Notes for Langston Hughes' Biography Born - Beacon Learning Center

Notes for Langston Hughes’ Biography
Born: _________________________Died_________________________
Began writing: __________________________
Father lived in __________________________
Attended ____________University but quit after ___________________
Joined a boat to sail to _____________________.
Stopped in __________different ports around the world.
The poem ________________________was published in 1921 and in 1925 he published
___________________________.
He wrote music as well as ___________. ______________. _________________.
For most of his adult life, he lived in __________________(New York).
His poetry reflects his life and culture because
______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________.
Notes for Hughes’ Poetry
Poem: A Dream Deferred
What things does he compare a deferred dream to?
__________________________________________________________________
What part of his own life might he think of as a ‘deferred dream’?
____________________________________________________________________
Poem: Dreams
What should you do with your dreams? ________________When dreams die, what two things
does the author compare them to? ______________________________________
Is this poem about race? Why or why not?
Poem: Poem(2)
What happened to the author’s friend in this poem? __________________________
Is race an important part of this poem? ______Why or Why not?
____________________________________________________________________
Poem: I, Too
What does the author have to do in this poem? _____________________________
Why? ______________________________________________________________
How does he feel about it? _________________How do you know that?
____________________________
Is this poem about race? ______________________________________________
Poem: The Negro Speaks of Rivers
What four rivers does the author name? __________________________________
Why do you think he mentions four different time periods associated with the rivers?
Is this poem about race? ______________Why or why not?
_____________________________________________________________________
Langston Hughes www.beaconlc.org©2002 Rev. 1/10/02

SUGGESTED Notes for Langston Hughes’ Biography
Born: MISSOURI, 1902 Died: 1967
Began writing: AS A SMALL BOY
Father lived in MEXICO
Attended COLUMBIA University but quit after ONE YEAR
Joined a boat to sail to AFRICA
Stopped in 30 different ports around the world.
The poem A NEGRO SPEAKS OF RIVERS was published in 1921 and in 1925 he published A
COLLECTION OF POETRY.
He wrote music as well as POETRY, FICTION AND DRAMA
For most of his adult life, he lived in HARLEM (New York).
His poetry reflects his life and culture because
HE WRITES ABOUT RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, WHICH WAS VERY PREVALENT AT THAT
TIME. HE WRITES ABOUT HOW IT MAKES PEOPLE FEEL. HE ALSO WRITES ABOUT
POVERTY, WHICH OCCURRED DURING THE DEPRESSON, AND HIS MUSIC LYRICS WERE
SET TO JAZZ, WHICH WAS VERY POPULAR DURING THE 20’S AND 30’S.
Notes for Hughes’ Poetry
Poem: A Dream Deferred
What things does he compare a deferred dream to? A RAISIN, A SORE, A HEAVY LOAD
What part of his own life might he think of as a ‘deferred dream’?
FINISHING THE UNIVERSITY, OR BEING ACCEPTED BY EVERYONE WITHOUT REGARD TO
HIS RACE.
Poem: Dreams
What should you do with your dreams? HOLD FAST TO THEM When dreams die, what two
things does the author compare them to? A BROKEN-WINGED BIRD AND A BARREN
FIELD
Is this poem about race? NO Why or why not? EVERYONE HAS DREAMS AND FEELS
FRUSTRATED AND HOPELESS WHEN THEY MUST BE DISCARDED OR CANNOT BE
ACCOMPLISHED.
Poem: Poem(2)
What happened to the author’s friend in this poem? HE WENT AWAY
Is race an important part of this poem? NO Why or Why not? ANYONE CAN HAVE A BELOVED
FRIEND LEAVE OR MOVE AWAY
Poem: I, Too
What does the author have to do in this poem? EAT IN THE KITCHEN
Why? BECAUSE OF HIS RACE
How does he feel about it? HE FEELS ASHAMED AND BELIEVES HE IS JUST AS GOOD AS
THE PERSON WHO SENDS HIM TO THE KITCHEN.
Is this poem about race? YES
Poem: The Negro Speaks of Rivers
What four rivers does the author name? EUPHRATES, NILE, CONGO, MISSISSIPPI
Why do you think he mentions four different time periods associated with the rivers?
TO SHOW THAT THE NEGRO RACE HAS CONTRIBUTED TO SOCIETY SINCE THE BEGINNING
OF CIVILIZATION.
Is this poem about race? YES Why or why not? THE AUTHOR IS SAYING THAT THE NEGRO HAS
CONTRIBUTED TO SOCIETY DOWN THROUGH THE AGES BUT HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN
RECOGNIZED FOR IT.
Langston Hughes www.beaconlc.org©2002 Rev. 1/10/02

