Ichchha Narayan
Mr. Deoraj
ENG4U0-A
3 December, 2024
Paragraph Components
eneral Statement (1-2 Sentences)
G
Inequality affects individual’s lives and perspectives, often influencing their
identities and opportunities. This is evident in the poemsTheme for English B
by Langston Hughes andColonial Girls’ Schoolby OliveSenior, which use
various methods and literary devices to highlight the theme of inequality.
rief Statement On Three Arguments (3 Sentences)
B
Both poets show racial inequality through visual imagery, though Senior
emphasizes the effects of these inequalities in a colonial setting and Hughes
in an urban setting. Furthermore, both poems depict the conflict of inequality
Introduction that the persona faces within society to deepen the understanding of the
discrimination marginalized individuals experience. Finally, both poets use
allusion as a tool to provide a better understanding of these racial inequalities
in relation to media.
hesis Statement (1-2 Sentences)
T
Both texts represent racial inequality through visual imagery, conflict and
allusion, creating a better understanding of the negative effects of
misrepresentations of one’s race while also highlighting the lasting impact of
colonialism on marginalized communities.
opic Sentence (1 Sentence)
T
Visual imagery is a key literary device in both poems, used to clearly
represent the racial inequalities that exist in colonial and postcolonial settings.
First Supporting Point for Book 1 (5-8 Sentences)
● Introduce Point (1 Sentence)
● Explicit Proof (1-2 Sentences)
● Implicit Analysis (2-4 Sentences)
● Conclude Point (1 sentence)
Body Paragraph 1
InTheme for English B, Langston Hughes uses visualimagery to highlight the
geographical and social segregation experienced by the persona. Visual
imagery can be seen in the first stanza when the persona states, “The steps
from the hill lead down into Harlem, / through a park, then I cross St.
Nicholas, Eighth Avenue, Seventh, and I come to the Y.” The imagery in the
passage shows the persona’s journey back home, illustrating geographical
and social segregation. This quote can also show racial inequality in how the
mentions of the streets “Nicholas, Eighth Avenue, Seventh” create a visual
ap of the persona’s journey, emphasizing the separation of spaces by race
m
and class. This quote emphasizes the distance that the poet has to travel to
get to school and also sheds light on the distance that is created between him
and his peers because of his race. Through visual imagery, Hughes debates
how racial and economic differences shape the realities of the less fortunate
proletariat, which are not constructed by society but physically appear in the
environment.
First Supporting Point for Book 2 (5-8 Sentences)
● Introduce Point (1 Sentence)
● Explicit Proof (1-2 Sentences)
● Implicit Analysis (2-4 Sentences)
● Conclude Point (1 sentence)
InColonial Girls’ School, Olive Senior uses visualimagery to depict the
systemic oppression of marginalized populations and the horrible impacts of
colonialism. This is evident in the third stanza when the persona states, “How
those pale northern eyes and / aristocratic whispers once erased us / How
our loudness, our laughter / debased us.” This imagery depicts the feeling of
being judged and devalued by her peers while highlighting the class hierarchy
that pushes people of colour to the bottom. Senior suggests that at one point,
their culture and their identities were erased by the people who are now
considered her peers, creating these racial inequalities. She also suggests
that their joy and loudness were used as a way to make them feel lesser than
others, further proving that “otherness” is created by finding ways to make
someone feel ashamed for their differences and using race as the reason.
Through this imagery, Senior illustrates how colonialism not only sets racial
hierarchies but also aims to reduce the cultural identity and self-worth of
marginalized individuals.
Critical Connections (2-4 Sentences)
Questions to Consider:
● Why did you choose to pair these points together?
● How are these points both related to your thesis?
● How can your implicit analyses of both books help you understand
characters/society/relationships/conflicts at a deeper level?
hese points demonstrate how both poems reflect on racial inequality through
T
the use of imagery and how each text uses imagery to paint a picture of their
experiences in racially diverse settings. Analyzing the imagery presented in
both texts provides a deeper understanding of the negative experiences
faced by people of colour by giving specific details about the world around
them. This relates to how systemic and interpersonal racism become
internalized, shaping how individuals perceive themselves and their
environments, as stated in the reportInternalized Racism: A Systematic
Review of the Psychological Literature on Racism’s Most Insidious
Consequenceby E. J. R. David, Tiera M. Schroeder, and Jessicaanne
Fernandez, that “Increased discussions about how racism exists and
operates in interpersonal interactions and institutions (for an example of
interpersonal and institutional racism, see Kovera, 2019) seem to suggest
that people are becoming more aware that racism is systemic and
everywhere. However, fewer people seem to be aware that racism also exists
and operateswithinpeople” (David). From a postcolonial lens, this
mphasizes the lasting impacts of colonialism, where the history of racial
e
hierarchies influences how individuals discuss their reality by affecting their
internal identities as well as showing up externally in social structures. Racial
inequalities not only create external divides but also foster internal conflicts.
opic Sentence (1 Sentence)
T
In both poems, the conflicts each persona deals with give the reader a better
understanding of the inequalities rooted in racial and cultural oppression.
