Black Identity in Langston Hughes Theme for English B (Essay Sample)

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Black Identity in Langston Hughes’ “Theme for English B”
In “Theme for English B” by Langston Hughes, the speaker of the poem inquires if race affects his writing. The poem raises questions of race and personal freedom that the speaker grapples with in an attempt to answer them. The tone and theme of the poem illuminate Hughes’ life experiences during the period of Harlem Renaissance. Through the speaker, Hughes presents a conflict in which a black student writes a composition for a white teacher, which reflects the racial tension prevalent in the society at the time (Hughes 1). In writing the composition, the speaker of the poem attempts to find identity in the midst of racial tension. The identity crisis is evidenced when the speaker begs the question “Me—who?” (Hughes 20). According to DiYanni, critics attempt to categorize Hughes’ poems into groups; those with racial affirmation and those with racial protest (522-523). However, “Theme for English B,” does not fit precisely within either of these two groups because the speaker conveys a tone of frustration and pride in the quest for identity and personal freedom.
Langston Hughes, through the speaker, conveys the theme of discrimination during his time. The speaker is the only Black student in the entire class (Hughes 10). Although the speaker goes ahead and expresses himself as asked by the instructor, he is afraid of the judgment he will receive from the instructor and fellow students. The speaker reiterates that even though he is black, he does and likes the same things as other races. He states that “Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love. I like to work, read, learn, and understand life” (Hughes 21-22). However, society’s perception of race is different from that of the speaker as they were viewed as inferior race. Hughes tries to show that African Americans have equal standing with whites albeit the difference in skin color (Marpaung 38).
Hughes conveys racial tension and African Americans’ quest for identity and freedom. In the poem, the speaker says that he does not seek to be part of the white culture. Equally, he believes that the white instructor does not desire to a part of black people either (Hughes 34-35). But the speaker hopes to learn from the instructor and believes that the instructor can also learn from him despite the instructor’s older age and being white (Hughes 37-40). Through this poem, Hughes portrays his feeling and that of his race towards racial issues. Throughout the poem “Theme for English B” Hughes demonstrates an element of racial protest, by black people, since white people believe they are superior and freer than blacks (DiYanni 522-523).
The use of imagery in the poem helps to illuminate the speaker and the black people’s quest for freedom and identity. By describing images of Harlem, Hughes helps the reader to understand the roots and identity of the speaker, which in turn inform his view of society. The speaker’s school is “above” Harlem, perhaps a pointer to the fact that he feels out of place with his familiar environment in Harlem. The imagery in the poem reflects the routine and experiences of common folks that Hughes tries to relate with his personal experience. In his attempt to illuminate on the experiences of black people, Hughes has been criticized and praised in equal measure. On the one hand, some black critics note that Hughes focuses on unattractive aspects of black life. On the other hand, Hughes received praise for identifying with common black people. In such case, Hughes uses less sophistication to depict African American experiences of identity crisis and quest for personal freedom (Jarraway, 830-834).
In “Theme for English B” Hughes attempts to affirm that the pervasive feeling that blackness is an archetype of negation, absence and evil must be defeated so that the “black self” is viewed as a symbol of affirmation, good and presence. The speaker asks the instructor "So will my page be colored that I write?" (Hughes 27) to which the speaker responds in an ambiguous manner by stating “Being me, it will not be white. / But it will be / a part of you, instructor, / you are white" (Hughes 28-31). Here, Hughes intimates that the speaker’s page will certainly be different. However, Hughes might also be suggesting that it is impossible to ever completely shun the power of the white race (Powell 3).
Hughes attempt to discover the black self, through the narrator, is difficult because is measured relative to an ethnocentric standard. The poem is not pegged on racial affirmation since the speaker is forced to identify himself based on the ethnocentrism of the dominant white culture (Jarraway, 827-829). First, the speaker is the only black student in a class dominated by white students and a white instructor. Second, as stated earlier, the speaker describes images of Harlem to school, which seems to be outside his home. In this way, Hughes shows how the dominant white culture, detonated by the instructor and students, has consigned black people to doubt their sense of identity and freedom. Since the speaker constantly views himself through the eyes of white society, he does not make sense of the notion of his own black identity.
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