OU Degree 4th Sem English – As I Grew Older Poem Questions and Answers & Summary
Comprehension I (Short Answer Questions)
Question 1.
What did the poet have a “long time ago” and what happened to it?
Answer:
The poet says that long time ago he had a “dream”. But now, he has almost forgotten it
Question 2.
What does the poet compare his dream to? Why do you think he chose to make the comparison?
Answer:
The poet compares his dream to a bright sun. He says that it was bright like a sun. I think that the poet chose to compare his dream to the sun because he feels that his dream like the sun provides him with light to see the world.
Question 3.
The poet says that he has “almost forgotten” his dream. What made him forget it?
Answer:
Poet Langston Hughes says that he has “almost forgotten” his dream. It is the ‘wall’ (racial discrimination) that rose silently between the poet and his dream. Now the poet is not able to see his dream before him due to the “wall”.
Question 4.
“And then the wall rose”. Is it really a wall that the poet is referring to? If not, what do you think the ‘wall’ refers to?
Answer:
When Langston Hughes, the poet says “And the wall rose”, he is referring not to any physical wall. However, Langston Hughes is referring to racial discrimination and subjugation he is faced with. Because of the wall (racial discrimination), now the light from his dream was completely blocked and he was standing in the shadow of the wall. The wall symbolizes all the impediments and humiliations that confront the black man in America.
Question 5.
How does the poet hope to recover his dream?
Answer:
Towards the end of the poem, the poet becomes determined to do something and drops off his submissive acceptance of the racial discrimination. There is a shift in the energy. He wishes that with his dark hands he could break the wall, smash and shatter the darkness and reach out to the light. The poet imagines that once the wall is broken his dreams would be liberated and would soon see the light, would soon be a reality.
Question 6.
The poet uses various words to suggest ‘light’ and ‘darkness’. List the words.
Answer:
In the poem, poet Langston Hughes uses various words to suggest ‘light’ and ‘darkness’ such as ‘black’, ‘dark’, ‘shadow’, ‘night’, ‘sun’. The effective use of such words in the poem has furthered his idea of darkness in the absence of his cherished dream. By juxtaposing the images of light and shadow, Hughes turns the conflict between hope and despair into a universal experience. ‘ ‘
Question 7.
Describe how the poet brings together the colour of his skin and the state of his mind.
Answer:
In the poem ‘As I Grew Older’, Langston Hughes, the poet brings together the colour of his skin and state of his mind. He proclaims: “I am black” and it means that the colour of his skin is black. Similarly, the state of his mind is full of despair and agony. He says: “I lie down in the shadow” of the wall of racial discrimination and subjugation. The poet beautifully brings together his physical colour and the associated mental darkness in order to drive home his racial bias.
Question 8.
Look at the title of the poem. Explain its relevance to the theme.
Answer:
The poet chose the title “As I Grew Older” to this poem. The tile is appropriate since as he grew older, the poet, an African-American, had been witness and subjugated to racial discrimination and bias. As an adult, he is determined to shatter the ‘wall’ of racial bias and the ‘darkness’ and recover his dream back.
Question 9.
There are three time frames in the poem. Identify them.
Answer:
In the poem, As I Grew Older’, the poet uses three time frames: the past, the present, and the future. The poem begins with the past tense as the poet says: “It was a long time ago. I have almost forgotten my dream.” He emphasised that in the past the dream was there before him bright like a sun. Then the wall of racial discrimination rose between he and his dream.
The poet used the present tense saying: “I am black. 1 lie down in the shadow”, in order to emphasise his present mental agony and despair. In the end, the poet uses the future tense to break through the wall, shatter his darkness, smash the night and shadow to find his dream at least in the near future.
Question 10.
What is the poet’s attitude towards his dream at the beginning of the poem and at the end? Is it the same or is there any change?
Answer:
In the beginning the attitude of the poet is submissive and silently accepts racial discrimination (the wall) that is being meted down upon him. However, in the end he is determined to break the silence. He cries, “My hands! / My dark hands!” He wants to break through the wall and find his dream; he wants to break apart the darkness and “smash” the night.