TEST for Langston Hughes (FCAT format)
Directions: You may use your notes and the text of the poems to complete this test. Multiple choice
questions count 1 point each. Short answer questions count 2 points and long answer questions count 4
points.
1. In the poem, ‘A Dream Deferred,’ what is a deferred or delayed dream compared to?
A. A raisin dried in the sun
B. A sore
C. A heavy load
D. All of these
2. In the poem, ‘I, Too’ where does the author have to go to eat?
A. Outside the house
B. In the kitchen
C. On the screened-in porch
D. He doesn’t get to eat.
3. In the poem, ‘I, Too’ why will “they” be ashamed?
A. Because they lied to everyone
B. Because they didn’t deserve to eat with everyone else
C. Because the darker brother is also part of America and is beautiful
D. Because no one cared
4. In Poem (2) what happened to the author’s friend?
A. He argued with him.
B. He became ill and could no longer play with him.
C. He didn’t have a friend.
D. His friend went away.
5. Which of these poems make no reference to race?
A. Poem (2)
B. I, Too
C. The Negro Speaks of Rivers
D. None of these
6. In the poem “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” what four rivers are mentioned?
A. Colorado, Nile, Tigris, Congo
B. Euphrates, Congo, Nile, Mississippi
C. He doesn’t really name any specific rivers.
D. Appalachicola, Missouri, Colorado, Mississippi
7. In ‘Dreams,” what should you do to your dreams?
A. Tell them to someone
B. Make up a poem about them
C. Forget about them
D. Hold fast to them
8. In ‘Dreams,’ what are dreams that are gone compared to?
A. Barren fields frozen with snow
B. Broken stairs
C. Dust and ashes
D. Dead birds
9. Langston Hughes wrote
A. Songs
B. Poetry
C. Fiction
D. All of these
Langston Hughes www.beaconlc.org©2002 Rev. 1/10/02

10. Langston Hughes lived most of his adult life in _____________where he also wrote most of his pieces.
A. Africa
B. Mexico
C. Missouri
D. Harlem
SHORT ANSWER:
Use complete sentences to answer the following questions.
11. Do you think the poem ‘Dreams’ was written by Hughes about his own life’s dreams? Why or why
not?
12. Why do you think Hughes mentions the four specific rivers in the poem, ‘The Negro Speaks of
Rivers’?
13. Why are the poems ‘Poem (2)’ and ‘Dreams’ called colorblind poems?
LONG ANSWER:
14. Quite often, an author’s writing is influenced by his background including where and when he lived.
Many of Langston’s Hughes pieces fit this description. Explain what influence his life had on his
writing and give at least two examples to prove the explanation.
Langston Hughes www.beaconlc.org©2002 Rev. 1/10/02

Answer Key:
Multiple choice questions = 1 point each
1. D
2. B
3. C
4. D
5. A
6. B
7. D
8. A
9. D
10. D
Short Answer questions = up to 2 points each
11. Students may express that the poem is about Hughes’ life or it isn’t, depending on their opinions.
Make sure that they back up the answer with specifics from his life to support their opinions.
12. The rivers represent times and places of ancient, great civilizations. The author wants us to know that
the Negro was present throughout time and contributed to each society.
13. Neither poem deals with a racial issue. The situations presented could apply to a person of any race.
Long answer question = up to 4 points
14. Langston Hughes lived during a time period when racial discrimination occurred. Many of his pieces
reflect how he felt about it. In ‘I, Too,’ or ‘The Negro Speaks of Rivers’ he refers to unfair treatment
that was shameful and society’s ignoring of the Negro’s contribution. He also lived during the unique
musical age of the 20’s that produced jazz. His music is reflective of that.
Langston Hughes www.beaconlc.org©2002 Rev. 1/10/02