Dreams and Dream Deferred BY LANGSTON HUGHES Standard

“Dreams” and “Dream Deferred” BY LANGSTON HUGHES

Standard: RI 8. 1 Determine figurative, connotative, and technical meanings of words and phrases used in a text; analyze the impact of specific words, phrases, analogies or allusions on meaning and tone. Essential Question How do you analyze a poem? Why do poets use figurative language in poetry?

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“Dreams” Hold fast to dreams For if dreams die Life is a broken-winged bird That cannot fly. Hold fast to dreams For when dreams go Life is a barren field Frozen with snow.

Speaker: unknown narrator-possibly poet Subject: Keep trying to achieve your dreams Occasion: Analysis personal experience Purpose: to show you cannot live to your full potential if you let your dreams die Audience: general audience; other African Americans

Type: Lyric Define Lyric poetry Repetition: Hold fast to dreams Type of Poem Metaphors: Life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly. Life is a barren field frozen with snow Alliteration: dreams die Assonance: that & cannot; frozen & snow Stanzas: 2 Quatrains Define quatrain

Hold fast to dreams-a For if dreams die-b Life is a broken-winged bird-c “Dreams” Rhyme Scheme That cannot fly. -b Hold fast to dreams-a For when dreams go-b Life is a barren field-c Frozen with snow. -b

“Dream Deferred” (Harlem) What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun Or fester like a sore--And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over — Like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode?

Analysis Tone: Questioning, judgmental, warning Speaker: Someone who is bitter about having his dreams put off Audience: Society Subject: A series of rhetorical questions about living with disappointment Themes: Having to postpone one’s deepest desires can lead to destruction or destructive behavior

Type: Lyric Metaphor: ”does it explode? ” End Rhyme: sun-run, meat-sweet, load-explode Define end rhyme. Stanzas: Six Define stanza Repetition: does it Alliteration: dream deferred Annotations Similes: dry up like a raisin in the sun, fester like a sore, stink like rotten meat, Sugar over-Like a syrupy sweet, sag like a heavy load Imagery: raisin in the sun, fester like a sore, stink like rotten meat, heavy load, explode Dream Deferred-Harlem has eleven lines- quatrain, tercet. Define.

(Harlem) What happens to a dream deferred? A Does it dry up B like a raisin in the sun C Or fester like a sore— D Rhyme Scheme. Harlem And then run? b Does it stink like rotten meat? E Or crust and sugar over —F Like a syrupy sweet? E Maybe it just sags G like a heavy load. -h Or does it explode? H ”