He wants that shadow to break apart into a “thousand lights of sun” and “a thousand whirling dreams / of sunbathe poet forcefully commands his “dark hands” to break through the wall so he can access his dream. He is no longer willing to let it languish beyond his grasp. He wants to “shatter this darkness” and “smash this night.” Hughes uses this violent language to show that the speaker is suddenly empowered and feels no equivocation or anxiety about what he must do.
Comprehension II (Essay Type Answer Questions)
Question 1.
Bring out the central idea of the poem and explain how the poet conveys it.
Answer:
Langston Hughes was a leading writer and thinker of the Harlem Renaissance-the African-American artistic movement of the 1920s that celebrated African-American life and culture. He rode to fame with his collection of poetry The Weary Blues (1926) and Fine Clothes to the Jews (1927). He was an early inventor of ‘jazz poetry’. He condemned racism, promoted equality and celebrated the African-American life and culture through his writings.
The present poem ‘As I Grew Older’, though first published in 1925, is included in his first collection of poems The Weary Blues in 1926. The central idea of the present poem, “As I Grew Older” is about one’s dreams in life and the hardships one has to face and the strong will one needs to have to realise the dreams. The poet starts by describing a dream he used to have a “long time ago” that he has since nearly forgotten. But it was right in front of him. He says,
‘But it was there then,
In front of me,
Bright like a sun –
My dream.’
However a wall rose up slowly between the poet and his dream – it rose and rose until it touched the sky. The poet uses ‘wall’ in a figurative manner. Here, the ‘wall’ refers to ‘racial discrimination and injustice’ that the African-American people face in America. The wall is a shadow. The poet proclaims, “I am black. ” He lies down in the shadows, which prevents the light of the dream from shining on him. All he can see is:
Only the thick wall.
Only the shadow.
This is fairly straightforward symbolism – the poet represents all African- Americans who had to relinquish their dreams due to “racial bias” in early 20th century American society. The poet may have experienced the wall of injustice that rises up to gradually block the sunlight.
Hughes deliberately uses the symbol of a shadow as a way to actualize his character’s blackness. His race is the barrier that is keeping him from achieving his dream. As the poem progresses, though, the poet’s helplessness and apathy turns into determination and vigour, creating a shift of energy. He says,
‘My hands
My dark hands!
Break through the wall!
Find my dream!
By confronting the obstacle, the poet has found his voice and his purpose. Hughes uses this violent language to show that the speaker is suddenly empowered. The poet forcefully commands his “dark hands” to break through the wall to see his dream. In the beginning the attitude of the poet is submissive and silently accepts racial discrimination (the wall) that is being meted down upon him.
However, in the end he is determined to break the silence. He cries, “My hands! My dark hands!” He wants to break through the wall and find his dream; he wants to break apart the darkness and “smash” the night. He wants that shadow to break apart into a “thousand lights of sun” and “a thousand whirling dreams of sunP’ The poet forcefully commands his “dark hands” to break through the wall so he can access his dream.
He is no longer willing to let it languish beyond his grasp. He wants to “shatter this darkness” and “smash this night. ” Hughes uses this violent language to show that the speaker is suddenly empowered and feels no equivocation or anxiety about what he must do.
Question 2.
Analyse the imagery of the poem and its relation to the theme.
Answer:
Langston Hughes was a leading writer and thinker of the Harlem Renaissance-the African-American artistic movement of the 1920s that celebrated African-American life and culture. He rode to fame with his collection of poetry The Weary Blues (1926) and Fine Clothes to the Jews (1927). He was an early inventor of ‘jazz poetry’.
He condemned racism, promoted equality and celebrated the African-American life and culture through his writings. The present poem ‘As I Grew Older’, though first published in 1925, is included in his first collection of poems The Weary Blues in 1926. The central idea of the present poem, “As I Grew Older” is about one’s dreams in life and the hardships one has to face and the strong will one needs to have to realise the dreams.
