What is the Theme of the poem English B?
Race, Identity, and Belonging. “Theme for English B” is a poem about the complexities of identity in a racist society. Its speaker—a black student at Columbia University in the 1950s—receives an apparently straightforward assignment: to write one page about himself.
Who is the speaker in the poem Theme for English B?
The speaker of “Theme for English B” is a college student, but he is not Langston Hughes. Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri, in 1902, not in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, as the poem says. He wrote the poem in 1946 and read it to audiences in Winston-Salem.
Why is it called Theme for English B?
As we know from his mention of Bessie Smith and Bach in line 24, the speaker of this poem likes music. So, perhaps, the speaker is relating his page to themes in literature, and themes in music. After all, the two are similar.
What is one of the major themes of Theme for English B?
Major Themes in “Theme for English B”: Identity, creativity, and racism are major themes of this poem. Right from the beginning, the black speaker struggles to come up to the expectations of his white professor.
Which statement is the best statement of a major Theme of Theme for English B?
Which statement is the best statement of a major theme of “Theme for English B”? America’s educational system is a bastion of equality in a nation otherwise beset by vast inequality.
What means English B?
English B is about developing your ability to speak and write in English, using the right words for the situation you are in: to communicate effectively.
What is the tone of Theme of English B?
At the beginning of “Theme for English B,” the speaker uses an uncertain, questioning tone to describe the teacher’s assignment to write a page about himself, asking if he can really produce something “true” since he’s so different from the other students.
How does Hughes tell his truth?
The speaker explores the truth about himself through a writing assignment given to him by a college instructor. Throughout the poem the speaker struggles with the notion that he is black, but he is being influenced by his instructor and white society in general. This unnerves him because he doesn’t know what is true.
How does society identify the narrator in Theme for English B?
How does society identify the narrator? (Theme for English B) They identify them as very different. They first identify him as an African American. He is saying that there is a lot more to him than that.
What literary devices does Langston Hughes use in Theme for English B?
Hughes makes use of several poetic techniques in ‘Theme for English B’. These include but are not limited to personification, anaphora, and alliteration. The latter, alliteration, occurs when words are used in succession, or at least appear close together, and begin with the same sound.
What is the rhyme scheme for Theme for English B?
“Theme for English B” is written in free verse—it stays the track of no one rhythmic pattern; it has no regular rhyme scheme. It does, however, establish patterns. The instructor’s homework assignment, for instance, is in an aabb rhyme pattern.
What literary devices are in Theme for English B?
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in “Theme for English B” literary devices such as similes, personifications, and metaphors are very important elements of a literary text.
What are the main themes of Langston Hughes poems?
Langston Hughes’ Poems: Major Themes
- Black Pride.
- Deportation and Cultural Heritage.
- Social Injustice and Fight for Equality.
- The American Dream.
- Racial Discrimination.
- Struggle and Suffering of Blacks.
- Dreams of African Americans in Hughes’s Poems.
- The Importance of Music, Particularly Jazz and Blues.
What is the narrator struggling with in Theme for English B?
”Theme for English B” by Langston Hughes In the poem, the narrator struggles with what it is like to be African-American in a world where African-Americans were seen as minorities and second-class citizens. Although it is a fictional piece, it could very much be about Hughes’ own life.
Where does the poet use imagery in Theme for English B?
Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. For example, “up to my room, sit down, and write this page”, “This is my page for English B” and “So will my page be colored that I write.” Rhetorical Question: Rhetorical question is a statement that is asked to receive an answer.
How is alliteration used in Theme for English B?
Although alliteration can be found in prose, this sound device is most common in poetry, as it is used to quickly and effectively establish a specific rhythm or mood. In ”Theme for English B,” Hughes writes, ”I like a pipe for a Christmas present,/ or records– Bessie, bop, or Bach” (lines 23-24).