Langston Hughes Themes

Paraphrase the following line from the poem: "Being me, it will not be white."

• a. He is turning in his theme on colored paper.

• b. His life experiences make him what he is, and that will come out in his writing.

• c. The teacher will automatically be prejudiced against his paper.

• d. The teacher will be able to tell it was written by a black person.

Interpret what Hughes says in the following lines from the poem: "I guess you learn from me--/although you're older--and white/and somewhat more free."

• a. that he has many things to teach his teacher

• b. that his teacher couldn't ever really understand what his life is really like

• that older people are sometimes wrong

• all of these

"The steps from the hill lead down into Harlem,/ through a park, then I cross St. Nicholas,/ Eighth Avenue, Seventh, and then I come to the Y,/ the Harlem Branch Y, where I take the elevator/ up to my room, sit down and write this page:" Hughes makes the point about how he gets home to do this paper because

• He lives in a dangerous neighborhood.

• He's trying to show the great distance he has to walk.

• He's showing that he lives in a world much different that that of the instructor.

• He's indicating how poverty plays a role in his life.

"Go home and write a page tonight. And let that page come out of you—Then, it will be true." The word "true" in line #5 most likely means:

• a. factually correct

• b. believable

• c. told straight, without any extra details

• d. truly personal and significant

"Theme for English B": After reading poem and analyzing, the word theme, as it is used in the title, most likely means:

• a. what the poem is truly about

• b. another name for a piece of writing in general

• c. what the poem relates to

• d. none of these

What allusions are used in the poem?

• a. Bessie, Bop, Bach

• b. the Y

• c. Harlem

• d. all of these

Which of the following lines in the poem contains alliteration?

• a. or records--Bessie, bop, or Bach

• b. (I hear New York, too.) Me--Who?

• c. I wonder if, it's that simple?

• d. It's not easy to know what is true for you or me.

Which of the following lines contains internal rhyme?

• a. or records--Bessie, bop, or Bach

• b. (I hear New York, too.) Me--Who?

• c. I wonder if, it's that simple?

• d. the Harlem Y, where I take the elevator

Which of the following lines contains assonance?

• a. or records--Bessie, bop, or Bach

• b. (I hear New York, too.) Me--Who?

• c. I wonder if, it's that simple?

• d. It's not easy to know what is true for you or me.

Which of the following lines contains an example of personification?

• a. or records--Bessie, bop, or Bach

• b. Me--Who?

• c. It's not easy to know what is true for you or me.

• d. I feel and see and hear, Harlem, I hear you.