The poem contains full of images and the imagery in the poem consists of a powerful mix of ‘light’ and ‘dark’ images. Imagery employed by poet Langston Hughes in. the poem creates symbols and pictures in the mind of the reader. The poet says that his dream is ‘Bright like a sun’. He says that the ‘thick wall’ that keeps rising till it touches the sky. Here the ‘wall’ refers to the racial discrimination and prejudice and the oppression that makes the African-American people unable to fulfil their dreams.
The poet also emphasizes that he lies in his ‘shadow’ of depression and despair. The poet cries, “My hands! / My dark hands!” He wants to break through the wall and find his dream; he wants to break apart the darkness and “smash” the night. He wants that shadow to break apart into a “thousand lights of sun” and “a thousand whirling dreams / of sun!”
The images of ‘light’ and ‘sun’ symbolize dreams, hope, optimism, possibilities/ opportunities, goodness, intellectual achievements, awareness (enlightenment). Darkness, on the other hand, symbolizes prejudice, discrimination, hatred, racism, evil, ignorance. Now he is determined to break through the barrier of being bom with a black skin in a white-dominant society. Thus the poem ends with a tremendous hope and strength. The imagery used in the poem is appropriate and apt for the theme of the poem.
Question 3.
What kind of statement do you think the poem is making about identity and its impact on one’s life?
Answer:
Langston Hughes was a leading writer and thinker of the Harlem Renaissance-the African-American artistic movement of the 1920s that celebrated African-American life and culture, He rode to fame with his collection of poetry The Weary Blues (1926) and Fine Clothes to the Jews (1927). He was an early inventor of ‘jazz poetry’.
He condemned racism, promoted equality and celebrated the African-American life and culture through his writings. The present poem ‘As I Grew Older’, though first published in 1925, is included in his first collection of poems The Weary Blues in 1926.
The central idea of the present poem, “As I Grew Older” is about one’s dreams in life and the hardships one has to face and the strong will one needs to have to realise the dreams. He craves for restoring his identity and the struggle for existence. The poet starts by describing a dream he used to have a “long time ago” that he has since nearly forgotten. But it was right in front of him. He says,
‘But it was there then,
In front of me,
Bright like a sun-
My dream.’
However the wall’ rose up slowly between the poet and his dream – it rose and rose until it touched the sky. The poet uses ‘wall’ in a figurative manner. Here, the ‘wall’ refers to ‘racial discrimination and injustice’ that the African-American people face in America. The wall is a shadow. The speaker proclaims, “I am black. ” He lies down in the shadows, which prevents the light of the dream from shining on him.
This is fairly straightforward symbolism – the poet represents all African- Americans who had to relinquish their dreams due to “racial bias” in early 20th century American society. The poet may have experienced the wall of injustice that rises up to gradually block the sunlight. Hughes deliberately uses the symbol of a shadow as a way to actualize his character’s blackness. His race is the barrier that is keeping him from achieving his dream.
As the poem progresses, though, the poet’s helplessness and apathy turns into determination and vigour, creating a shift of energy. By confronting the obstacle, the poethas found his voice and his purpose. Hughes uses this violent language to show that the speaker is suddenly empowered. The poet forcefully commands his “dark hands” to break through the wall to see his dream. Identity and struggle for restoring the stolen identity is the central theme of the poem.
Question 4.
What is the poet’s dream? Does he specify it anywhere in the poem? Do you think it matters whether he does or does not state what his dream is?
Answer:
‘As I Grew Older’ is about the dream that never saw the light. There is no mention about what the dream was but all know that it was the dream for a better world for his African brethren. In the beginning of the poem, the poet recalls a dream he had long ago and had nearly forgotten, but now he can see it ahead of him once more.
But then it was clear in his mind, it shone like the sun in front of him. But as days passed a wall slowly rose between him and the dream. The wall grew so high that it seemed to be touching the sky. Now the light from his dream was completely blocked and he was standing in the shadow of the wall. The wall was high above him; not only was the wall high, it was thick too.