Second Supporting Point for Book 1 (5-8 Sentences)
● Introduce Point (1 Sentence)
● Explicit Proof (1-2 Sentences)
● Implicit Analysis (2-4 Sentences)
● Conclude Point (1 sentence)
InTheme for English B, Hughes conveys the externalconflict between the
persona’s identity and social expectations forced by racial inequality. Hughes
states, “I guess being colored doesn’t make menotlike / the same things
other folks like who are other races.” This quotation emphasizes the
persona’s reflection on the conflict of being both different and the same. This
conflict is imposed by racial inequality by creating boundaries that determine
how individuals view themselves and other individuals based on their race.
This quote shows that the poet recognizes “otherness” and his inner
connection to humanity, highlighting how inequality forces marginalized
individuals to manage an unstable sense of self. Through this external
conflict, Hughes is able to recognize and break down the barriers of
colonialism by suggesting that the divisions that are created based on race
Body Paragraph 2 are false representations.
Second Supporting Point for Book 2 (5-8 Sentences)
● Introduce Point (1 Sentence)
● Explicit Proof (1-2 Sentences)
● Implicit Analysis (2-4 Sentences)
● Conclude Point (1 sentence)
InColonial Girls’ School, Senior explores the internalconflict portrayed
through racial inequality, focusing on the relationship between one’s cultural
identity and the spread of European cultural standards, specifically in
Jamaica. This is shown when the persona states, “Months, years, a childhood
memorising / Latin declensions / (For our language - 'bad talking '
detentions).” This quote shows the struggles with identity that are faced by
students who do not find representations of themselves in a colonial
education system. In school, the person has expectations to learn
declensions of Latin but is punished for using their language, and therefore
struggles with embracing their own cultural identity. The Eurocentrism of the
education system creates this internal conflict for the persona and causes
them to feel inferior for not adhering to the societal norm, like speaking
English. The external conflict of racial inequality is further reinforced through
language suppression and creates a sense of “otherness” through the
systemic loss of cultural identities.
Critical Connections (2-4 Sentences)
Questions to Consider:
● Why did you choose to pair these points together?
● How are these points both related to your thesis?
● How can your implicit analyses of both books help you understand
characters/society/relationships/conflicts at a deeper level?
hese points highlight the conflicts that each persona faces in both poems,
T
helping the reader better understand the internal and external struggles of
those who face racial inequalities. InA CompoundStylistic Approach to the
Racial Conflict in Selected Poems by Langston Hughesby Dr. Mursi H. Ali,
they reflect on the cause for these racial inequalities when they state, “It has
started with the Whites’ disbelief or, at least, questioning of the Blacks’
distinct identity, which was an indication of the Blacks’ inferiority to the
Whites”(Ali). Both poems reinforce this idea that their identities are constantly
being questioned or misrepresented in order for those with privilege to justify
racial inequality. Through a post-colonial lens, these conflicts show the lasting
impacts of colonial ideologies that established racial hierarchies and shaped
modern views on marginalized individuals. Analyzing how both poems
highlight racial inequality through conflict creates a better understanding of
how these inequalities impact marginalized communities.
opic Sentence (1 Sentence)
T
Allusion is a significant literary device in both poems, as it allows readers to
understand the depths of inequality by highlighting racial stereotypes and
cultural loss.
Third Supporting Point for Book 1 (5-8 Sentences)
● Introduce Point (1 Sentence)
● Explicit Proof (1-2 Sentences)
● Implicit Analysis (2-4 Sentences)
● Conclude Point (1 sentence)
InTheme for English B, Hughes uses allusion to highlightand debate racial
inequality in society. This can be shown in the second stanza when the
persona states, “I like a pipe for a Christmas present, or records—Bessie,
Body Paragraph 3 bop, or Bach. I guess being colored doesn’t make me not like the same things
other folks like who are other races.” This quotation alludes to Bessie Smith,
an African American blues singer during the jazz age, Johann Sebastian
Bach, a German composer and musician, and bop, short for bebop, being a
type of early modern jazz. This allusion demonstrates how, despite the
persona being African-American, they listen to a wide range of music, which
goes against the prejudiced belief that people of certain races can only listen
to certain types of music. The second part of the quote, “I guess being
colored doesn’t make me not like the same things other folks like who are
other races,” shows how despite segregation being such a huge part of their
lives, creating an emphasis on differences between black people and white
people, they are actually more alike. Racial inequality is demonstrated
through this example as it shows how differences tend to be created in order
to allow certain races to be more privileged despite the fact that it’s based on
untrue beliefs. Through the use of allusions, Hughes highlights how our
shared humanity undermines the views of racial inequity.
