In the beginning of the poem, the speaker frequently alludes to the fact that the American dream seems lost and in the speaker’s case was never present to him. Hughes used poetry as an instrument for cultural protest. The speaker of the poem then expresses that the disparity in America is felt from all people and some people have never experienced the true American dream when he says, “I am the Negro bearing slavery 's scars. I am the red man driven from the land, I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek.” The next lines in the poem discuss the harsh realities of the eat or be eaten world that was the early twentieth century. However, despite racial oppression, Hughes intentionally addresses economic and social inequality to create an …show more content…
The Great Depression occurred during the nineteen thirties and the hope for prosperity was diminishing rapidly. Multiple generations faced horrible quality of life for a long period of time. It felt like the concept of “The American Dream” was no longer applicable and John Kerry’s efforts to rekindle our country with his campaign slogan in 2004 only emphasizes the importance of Hughes’s