The shadow too was thick and overpowering. Towards the end of the poem the poet drops off his submissive acceptance and becomes determined to do something. There is a shift in the energy. He wishes that with his dark hands he could break the wall, smash and shatter the darkness and reach out to the light. The poet imagines that once the wall is broken his dreams would be liberated and would soon see the light, would soon be a reality.
This is fairly straightforward symbolism – the poet represents all African Americans who had to relinquish their dreams due to the pervasive discrimination and persecution in early 20th century American society. African American children may have experienced a few brief years of blissful ignorance (like the poet), but they all eventually became aware of their status as second-class citizens – a ‘wall’ of racial injustice that rises up to gradually block the sunlight.
Just because the wall has risen up, though, it does not mean that the dream ceases to exist – the poet simply cannot see it anymore. Hughes deliberately uses the symbol of a shadow as a way to actualize his character’s blackness, because the speaker’s race is the barrier that is keeping him from achieving his dream. In the entire poem, the poet does not specify what his dream is. However it does not matter to whether he does or does not mention it explicitly. From images and symbols employed in this poem, we can understand clearly that his dream is to achieve racial equality and justice.
Question 5.
Similarly, the poet uses the ‘wall’ in a figurative manner. What do you think the wall refers to in the context of the poet’s racial identity?
Answer:
Langston Hughes was a leading writer and thinker of the Harlem Renaissance-the African-American artistic movement of the 1920s that celebrated African-American life and culture. He rode to fame with his collection of poetry The Weary Blues (1926) and Fine Clothes to the Jews (1927).
He was an early inventor of ‘jazz poetry’. He condemned racism, promoted equality and celebrated the African-American life and culture through his writings. The present poem As I Grew Older’, though first published in 1925, is included in his first collection of poems The Weary Blues in 1926.
The central idea of the present poem, “As I Grew Older” is about one’s dreams in life and the hardships one has to face and the strong will one needs to have to realise the dreams. The poet starts by describing a dream he used to have a “long time ago” that he has since nearly forgotten. But it was right in front of him.
However a “wall” rose up slowly between the poet and his dream – it rose and rose until it touched the sky. The poet uses ‘wall’ in a figurative manner. Here, the ‘wall’ refers to ‘racial discrimination and injustice’ that the African-American people face in America. The wall is a shadow. The poet proclaims, “I am black. ” He lies down in the shadows, which prevents the light of the dream from shining on him. All he can see is:
Only the thick wall.
Only the shadow.
This is fairly straightforward symbolism – the poet represents all African- Americans who had to relinquish their dreams due to “racial bias” in early 20th century American society. The poet may have experienced the wall of injustice that rises up to gradually block the sunlight. Hughes deliberately uses the symbol of a shadow as a way to actualize his character’s blackness. The poet’s race is the barrier that is keeping him from achieving his dream.
As the poem progresses, though, the poet’s helplessness and apathy turns into determination and vigour, creating a shift of energy. He says,
‘My hands
My dark hands!
Break through the wall!
Find my dream!
By confronting the obstacle, the poet has found his voice and his purpose. Hughes uses this violent language to show that the speaker is suddenly empowered. The poet forcefully commands his “dark hands” to break through the ‘wall’ to see his dream.
However the poet uses the ‘wall’ in a figurative manner. Here ‘the wall’ refers to the racial bias or injustice or discrimination in the context of the poet’s racial identity. The wall symbolizes all the impediments and humiliations that confront the black man in America. He explicitly proclaims: “I am black” and “My dark hands” indicate his racial identity and the ‘wall’ represents the racial discrimination.
Question 6.
Describe the changing tone and mood of the poem.
Answer:
Langston Hughes was a leading writer and thinker of the Harlem Renaissance-the African-American artistic movement of the 1920s that celebrated African-American life and culture. He rode to fame with his collection of poetry The Weary Blues (1926) and Fine Clothes to the Jews (1927).