Third Supporting Point for Book 2 (5-8 Sentences)
● Introduce Point (1 Sentence)
● Explicit Proof (1-2 Sentences)
● Implicit Analysis (2-4 Sentences)
● Conclude Point (1 sentence)
he allusions shown inColonial Girls’ Schoolareto show the racial and
T
cultural inequalities maintained by colonial education systems. The allusion is
shown when the persona states, “They were talking of desegregation / in
Little Rock, Arkansas. Lumumba / and the Congo. To us: mumbo-jumbo. / We
have read Vachel Lindsay's / vision of the jungle,” and “One day we’ll talk
about / How the mirror broke / Who kissed us awake / Who let Anansi from
his bag.” The first part of the quote alludes to a poem written by Vachel
Lindsey calledThe Congo: A Study of the Negro Race,which conveys
negative stereotypes about black people and inaccurate depictions of cultural
rituals (Lindsey). Olive Senior references Lindey’s poem to discuss the idea
that despite discussions of desegregation in parts of the United States of
America and the Congo, literary works such as Lindesy’s poem show that
racist views are still present in the world. She later alludes to Anansi when
she states, “One day we’ll talk about / How the mirror broke / Who kissed us
awake / Who let Anansi from his bag,” and this is a reference to Anansi the
spider, which is a character from West African and Caribbean folktale. Senior
references Anasi with hopes that, at some point, people will recognize the
stereotypes and racial inequalities built into the education system by making
an effort to analyze texts that represent different cultures and show the stories
that are important to people of colour rather than the stories that paint them in
a negative light. Senior uses of allusion create a better understanding of the
racial inequalities created in a colonial school because of the neglect to study
diverse texts and appreciate all cultures.
Critical Connections (2-4 Sentences)
Questions to Consider:
● Why did you choose to pair these points together?
● How are these points both related to your thesis?
● How can your implicit analyses of both books help you understand
characters/society/relationships/conflicts at a deeper level?
oth texts use allusions to understand racial inequality, specifically focusing
B
on the idea of “otherness” and how the media can be used to create
differences between races. These points connect to the thesis by addressing
the racial inequalities created by those with a colonial mindset. InHistorical
Allusions as Stylistic Strategy in the Poetry of Langston Hughesby Anthony
Ebebe Eyang, he states, “As a thread that runs through the poetic oeuvre of
Langston Hughes, historical allusions and references to personages are a
stylistic strategy used in communicating the fierce urgency of the present in
relation to the past.” This quote reinforces how historical allusion is used in
poetry to make references to texts of the past to better understand the current
struggles that people face. The analyses of both poems highlight the
inequalities created when we fail to recognize that we can learn through
understanding diverse cultures and that, despite our differences, there is
something that everyone can contribute.
estate Thesis that You Have Proved (1-2 Sentences)
R
To conclude, bothTheme for English BandColonialGirls’ Schoolshow the
inequalities through imagery, conflict, and allusion, focusing on the impact of
colonialism and how racial identities are shaped, and may be analyzed
through a post-colonial lens.
rief Statement On Three Arguments You Have Proved (3 Sentences)
B
Both poets used the literary devices of visual imagery to convey racial
inequality, with Senior exploring its effects in a colonial setting and Hughes in
Conclusion an urban setting. Furthermore, the conflicts presented in both poems allow
the reader to understand the discrimination that marginalized individuals
experience. Lastly, the poets further highlight the racial inequalities in media
and society using allusion.
eneric Statement (1-2 Sentences)
G
Overall, both texts demonstrate how poetry speaks to the structures of
inequality and expresses its issues, inspiring readers to consider how deeply
embedded these problems are in influencing how we witness and experience
the world.
Work Cited
Ali, Mursi. “A Compound Stylistic Approach to the Racial Conflict in Selected Poems by
Langston Hughes.”Journal of Sustainable Developmentin Social and Environmental
Sciences, vol. 2, no. 2, Mar. 2023, pp. 1–20,
https://doi.org/10.21608/jsdses.2023.183943.1012. Accessed 26 Jan. 2023.
David, E. J. R., et al. “Internalized Racism: A Systematic Review of the Psychological Literature
on Racism’s Most Insidious Consequence.”Journal ofSocial Issues, vol. 75, no. 4, Sept.
2019, pp. 1057–86, https://doi.org/10.1111/josi.12350.
Eyang, Anthony. “Historical Allusions as Stylistic Strategy in the Poetry of Langston Hughes.”
LWATI: A Journal of Contemporary Research, vol. 13,no. 2, 2016, pp. 48–59,
www.ajol.info/index.php/lwati/article/view/160774/150343.
Hughes, Langston. “Theme for English B.”Poetry Foundation,2002,
www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47880/theme-for-english-b.
“Representative Poetry Online.”Representative PoetryOnline, 2024,
rpo.library.utoronto.ca/content/congo-study-negro-race. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.
SENIOR, OLIVE. “Colonial Girls School.”Poetry Archive,1985,
poetryarchive.org/poem/colonial-girls-school/.
