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….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?
1
….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?
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What happens when people stop dreaming? What caused the change? Why do people stop dreaming? I think it’s troubling to not have a dream. We all have them whether we obtain them or not. I think something traumatic has to happen to someone for them to stop dreaming.
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I think this poem is basically simple and has a very clear message. The message here is go ahead and pursue your dreams. Once you have your dream, it is best not to put it off. Go ahead and take hold of your dream. Hughes uses all these negative similes and metaphors asking what will happen if you put off achieving your dream. None of the comparisons that he uses are positive. Even at the very end, Hughes asks “Or does it explode?” Will your dream simply just go away and will you never have that opportunity to fulfill your dream?
i believe that the title of the poem is a clear indication that it is meant for the African Americans residing in Harlem, but it can be meant for so many more. This poem isn’t specific to just one culture or race. And while it’s not exactly my favorite Langston Hughes poem, I believe that it probably has the best advice being offered.
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I believe that in this poem Hughes is saying that what was happening in Harlem at the time was neccessary, it must happen right then. For so long African Americans had been told to be patient, that they would eventually recieve the rights they deserved. They were taught to live on dreams of the future instead of dreams of the present. Hughes is saying Harlem must live out its dream in the present, instead of allowing it to fade.
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Toni Reply:
November 10th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
I agree with Christina wen she talks about how African Americans dreams of being free have been put to the side for years but never came for most of them so they just basically gave up; But in my opinion this poem also talks about how people in general have high hopes and dreams of things happening but as time goes by they get tired of waiting and they quick what they’ve been urging to do and everything else they were intending to do in life!
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I think of Harlem as a place where dreams dreams come true and happen but Hughes tells the opposite of the good story of dreams coming true in Harlem. Hughes is telling what happpen when your dream doesn’t come true how it feels and also telling how hard it is for a dream to come true. By giving all these metaphors to how you feel when your dreams doesn’t come out the way attend.
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I believe he is just asking what happens when you stop dreaming or having a goal in life. For people that choose not to act on their dreams only find that eventually the dreams fade away, become unattainable, or mentally way the person down.
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I believe this is written during the Harlem Renaissance when culture and the arts were thriving in Harlem for African Americans. If there was a time in that era that an African American was able to live out his or her dream this would be the time to do it. I think that anyone could read this poem and accept the aspect of following your dreams and not letting your dreams slip away, but i think this poem is special because it is speaking specifically to the people of Harlem when their dreams and culture were thriving.
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Hughes is just asking, What happens to a dream deferred? then he goes into saying what he thinks could happen if we postpone our dreams. I think that he is basically giving us these metaphors to open our eyes and think what really happens when we don’t dream. So therefore, we shouldn’t let our life long dreams end in a downward slope but to accomplish them and more.
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I think Hughes is stating that you have to be patient with your dreams. African Americans probably lost hope in Harlem and but they shouldn’t just depend on dreams and be more forward and active. I feel like he is pretty much saying if you keep dreaming it could just dry up, or crust over. You have to make the right actions to make your dreams come true.
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I think Hughes is contemplating what happens to people who have dreams or goals in a community like Harlem that is known to be an underprivileged community. Of the people who dream, how many of them actually try to achieve their goal? Do most people just ignore their hopes and dreams without even trying to reach them? And if someone tries, are they successful and did it take them to bigger and better things.
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I believe he is just asking what happens when you stop dreaming or having a goal in life because if one does not act on their dream then they will eventually see it fade away.
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In this poem, Hughes is talking about dreams and how does it effect the person if their dream is not achieved. I guess it is really more of a person by person and dream by dream case, but I would have to say that if someone is passionate about their dream and they don’t achieve it that they might cary it around more heavily than another person who was less passionate. The part of the poem that spoke the most to me is, “Maybe it just sags, like a heavy load.” Wow!! That speaks volumes in itself. You always hear about people carrying around a heavy load because of things that they have done in their past..but what about the people who cary around those heavy loads because they never got to live their dream or even attempt to reach it. It seems like that load would be harder to handle to me.
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I agreee with you Allie where it says maybe it just sags like a heavy load. People always hold their failures close to their side and it puts a burden on themselves. Also, i believe that this is just about dreams in general, maybe for the people in Harlem(Title). I think he is saying go after your dream so it wont explode and you just think you fail instead of going after another one of your goals you may have in your life.
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