He was an early inventor of ‘jazz poetry’. He condemned racism, promoted equality and celebrated the African-American life and culture through his writings. The present poem ‘As I Grew Older’, though first published in 1925, is included in his first collection of poems The Weary Blues in 1926.
The central idea of the present poem, “As I Grew Older” is about one’s dreams in life and the hardships one has to face and the strong will one needs to have to realise the dreams. The poet starts by describing a dream he used to have a “long time ago” that he has since nearly forgotten. But it was right in front of him.
However a wall rose up slowly between the poet and his dream – it rose and rose until it touched the sky. The poet uses ‘wall’ in a figurative manner. Here, the ‘wall’ refers to ‘racial discrimination and injustice’ that the African-American people face in America. The wall is a shadow. The poet proclaims, “I am black.” He lies down in the shadows, which prevents the light of the dream from shining on him.
As the poem progresses, though, the poet’s helplessness and apathy turns into determination and vigour, creating a shift of energy. By confronting the obstacle, the poet has found his voice and his purpose. Hughes uses this violent language to show that the speaker is suddenly empowered. The poet force fully commands his “dark hands” to break through the wall to see his dream.
Help me to shatter this darkness,
To smash this night,
To break his shadow
Into a thousand lights of sun,
Into a thousand light whirling dreams
Of sun
As the poem progresses, the tone and mood of the poem changes constantly. In lines 1-6, the speaker is naive, optimistic and innocent (Bright like the sun-My dream). In lines 7-16, the tone is depressing and angry (wall, between me and my dream.
Diminishing, Hiding, The light of my dream). In the lines 17-23, pessimistic, depressing, and angry (shadow, No longer the light of my dream, thick wall). In lines 24-33-the speaker becomes hopeful. The whole stanza expresses hope that the speaker can achieve his dream.
The poem’s changing tone indicates the speaker’s changing perspective on life as he grew older, i.e., he moves from childhood to young adulthood. Lines 1-6 reflect the speaker’s perspective as a child. Lines 7-16 reflect the moment when the speaker’s perspective begins to change. Lines 17-23 reflect his pessimistic, depressing, and angry view of the issue. Lines 24-33 reflect the speaker’s perspective now, meaning at the time the poem was written.
As I Grew Older Poem Summary in English
Langston Hughes was a leading writer and thinker of the Harlem Renaissance-the African-American artistic movement of the 1920s that celebrated African-American life and culture. He rode to fame with his collection of poetry The Weary Blues (1926) and Fine Clothes to the Jews (1927).
He was an early inventor of ‘jazz poetry’. He condemned racism, promoted equality and celebrated the African-American life and culture through his writings. The present poem ‘As I Grew Older’, though first published in 1925, is included in his first collection of poems The Weary Blues in 1926.
The central idea of the present poem, “As I Grew Older” is about one’s dreams in life and the hardships one has to face and the strong will one needs to have to realise the dreams. The speaker starts by describing a dream he used to have a “long time ago” that he has since nearly forgotten. But it was right in front of him. He says,
‘But it was there then,
In front of me,
Bright tike a sun-
My dream
However a wall rose up slowly between the poet and his dream – it rose and rose until it touched the sky. The poet uses ‘wall’ in a figurative manner. Here, the ‘wall’ refers to ‘racial discrimination and injustice’ that the African-American people face in America. The wall is a shadow. The speaker proclaims, “I am black.” He lies down in the shadows, which prevents the light of the dream from shining on him. All he can see is:
Only the thick wall.
Only the shadow.
This is fairly straightforward symbolism – the speaker represents all African- Americans who had to relinquish their dreams due to “racial bias” in early 20th century American society. The poet may have experienced the wall of injustice that rises up to gradually block the sunlight.
Hughes deliberately uses the symbol of a shadow as a way to actualize his character’s blackness. The speaker’s race is the barrier that is keeping him from achieving his dream.As the poem progresses, though, the speaker’s helplessness and apathy turns into determination and vigour, creating a shift of energy. He says,
‘My hands
My dark hands!
Break through the wall!
