UNIT-1

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8 General enGlish
nonliteral figures of speech. Hughes’ poem uses that not all Americans have the same God-given
figurative language to emphasise the speaker’s rights, and that not all Americans live up to their
point of view. founding beliefs, even if they pretend to. The
use of the personal pronouns “me” and “my” is
The “wall” is used as an evocative symbol another essential stylistic element. They are used
in the poem. According to the poet, this “wall” by Langston Hughes to represent all people of
rose between the poet and his dream. The word colour in America. In the same way, this poem
“wall” is used in a metaphorical sense. Hughes might be applicable to all racial groups in the
used this approach in the poem to convey the United States. Langston Hughes used numerous
bleakness of the speaker’s reality as he grows analogies and metaphors to emphasise his point.
older and faces obstacles to his goals. “And then In the context of the poet’s racial identity,
the wall rose slowly / Slowly / Between me the “wall” stands as a symbol for the obstacles
and my dream / Rose until it touched the sky,” and challenges that lie in the path of realising
Hughes wrote. As it rises between the speaker the poet’s dream. The poet being an African-
and his desires, the wall takes on a life of its American has to face many difficulties to achieve
own. The inanimate wall not only looms over equality for the African-Americans living in
the speaker by itself but is also given the human America. The poem, thus, dramatises the anguish
attribute of “touch.” He emphasises the reality of those who are victims of racial discrimination.

Q6.
describe the changing tone and mood of the poem.
Answer :
Langston Hughes (1902–1967) was an African-American poet who was active in the civil rights
movement and wrote the poem “As I Grew Older.” He lived during a time in America when black
people were oppressed heavily, and he believed that poetry and art could help to achieve racial
equality. Hughes was a key figure in the Harlem Renaissance and one of the first poets to advocate
for African-American culture.“As I Grew Older” is about growing up in a world where there is
racial disparity.

The poem is about the speaker’s failure to realise a childhood dream due to racism and
discrimination in his community. He talks about his experiences as a young man and his desire
to achieve greatness. The speaker’s youthful dreams are represented by the sun, which is then
contrasted with “the wall,” which reflects the reality he faces in a biassed society. The speaker’s skin
colour is represented by the shadow produced by the wall, which is why he is unable to realise his
aspirations in a prejudiced and racially unequal society.
The poem’s tone shifts throughout, representing shifts in the speaker’s mood. The speaker
seemed to be optimistic at first. “It was a long time ago./ I almost lost my dream./ But it was there
then,/ In front of me,/ Bright as the sun—my dream,” he adds. But when he comes face to face
with prejudice, he loses hope: “Above me./ Only the thick wall./ Only the shadow.” Finally, the
speaker’s outlook shifts back to optimism. “My hands!/ My black hands!/ Break through the wall!/
Find my dream!” he tells himself. The speaker is determined about not giving up and giving in.
Thus, the poem’s concluding picture is of the sun, implying a hopeful tone, which is similar to the
tone at the beginning of the poem.

1.1 GLOSSARY
shatter /∫ætər/ To break into very small pieces
smash /smæ∫/ To break into many pieces suddenly, noisily and violently
whirling /w3:llŊ/ Spinning,rotating,turn in ground and round quickly

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