ABHI VARUN MADELA

5/17/23
CITY: SAN FRANCISCO – BY LANGSTON HUGHES

1. To what does Hughes compare the city in stanza one? Support with details. You are
looking for metaphor here. (2)

In the first stanza of his poem, Langston Hughes compares the city to a bird spreading its wings.
This is a metaphor that helps the reader to visualize the city as a living, breathing organism. Just
as a bird stretches its wings in the morning, ready to take flight, so too does the city awaken
and come to life each day. The metaphor also suggests a sense of freedom and possibility, as if
the city is self-confident to take off and explore new horizons. By using this metaphor, Hughes
can convey a sense of movement and energy that is central to the experience of living in a
vibrant, bustling urban environment like San Francisco.

2. To what does Hughes compare the city in stanza two? Support. You are looking for
personification. (2)

In the second stanza of his poem, Hughes personifies the city by suggesting that it "goes to bed"
at night. This humanlike portrayal of the city helps to create a sense of intimacy and familiarity,
as if the city is a friend. By suggesting that the city has a daily routine, just like a human being,
Hughes can make the reader feel more connected to the urban landscape. This personification
is also important because it helps to create a sense of contrast between the two stanzas of the
poem. Whereas the first stanza is full of movement and activity, the second stanza is more
passive and introspective, reflecting the quieter moments of urban life.

3. (A) What two sounds dominate the first stanza? You must listen orally or with "the
mind's ear." (1) (B) Why has Hughes used these sounds on purpose? (2)

(A) In the first stanza of his poem, Hughes uses two dominant sounds: the sound of "song" and
the sound of "stone". (B) These sounds are used purposefully to create a contrast between the
organic and the inorganic. The sound of "song" is associated with nature and the human voice,
suggesting a sense of fluidity and emotion. The sound of "stone", on the other hand, is
associated with the built environment and technology, suggesting a sense of solidity and
durability. By using these two sounds together, Hughes can create a sense of tension between
the natural and the artificial, suggesting that the city is complex and multi-layered.

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 ABHI VARUN MADELA
5/17/23
CITY: SAN FRANCISCO – BY LANGSTON HUGHES

4. The choice of the word "stone" (line 4) is purposeful. Tell why each of the following
word should not replace "stone": (a) asphalt (b) concrete (c) pavement. There may be
several reasons for each. (3)

The choice of the word "stone" in the first stanza of the poem is purposeful it’s different from
the word’s "asphalt", "concrete", or "pavement". Stone implies a certain endlessness and
solidity that the other words do not. While asphalt, concrete, and pavement are all associated
with modern construction, stone has a more classical and enduring quality. It suggests a
connection to the past and a sense of history that is not present in the other words.
Additionally, the word "stone" has a musical quality when read aloud, which helps to create a
sense of rhythm and harmony in the poem. Finally, the word "stone" provides a contrast to the
brief nature of the "song" in the first line, strengthening that the city is complex and
multifaceted.

5. Why did Hughes choose the word "stone Give 3 reasons. Only one reason should have
to do with the meaning of the word; the other 2 reasons deal with poetics. (3)

Hughes chose the word "stone" in the first stanza of his poem for several reasons. First, the
word adds to the theme of endlessness and perpetuity that runs throughout the poem. By
using a word that has a sense of history and durability, Hughes can suggest that the city is a
place that has endured for generations, even as it continues to change and evolve. Second, the
word "stone" has a musical quality when read aloud, which helps to create a sense of rhythm
and harmony in the poem. Finally, the word "stone" provides a contrast to the short-lived
nature of the "song" in the first line, Like I explained above Hughes is possibly suggesting that
the city is complex and multifaceted that is enduring and ever-changing.

6. Find 3 examples of personification. (Right minus wrong). (3)

Three examples of personification in the poem are: (1) the phrase "the city spreads its wings" in
the first line, which gives organic qualities to the city by suggesting that it can stretch and move
like a living creature; (2) the phrase "the city goes to bed" in the second stanza, which gives the
city a sense of human behavior; and (3) the phrase "hanging lights about its head" in the second
stanza, which suggests that the city has a body and a head, and that the lights are like
accessories that the city wears. Personification is used throughout the poem to help create a
sense of intimacy and familiarity between the reader and the urban environment, which in turn
helps to make the poem more relatable and emotional.

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 ABHI VARUN MADELA
5/17/23
CITY: SAN FRANCISCO – BY LANGSTON HUGHES

7. What are the "lights" that hang about the city's head? (2)

In the second stanza of his poem, Hughes refers to "hanging lights about its head". These lights
are likely a reference to the streetlights and other illuminated signs and decorations that are
found in urban environments. By describing the lights as hanging around the city's head,
Hughes can create a sense of playfulness, as if the city is a living being that is dressed up in
festive clothing. The phrase also suggests a sense of nighttime activity and excitement, as if the
city is a place where people come alive after the sun goes down.

8. How are the two times of day similar? (1) Consider tone and poetics.

The two times of day in the poem are similar in that they both suggest a sense of ritual and
routine. In the morning, the city spreads its wings and makes a song, while in the evening it
goes to bed and hangs lights about its head. Both stanzas suggest that the city has a predictable
and consistent rhythm, which is central to the experience of living in an urban environment.
The similarity between the two stanzas also helps to create a sense of balance and symmetry in
the poem, which contributes to its overall sense of harmony and beauty.

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 ABHI VARUN MADELA
5/17/23
CITY: SAN FRANCISCO – BY LANGSTON HUGHES

9. Write the middle stanza of the poem. It should be faithful to the poetics of the original
poem. (10)

In the afternoon the city

Paints vivid hues

Shadows and light

Blend in kaleidoscopic views

In the afternoon the city

Stirs and hums

Traffic flows

Like beating drums

In the afternoon the city

Whispers secrets

Through bustling streets

Where dreams take flight

In the afternoon the city

Stirs with motion

Sunlight dances

On waves of commotion

10. What is the "song" of the city? (2)

The "song" of the city in Hughes' poem is the sound of movement and energy that soaks the
urban landscape. It is the sound of people going about their daily lives, the sound of cars and
trains and buses rushing by, the sound of music and laughter and conversation. The "song" of
the city is not a literal song, but rather a metaphor for the sense of vitality and creativity that is
central to the experience of living in an urban environment. By using this metaphor, Hughes can
capture the essence of what makes cities such dynamic and inspiring places to be.