Find my dream!
By confronting the obstacle, the speaker has found his voice and his purpose. Hughes uses this violent language to show that the speaker is suddenly empowered. The speaker forcefully commands his “dark hands” to break through the wall to see his dream.
Help me to shatter this darkness,
To smash this night,
To break this shadow
Into a thousand lights of the sun,
Into a thousand light whirling dreams
Of sun!’
The poem contains full of images and the imagery in the poem consists of a powerful mix of ‘light’ and ‘dark’ images. Imagery employed by poet Langston Hughes in the poem creates symbols and pictures in the mind of the reader. The poet says that his dream is ‘Bright like a sun’.
He says that the ‘thick wall’ that keeps rising till it touches the sky. Here the ‘wall’ refers to the racial discrimination and prejudice and the oppression that makes the African-American people unable to fulfil their dreams. The poet also emphasizes that he lies in his ‘shadow’ of depression and despair.
The poet cries, “My hands! / My dark hands!-’ He wants to break through the wall and find his dream; he wants to break apart the darkness and “smash” the night. He wants that shadow to break apart into a “thousand lights of sun” and “a thousand whirling dreams / of sun!’’.
The images of ‘light’ and ‘sun’ symbolize dreams, hope, optimism, possibilities/ opportunities, goodness, intellectual achievements, awareness (enlightenment). Darkness, on the other hand, symbolizes prejudice, discrimination, hatred, racism, evil, ignorance. Now he is determined to break through the barrier of being born with a black skin in a white- dominant society.
As the poem progresses, the tone and mood of the poem changes constantly. In lines 1-6, the speaker is naive, optimistic and innocent (Bright like the sun-My dream). In lines 7-16, the tone is depressing and angry (wall, between me and my dream. Diminishing, Hiding, The light of my dream). In the lines 17-23, pessimistic, depressing, and angry (shadow, No longer the light of my dream, thick wall). In lines 24-33-the speaker becomes hopeful. The whole stanza expresses hope that the speaker can achieve his dream.
The poem’s changing tone indicates the speaker’s changing perspective on life as he grew older, i.e., he moves from childhood to young adulthood. Lines 1-6 reflect the speaker’s perspective as a child. Lines 7-16 reflect the moment when the speaker’s perspective begins to change. Lines 17-23 reflect his pessimistic, depressing, and angry view of the issue. Lines 24-33 reflect the speaker’s perspective now, meaning at the time the poem was written.
As I Grew Older Poem Summary in Telugu
లాంగ్ణన్ హ్యూస్ 1920 లలో హార్లెం పునరుజ్జీవనం-ఆఫ్రికన్-అమెరికన్ కళాత్మక ఉద్యమం యొక్కప్రముఖ రచయిత మరియు ఆలోచనాపరుడు, ఇది ఆ(్రికన్-అమెరికన్ జీవితం మరియు సంస్తతిని జరుపుకుంది. అతను తన కవితా సంకలనం ది వేరీ బ్లూస్ (1926) మరియు ఫైన్ క్లాత్స్ టు ది యూదులతో (1927) కీర్తి పొందాడు. అతను ‘జాజ్ కవిత్వం’ యొక్క ప్రారంభ ఆవిష్కర్త.
అతను జాత్యహంకారాన్ని ఖండించాడు, సమానత్వాన్ని (్రోత్సహించాడు మరియు ఆఫ్రికన్-అమెరికన్ జీవితాన్ని మరియు సంస్కతిని తన రచనల ద్వారా జరుపుకున్నాడు. ప్రస్తుత కవిత ‘యాస్ ఐ గ్రూ ఓల్డర్, మొదటిసారి 1925 లో ప్రచురించబడినప్పదికీ, 1926 లో అతని మొదటి కవితా సంపుది ది వేరీ బ్లూస్లో చేర్చబడింది.
