Moses Janosky 1

Moses Janosky

Block E

Mr.Smith

2/15/23

Eyes, Eventually will See Truth

“I Look at the World '' by Langston Hughes expresses conflicts with the mental

confinements of segregation, as well as escaping these confinements. The poem also encourages

people to join in and take a stand against the current oppression. The author personifies

segregation with the phrase “I look then at the silly walls”(Hughes 6). The use of the word

“silly” emphasizes the pointless demeanor of the “walls” which is alluding to segregation and

connecting to the theme of the poem. The speaker then switches to a symbolic approach when

writing,in (line 12) “With eyes no longer blind” gaining a new perspective like the common

phrase “The light at the end of the tunnel”. The new perspective is the realization that the power

to escape segregation belongs to the individual. Hughes ends the poem by reinforcing the theme

by welcoming people to join the cause. “Then let us hurry, comrades, The road to find (line

15,16)” the word “comrades'' alludes to everyone that feels the same way and the phrase “The

road to find” sugar coding the difficult journey that lies ahead in hopes to inspire and commit as

many people to the dream. Leaving the reader with the feeling that the power of segregation

comes from self enforcement that is creating the hopeless feeling in African Americans during

the Harlem Renaissance, as well as the self empowerment of knowing where the first step of

“the road to find” starts with the conquering of segregation at the individual level then as a

group.
 Moses Janosky 2

Citations

Hughes, Langston. “I Look at the World by Langston Hughes.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry

Foundation, Jan. 2009, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/52005/i-

look-at-the-world.
 Moses Janosky 3

Poem Explication Rubric

Skill Not Foundational Proficient Advanced
Yet
Identifies the topic Identifies the topic Identifies a specific
of the poem of the poem and a theme/perspective
basic theme of the poem

Comments:

Thesis/
Theme

Includes some Includes at least 3 Includes 3 or more

specific lines from specific references specific, meaningful,
the poem, but may to lines of the poem and well-chosen
not have much that have some lines from the poem
connection to the connection to the that relate to the
theme/may be theme theme
surface-level
Evidence
May have 2 or fewer
lines from the poem

Comments:
 Moses Janosky 4

Explains how the Explains how the Explains the effect

facts or basic details figurative language, and impact of
of the poem connect imagery, or tone of specific figurative
to its main ideas the poem contribute language, imagery,
to its or tone of the poem
Connects to basic theme/meaning and how this
Analysis context of the supports the
Harlem Renaissance Connects the theme theme/author’s
of the poem to the purpose in writing
context of the the poem
Harlem Renaissance
Makes nuanced and
specific connections
to the context of the
Harlem Renaissance
and/or the poet’s
biography

Comments:

Some elements Heading is correctly No errors in MLA

missing or some formatted format
errors in MLA format
Pages are numbered

In-text citations are

correctly formatted

Works Cited format:

hanging indent,
MLA Format double-spaced,
alphabetized, starts
on a new page

Lines of poetry are

correctly
cited/formatted

Comments:
 Moses Janosky 5

Shows evidence of Most quotes are All quotes are

basic proofreading correctly integrated correctly integrated

Follows organization: Fluid organization,

Conventions/ topic/thesis sentence, including smooth
Expectations integration of transitions between
evidence, analysis, evidence
and concluding
sentence Shows evidence of
careful proofreading
Shows evidence of
proofreading

Comments:

Strengths: The analysis of ‘silly walls’ was pretty on point, and the first sentence of what could
have been great analysis!

Improvements: Try to fully delve into the thoughts. Each analysis was the start of a really
awesome idea, and I want to see you fully bring those ideas out!