I, too
Langston Hughes
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Lesson Objectives
• Students will be able to identify and explain the use of figurative language in
the poem to understand how it contributes to the poem's meaning and mood.
• Students will identify literary devices such as symbolism and irony in the
poem and explain how these devices contribute to the poem's themes and
message.
• Students will analyse the character of the poem's speaker, including their
emotions, experiences, and aspirations, using evidence from the text.
Think. Group. Share
Individually, read the poem and jot down your initial thoughts, feelings and any
questions about the poem. What stands out? What do you think the poem is
about?
In groups of 3-4, share your thoughts with your group
Invite some groups to share their discussions with the class
Langston Hughes
“I, Too” is a poem by Langston Hughes. First
published in 1926, during the height of the Harlem
Renaissance, the poem portrays American racism as
experienced by a black man. In the poem, white
people deny the speaker a literal and metaphorical seat
at the table. However, the speaker asserts that he is
just as much as part of America as are white people,
and that soon the rest of the country will be forced to
acknowledge the beauty and strength of black people.
Harlem
Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance was a
golden age for African
American artists, writers and
musicians. It gave these artists
pride in and control over how
the Black experience was
represented in American
culture and set the stage for
the civil rights movement.
Racism?
Themes
American identity?
Injustice?
“I, Too” is a cry of protest against American racism.
Inequality?
Its speaker, a black man, laments the way that he is
Segregation? excluded from American society—even though he is
a key part of it. But, the speaker argues, black people
have persevered—and will persevere—through the
injustices of racism and segregation by developing a
vibrant, beautiful, and independent cultural tradition,
a cultural tradition so powerful that it will eventually
compel white society to recognize black contributions
to American life and history.
This is an allusion to a poem by Walt
Whitman, “I Hear America Singing.” In that
poem, Whitman describes America as a song,
which emerges from a diverse chorus of
workers, farmers and industrial labors, women
and men.
However, Whitman notably does not include
black people in his vision of American life.
Even though the poem was written in 1855,
just five years before the Civil War started,
he doesn’t mention slavery at all. The
speaker objects to Whitman’s poem, insisting
that black people contribute to the American
“song”: in other words, that black culture and
black labour have been key to creating
America.
The speaker begins by asserting their right to have a voice
and to be heard. By saying "I, too, sing America," the
speaker is declaring that they, like others, have a role in
Is this a direct response to Whitman’s representing and expressing the American experience.
poem? This challenges the idea that only certain groups or
individuals have the right to define what it means to be
American.
I, too, sing America.
The opening lines convey a sense of
What is the significance of the opening unity and the desire for inclusion. By
lines of the poem? claiming their place in America and
expressing themselves as part of the
national narrative, the speaker is
calling for a more inclusive and
equitable society. They are saying
that their story is also an essential
part of the American story.
Family- American family (extended In other words, the extended
I refers to? The black metaphor highlights the
community? metaphor)
hypocrisy of white
communities: even though
I am the darker brother. white and black people are part
of the same American family,
They send me to eat in the kitchen white people exclude, neglect,
and ignore black contributions
When company comes, to American history and
culture.
But I laugh,
And eat well, The speaker is “the darker brother”—in other words, he’s
part of the same family—the American family—as the
And grow strong. white people who force him to eat in the kitchen.
Notice the pronouns? What is the significance of the pronouns used?
The “kitchen” broadly symbolizes the unequal
I am the darker brother. treatment faced by black Americans.
Black people were often employed as domestic
They send me to eat in the kitchen workers for white families—tasked with things like
preparing food and caring for children. Despite
When company comes, relying on such workers, white families would push
them into the background, refusing to treat them as
But I laugh, equal human beings even as they benefited from
their labour.
And eat well,
And grow strong.
the “kitchen” symbolises one of its most perverse expressions: segregation. Segregation
meant the black people and white people had to stay separate, in everything from where
they lived to what water fountains they used. Sending the speaker to the kitchen represents
white society's hypocritical treatment of him, its desire to benefit from his labour without
acknowledging his humanity.
"company" symbolises white society. It also
literally means “guests” or “visitors.” The
white members of the American family
seem to be ashamed of their “darker
I am the darker brother. brother”: they don’t want to acknowledge
their relationship to a black person in front
They send me to eat in the kitchen of other people. This suggests that the white
members of the family are hypocrites. They
When company comes, only hide the “darker brother” when other
people are around.