ప్రస్తుత కవిత యొక్క కేంద్ర ఆలోచన, “యాజ్ ఐ గ్రూ ఓల్డర్” అనేది జీవితంలో ఒకరి కలలు మరియు ఒకరు ఎదుర్కోవాల్సిన కష్టాలు మరియు కలలను సాకారం చేసుకోవాల్సిన బలమైన సంకల్పం. అతను చాలా కాలం క్రితం మరచిపోయిన “చాలా కాలం క్రితం” కలిగి ఉన్న ఒక కలను వివరించడం ద్వారా ప్రారంభమవుతుంది. కానీ అది అతని ముందు ఉంది. అతను చెప్తన్నాడు,
‘అయితే అది అక్కడే ఉంది,
నా ముందర,
సూర్యుడిలా ప్రకాశవంతంగా-
నా కల.’
అయితే కవికి మరియు అతని కలకి మధ ఒక గోడ నెమ్టిిగా పైకి లేచింది – అది ఆకాశాన్ని తాకే వరకు పెరిగింది. కవి ‘గోడ’ ను అలంకారిక పద్ధతిలో ఉపయోగిస్తాడు. ఇక్కడ, ‘గోడ’ అనేది అమెరికాలో ఆఫ్రికన్-అమెరికన్ ప్రజలు ఎదుర్కొంటున్న ‘జాతి వివక్ష మరియు అన్యాయాన్ని’ సూచిస్తుంది. గోడ నీడ. స్పీకర్ “నేను నల్లనివాడిని” అని ప్రకటించాడు. అతను నీడలలో పడుకున్నాడు, ఇది కల యొక్క కాంతి అతనిపై ప్రకాశించకుండా నిరోధిస్తుంది. అతను చూడగలిగేది: రచయిత యొక్క నిస్సహాయత మరియు ఉదాసీనత సంకల్పం మరియు శక్తిగా మారుతుంది, ఇది శక్తి యొక్క మార్పును సృష్టిస్తుంది. అతను చెప్తన్నాడు,
‘నా చేతులు
నా చీకది చేతులు!
గోడ విచ్ఛిన్నం!
నా కలను కనుగొనండి!
అడ్డంకిని ఎదుర్కోవడం ద్వారా, స్పీకర్ తన స్వరాన్ని మరియు అతని ఉద్దేశ్యాన్ని కనుగొన్నారు. స్పీకర్ హాాత్తుగా అధికారం పొందారని చూపించడానికి హ్యూస్ ఈ హింసాత్మక భాషను ఉపయోగిస్తాడు. తన కలను చూడటానికి గోడను పగలగొట్టమని స్పీకర్ తన “చీకటి చేతులను” బలవంతంగా ఆదేశిస్తాడు.
ఈ చీకదిని ముక్కలు చేయడానికి నాకు సహాయం చెయ్యండి,
ఈ రాత్రి పగులగొట్టడానికి,
ఈ నీడను విచ్ఛిన్నం చేయడానిక
వెయ్యి లైట్ల సూర్యునిలోకి,
వెయ్యి కాంతి సుడిగాలి కలలలోకి
సూర్యకి!
ఈ కవితలో చిత్రాలతో నిండి ఉంది మరియు కవితలోని చిత్రాలలో ‘కాంతి’ మరియు ‘చీకటి’ చిత్రాల శక్తివంతమైన మిశ్రమం ఉంటుంది. కవితలో కవి లాంగ్ణన్ హ్యూస్ ఉపయోగించిన చిత్రాలు పాఠకుల మనస్సులో చిహ్నాలు మరియు చిత్రాలను సృప్టిస్తాయి.
కవి తన కల ‘సూర్యుడిలా ప్రకాశవంతంగా’ ఉందని చెప్పాడు. ఆకాశాన్ని తాకే వరకు పెరుగుతూనే ఉండే ‘మందపాటి గోడ’ అని ఆయన అన్నారు. ఇక్కడ ‘గోడ’ అనేది జాతి వివక్ష మరియు పక్షపాతం మరియు ఆఫ్రికన్-అమెరికన్ ప్రజలను వారి కలలను నెరవేర్చలేకపోయే అణచివేతను సూచిస్తుంది. కవి తన నిరాశ మరియు నిరాశ యొక్క ‘నీడ’లో ఉందని నొక్కి చెప్పాడు.
