Langston Hughes Poetry Project: Due Friday, February 13, 2009!!

THIS ASSIGNMENT IS WORTH 160 POINTS!

Please complete the following readings and questions. You will be reading three poems by Langston Hughes and then analyzing his style and evaluating the issues he raises in his writing.

You must EMAIL this work to ms.kingsbury@verizon.net by Friday, February 13, 2009, at 11:59 p.m.

Poem #1: Cross
Available at http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/cross/
Questions related to this poem:
1. Evaluate the relationship that Hughes has with his parents. How does he feel about his father? How does he feel about his mother? Is their family functional or dysfunctional? Justify your choice.
2. Can you relate to the conflict in this poem? Have you ever felt so angry at your parents that you cursed them? What was the reason? Did you regret feeling that way? Did you apologize?
3. Why do you think Hughes’ parents died apart? 1 sentence

Poem #2: Ballad of the Landlord
Available at http://everything2.com/node/1686193
Questions related to this poem:
1. Summarize the poem into one sentence (no longer than 15 words).
2. Describe the conflict in the poem. Who is against who and why? This question may not be as simple as it looks!
3. Can you relate to this poem? If so, how so? If not, why not? Does your family have a landlord, or does your family own the house you live in?
4. Was the anger justified? Why or why not? Provide evidence from the poem to support your answer.
5. Is the poem funny/satirical, or is the poem trying to make a serious point? Provide evidence from the poem to support your answer (e.g., where is it being funny or where is it being serious?).
6. In 2009, would an incident like this be headline-worthy? Why or why not?

Poem #3: Ballad of Roosevelt
Available at http://www.nathanielturner.com/langstonhughestochristian.htm
Questions related to this poem:
1. Describe the situation of the people in this poem. What are they lacking? What do they need? Provide evidence from the poem.
2. Is this poem racial? If so, how so? If not, why not?
3. What are the people in the poem waiting for Roosevelt to do exactly? How do you know? Provide evidence from the poem.
4. Can you relate to the poem? If so, how so? If not, why not?
5. Can the government be trusted or counted on to fix the problems of the people? Should it be counted on to fix problems? Explain your answers?
6. Change Roosevelt to Obama. Does this poem make more sense? Do you think that people will feel this way if Obama doesn't fix all of America's problems?
7. Make an evaluation of the Langston Hughes poems that we have read. Do you like them or not? Are they too racial? Do you want to read more poems by this poet?

THIS ASSIGNMENT IS WORTH 160 POINTS!