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Analysis and comments on Dream Variations by Langston Hughes

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Comment 10 of 30, added on August 13th, 2005 at 8:11 PM.

I think it is okay but he did not add thtat one i love the best

Nicky from United States
Comment 9 of 30, added on May 17th, 2005 at 7:20 AM.

the peoms subject is deep enough to write an entire paper and thank you all
for your comments it made me able to write my paper Thanks

Windsor from United States
Comment 8 of 30, added on May 5th, 2005 at 3:04 PM.

I had to do an explication on this poem for my poetry class. I couldnt find
any on the net at the time i was doing my, so ill post my up for whoever
needs it. It is still kind of incomplete. Post your comments!

The poem “Dream Variations” by Langston Hughes is a powerful poem about a
black man’s dream and reality. At first glance this poem seems to suggest
that there are two variations of one dream, however, there is only one
variation. This “dream variation” is illustrated in the first paragraph. On
the other hand, the second paragraph is an illustration of reality.
The first paragraph of this poem clearly gives the reader a sense of warmth
and dreamlike atmosphere. It is marked by calm and warm lines and
adjectives. Lines such as “To whirl and to dance”, “While night comes on
gently”, and “In some place of the sun”; and adjectives such as “gently”,
“cool”, and “white” reinforce this warm, dreamlike atmosphere. This sense
of dreamlike atmosphere is also amplified by the use of assonance and
rhyme. While the reader reads the repeating and assonating sounds, the
warmth and dreamy atmosphere reverberates in his head.
Contrary to the first paragraph, the second paragraph is harsh sounding. It
is very direct, it is stripped of warmth, and does not have a dream-like
atmosphere—it is reality. In the first paragraph, the author says “To whirl
and to dance” now he says “Dance! Whirl! Whirl!” as if someone is forcing
him to dance and whirl. Also, in the first paragraph he says “In some place
of the sun” now he says “In the face of the sun” as if the sun is staring
down at him in contempt. Subtle changes are the difference between these
two paragraphs; however, these subtleties are what portray the sense of
harshness and realism.




Dmitri Rodik from United States
Comment 7 of 30, added on April 1st, 2005 at 12:51 AM.

i'm gonna make a good run at the french this year and advance past the 3rd
round for the first time in my career.

andy roddick from United States
Comment 6 of 30, added on February 5th, 2005 at 6:58 PM.

Wonderful poem. And I remembered a lady wearing a T-
shirt which read "God made be black because he knew that I can handle it"

Rao from United States
Comment 5 of 30, added on December 14th, 2004 at 5:59 PM.

I believe this poem refers to the time in history when he, a black boy,
wanted to be an equal of the white population. Because those times were
divided by skin color, this boy finds himself dreaming all day until the
sun goes down and it is night. Now he is able to live out his dream, when
no one can see him.

AshWipe from United States
Comment 4 of 30, added on November 10th, 2004 at 4:45 PM.

Nice.

Bob from United States
Comment 3 of 30, added on October 29th, 2004 at 11:31 AM.

Look at the repeatition of words and phrases in this poem... I see that it
is about a black man being lynched, on a tree.

annw from United States
Comment 2 of 30, added on October 27th, 2004 at 12:20 AM.

This poem is beautifully worded by realting the white of day and the black
of night to skin color. Yet this is sad because any white child is able to
dance and whirl during the day but this black boy has to wait until dark.

Lindy from United States
Comment 1 of 30, added on October 14th, 2004 at 3:23 AM.

I believe the poem is commenting on a black child in the first verse and an
older black man in the second verse. xxx

Vix from United Kingdom

This poem has been commented on more than 10 times. Click below to see the other comments.
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Information about Dream Variations

Poet: Langston Hughes
Poem: Dream Variations
Added: Feb 20 2003
Viewed: 51790 times
Poem of the Day: Sep 5 2003


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