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong. Metaphorically, the speaker argues here that
segregation and racism will not make black
communities weak or discouraged: instead they will
Polysyndeton, a device in which coordinating “grow strong,” developing independent economic
conjunctions are repeated for emphasis. The and political power. The use of the word "But"
speaker uses polysyndeton to add passion and makes it clear that this is a specific, intentional
intensity to his argument about racism. response to segregation, almost as if the speaker is
making a rebuttal to the actions of white people.
What is the tone here? The attitude of the speaker?
Defiance?
Rage?
Tomorrow,
The speaker’s determination to acquire that opportunity is evident in the
I’ll be at the table strong consonant sounds he uses in the line: “I’ll be at the table.” With it
hard /t/s and /b/s, the line expresses a passionate, powerful commitment to
When company comes. fighting racism without compromise.
Nobody’ll dare
Say to me,
“Eat in the kitchen,”
Then.
the table symbolises respect, equality, and opportunity. It symbolises power and
participation, the opportunity to engage meaningfully in American democracy—as an equal
player, a respected contributor. When the speaker comes to the table “tomorrow,” he will no
longer be a second-class citizen, but finally recognized as the full member of American
society that he is.
Notice the similarities and differences in stanza 2 and 3?
Tomorrow,
I am the darker brother. I’ll be at the table
They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes.
When company comes, Nobody’ll dare
But I laugh, Say to me,
And eat well, “Eat in the kitchen,”
And grow strong. Then.
What can you deduce
from these stanzas?
But the circumstances in which it appears change. In stanza 1, it
(One could describe these repeated phrases and
is a direct command that the speaker has to obey. However, in
sentences in these two stanzas as parallelism, a form
stanza 2, it is something that “Nobody’ll dare / Say to me”
of repetition in which sentences follow a similar
because the white family has no choice but to give him a place at
structure.)
the table.
Used of – significant, compelling,
for emphasis
Beautiful, amazing, accomplish
Besides,
They’ll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed—
The speaker uses a striking enjambment at the of the word ‘am’. The reader is suspended
for a moment, wondering how the white family will respond to their sudden recognition of
the speaker’s beauty. The speaker expects that their response will be to "be ashamed." The
enjambment captures this moment of realisation. It thus subtly encourages the reader to
think about how white Americans can and should respond to their own racism, and to the
racist history of their country.
The poem’s final line is a refrain: it repeats the poem’s first line—albeit, with an important
change. Instead of saying that he “sing[s] America,” the speaker says “I, too, am America.”
In its second iteration, the speaker drops the allusion to Whitman: he no longer seems to
need Whitman.
I, too, am America.
Similar to the first line?
He has gained confidence and authority over the course of the poem. He affirms directly
and powerfully that he is part of America.
Notebook Questions
1. What does Hughes mean when he "sings America"?
2. Who is Hughes "singing" to?
3. Why was Hughes told to "eat in the kitchen"?
4. What is the significance of the tone change from "I, too, sing
America" to "I, too, am America"?
Notebook Questions
• What is the significance of the end-stops in the
poem?
• What is the rhyme scheme of the poem and why do
you think the poet decided to follow the rhyme
scheme?
How does Langston Hughes strikingly
convey the theme of resistance in the poem?
(8m)
In Langston Hughes's poem "I, Too," the theme of resistance is powerfully conveyed through the use of literary devices.
Langston Hughes's poem "I, Too" was written during the Harlem Renaissance in the early 20th century. This period marked a cultural and
artistic revival among African Americans, and it was a time when racial discrimination and segregation were deeply entrenched in American
society. Hughes's poem reflects the struggle for civil rights and the need for African Americans to assert their identities and resist
oppression.
The speaker describes being told to "eat in the kitchen when company comes." Here, the "kitchen" symbolises a place of segregation and
discrimination, where African Americans were relegated to, away from the "dining room." The dining room symbolises the space where
social inclusion and privilege are enjoyed by the white majority. The juxtaposition of the kitchen and dining room serves as a powerful
symbol of social injustice, illustrating the racial segregation prevalent in society. The act of being told to "eat in the kitchen" reflects the
history of racial discrimination and segregation in America. By using the dining room and kitchen as symbols, Hughes makes a profound
statement about the experiences of African Americans. The speaker's resistance to this segregation and their determination to assert their
identity in the face of racial discrimination is seen in the lines “Tomorrow/’ll be at the table” The speaker’s determination to acquire that
opportunity is evident in the strong consonant sounds. With its hard /t/s and /b/s, the line expresses a passionate, powerful commitment to
fighting racism without compromise. The end-stop in the word “Then” underscores the speaker’s confidence that racism will eventually lose
its power. It reflects the speaker’s powerful sense of resistance, his refusal to accept that racism will last forever.
How would you improvise on the response
shown in the previous slide?