కవి, “నా చేతులు! / నా చీకది చేతులు!” అతను గోడను పగలగొట్టి తన కలను కనుగొనాలనుకుంటున్నాడు అతను చీకదిని విడదీయాలని మరియు రాత్రి “పగులగొట్టాలని” కోరుకుంటాడు. అతను ఆ నీడను “వెయ్యి వెలుతురు” మరియు “వెయ్యి సుడి కలలు / సూర్యున్” గా విడదీయాలని కోరుకుంటాడు. ‘కాంతి’ మరియు ‘సూర్యుడు’ చిత్రాలు కలలు, ఆశ, ఆశావాదం, అవకాశాలు, మంచితనం, మేధో విజయాలు, అవగాహన (జ్ఞానోదయం). చీకది, మరోమైపు, పక్షపాతం, వివక్ష, ద్వేషం, జాత్యహంకారం, చెడు, అజ్ఞానం. తెల్ల ఆధిపత్య సమాజంలో నల్ల చర్మంతో పుట్టడానికి ఉన్న అడ్డంకిని అధిగమించడానికి ఇప్పుడు అతను నిశ్చయించుకున్నాడు.
రచయిత, పద్యం యొక్క స్వరం మరియు మానసిక స్థితి నిరంతరం మారుతుంది. 1-6 పంక్తులలో, స్పీకర్ అమాయక, ఆశావాది మరియు అమాయకుడు (సూర్యుడిలా (ప్రకాశవంతమైనది-నా కల). 7-16 పంక్తులో, స్వరం నిరుత్సాహపరుస్తుంది మరియు కోపంగా ఉంది (గోడ, నాకు మరియు నా కలకి మధ్య. తగ్గిపోతోంది, దాచడం, నా కల యొక్క కాంతి). 17-23 పంక్తులలో, నిరాశావాద, నిరుత్సాహపరిచే మరియు కోపంగా (నీడ, ఇక నా కల యొక్క కాంతి, మందపాది గోడ). 24-33 పంక్తులలో-స్పీకర్ ఆశాజనకంగా మారుతాడు. స్పీకర్ తన కలను సాధించగలడని మొత్తం చరణం ఆశాఖావం వ్యక్తం చేస్తుంది.
పద్యం యొక్క మారుతున్న స్వరం వక్త వయసు పెరిగేకొద్దీ జీవితంపై మారుతున్న దృక్పథాన్ని సూచిస్తుంది, అనగా అతను బాల్యం నుండి యవ్వనంలోకి వెళ్తాడు. 1-6 పంక్తులు చిన్నతనంలో స్పీకర్ దృక్పథాన్ని ప్రతిబింబిస్తాయి. 7-16 పక్తలు స్పీకర్ దృత్పథం మారడం ప్రారంభించిన క్షణాన్ని ప్రతిబింబిస్తాయి. 17-23 పక్తులు అతని నిరాశావాద, నిరుత్సాహకరైౖన మరియు కోపంగా ఉన్న దృక్పథాన్ని ప్రతిబింబిస్తాయి. 24-33 పంక్తులు ఇప్పుడు స్పీకర్ దృక్పథాన్ని ప్రతిబింబిస్తాయి.
As I Grew Older – Langston Hughes
It was a long time ago.
I have almost forgotten my dream.
But it was there then,
In front of me,
Bright like a sun –
My dream.
And then the wall rose,
Rose slowly,
Slowly,
Between me and my dream.
Rose until it touched the sky –
The wall.
Shadow.
I am black.
I lie down in the shadow.
No longer the light of my dream before me, Above me.
Only the thick wall.
Only the shadow.
My hands!
My dark hands!
Break through the wall!
Find my dream!
Help me to shatter this darkness,
To smash this night,
To break this shadow
Into a thousand lights of sun,
Into a thousand whirling dreams
Of sun!
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