance of their altered life, but
how their souls have still shined through. They play their music to make
them forget about the “whirling cabaret” of high class people surrounding
them telling them they are not good enough.

5. ATTITUDE
 Hughes shows his attitude through his use of repetition.
His choice to repeat the phrase “oh, shining rivers of
the soul” shows that he is not letting the high-class
white people surrounding him put him down. He is
going to be and do what he wants and is not going to
let anybody stop him. He puts off a sort of forceful and
powerful attitude as he tells people “you can’t destroy
my soul.” He also shows a bit of a sarcastic attitude
with how he explains the gown of gold on Cleopatra to
the one the dancer is wearing in the cabaret. People
keep judging him and trying to put him down but he is
not going to stand for it.

6. SHIFT
 There seems to be a shift between a forceful tone
and a sarcastic tone between the 3rd and 4th
stanza. He begins the poem talking about his
altered life around high-class influence and then it
shifts to him comparing the gown of gold between
Cleopatra and the dancer showing his sarcasm as
if he is saying “she had one so why can’t we?” This
shows even more of the high-class motif and how
he is advocating for equality.

7. TITLE REVISITED
 I still believe the title “Jazzonia” stands for the world
of jazz and how each person in the world
represents a specific aspect of jazz. However, I do
think now it is also showing how everyone is the
same in the world of jazz. Hughes uses the world of
jazz as a happy place because of the judgmental
people he lives with in the real world. “Jazzonia” is
like his play-place that he can be free in without
anybody judging him for what he looks like, does,
or acts.

8. THEME
 The theme of this poem is definitely the fight
for equality. He uses his frustration, and
sarcasm, and repetition to show people the
world he lives in, but how he can also live in
“Jazzonia” and be treated like everyone else.
The feeling of equality is apparent through
the poem and in his place of “Jazzonia” he is
equal with the rest of the people living in the
jazz world.