Theme for English B by Langston Hughes Poem Analysis Essay

Langston Hughes is the writer of the poem entitled “Theme for English B”. In “Theme for English B”, he touches on a subject that a majority of his onlookers can relate to. The author uses engaging speech to communicate with the reader by using visual terminology, which allows the audience to feel as if they were a part of his world. He includes the audience in his poem through his use of rhyme, literary devices, characterization, and themes.

One noticeable thing about this poem is the way that it is structured. This 41-line poem that has lines of alternating lengths essentially lacks a structure, which the author did intentionally. The poem uses internal rhymes in lines 38 and 40-11, “I guess you learn from me...and somewhat more free. This is my theme for English B”. Hughes molded this poem to be a free verse, which is a form of poetry that lacks a rhyme scheme. The poem is not written as an essay, or as an assignment that was supposed to be turned in for a grade. Rather, it is written as if the audience has peeked at the inside of his mind, reading his thoughts. 

Hughes uses many literary devices such as anaphora, alliteration, personification, imagery, and rhetorical question throughout the entirety of the poem. Anaphora is the repetition of the first word or phrase of a line, which is demonstrated to the audience using lines such as “I like to work, read, learn, and understand life” and “I like a pipe for a Christmas present”. Alliteration are words that are consecutive (words that follow one after the other) and begin with the same sound. The author uses alliteration with words such as “Bessie, bop, and Bach” or “hear, Harlem, I hear”. He uses personification, or the humanization of non-humans, which is shown in the third line of the poem, “let that page come out of you”. Imagery is used to appeal to one of the five senses (taste, touch, feel, hear, see). This is displayed in multiple lines, from “The steps from the hill lead down into Harlem” and “where I take the elevator up to my room, sit down, and write this page” to “Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love”. A rhetorical question is a type of literary device that is asked to create a certain effect; the writer does not anticipate an answer from the reader. Hughes uses this device as he is challenged with a writing assignment (line 6), “I wonder if that’s too simple”. 

Characterization is a literary device that an author uses to enlighten the viewers about a character to narrate a story. There are two types of characterization: direct and indirect. Direct characterization is when truthful statements are used to describe a character’s physical traits and/or personality. Indirect characterization is when information about said character’s looks or personality is disclosed through their thoughts, words, actions, or the opinions of outside character’s. Hughes uses direct characterization and the first point of view to describe the looks and personality of himself. We see an example of this in line 7, where the author states, “I am twenty-two, colored, born in Winston-Salem”. 

One of the many themes that Langston Hughes touches on in “Theme for English B” is racial unity. Throughout the poem, the speaker acknowledges the racial differences in experience between white and black people in America while also highlighting the similarities of the two groups. In the fourth stanza, he states, “Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love. I like to work, read, learn, and understand life. I like a pipe for a Christmas present, or records—Bessie, bop, or Bach. I guess being colored doesn’t make me not like the same things other folks like who are other races”. Within these lines, he is comparing certain aspects of his lifestyle as a black man in America to the lives of his classmates, who happen to be white. Although his classmates are white and he is “colored”, there is still some sort of common ground between them. From lines 27 to 35, “So will my page be colored that I write? Being me, it will not be white... You are white—yet a part of me as I am a part of you...” Hughes communicates to his professor that despite their differing experiences, that they are essentially the same: Americans. 

Some other themes that are touched on within this composition is Hughes struggle with his English assignment, and racial tensions. His professor has appointed his scholars with the duty of writing one page that has not been fabricated. This sparks Hughes’ difficulty with completing this assignment as he is not sure what is “true to him”, considering the professor will not be able to judge what is true to him, as they are on two different sides of the same spectrum. The poet writes, “As I learn from you, I guess you learn from me— although you’re older—and white— and somewhat more free” as proof of the existing racial tensions. Even though his educator is meant to teach him, he feels that his educator could also learn from him. 

Hughes effectively used literary devices throughout the composition to tell the story of his struggle for equality. This struggle for equality has appealed to his audience, who are mainly black people living in America. The straightforwardness of his language allows him to reach to other groups and to bridge the divide between him and his surroundings.