Critical Analysis "I Too"

Messages from Point of View in Langston Hughes’ “I too”

The writing of Langston Hughes in “I too” is significantly dependant on his point of view. The actions that occur in the poem are as realistic as they can get because Langston Hughes is speaking from the heart. He passed through the Harlem Renaissance and faced constant struggles with racism. Because of that, his writing seems to manifest a greater meaning. He is part of the African-American race that is expressed in his writing. He writes about how he is currently oppressed, but this does not diminish his hope and will to become the equal man. Because he speaks from the point of view of an oppressed African-American the poem’s struggles and future changes seem to be of greater importance than they ordinarily would.

The point of view of being the oppressed African American is clearly evident in Langston Hughes’s writing. The author states, “I am the darker brother” (2.2) Here Hughes is clearly speaking on behalf of the African American race because during the early and mid 1900’s African American were oppressed because of their darker skin color. No where in the writing does Hughes mention the word racism, segregation, discrimination. No where in the poem are words like Civil Rights Movement or Harlem Renaissance read. Yet, the reader knows exactly what Langston Hughes is referring to. This is because the writing talks about a darker brother being told to eat somewhere else. This leads the reader to put the point of view of the poem into play. Because it talks of such a brother and because Hughes’s was a revolutionary poet who constantly wrote on the struggles of the black man, then the reader is able to easily interpret the poem as a cry for the African-American man. Langston Hughes’s writing as an African American then makes the narration very probable and realistic.

Another example of Hughes’s constant struggles with racism and his inner and thoughtful response to that is clearly seen when he recalls being denied the right to sit at the same table. His point of view identifies that he was not able to sit at the table because he was an African-American. Yet, he remains very optimistic in not letting his misfortune please what is considered the “white-man” in the poem. Langston Hughes’s states,

They send me to eat in the kitchen

When company comes,

But I laugh, And eat well. (3-6)

Clearly, Hughes’s point of view affected the representation of certain actions, and this is seen when he is told to eat in the kitchen. From this example, one also notes that Hughes is speaking from the heart. Hughes does not explain why they sent him to the kitchen. He merely mentions that he was sent to the kitchen. However, the reader still knows exactly why he was sent to the kitchen. This is because his point of view played a direct effect on the interpretation of the action.

Hughes often faced issues like the kitchen fiasco dealing with segregation in his times. Because his point of view is so dependent on interpretation the probability that this kitchen fiasco happened is doubled. The reader is left with no doubt in mind whether the occasion happened. This also leads to the expression from heart that is seen in Langston Hughes. Feelings like joy, fortitude, and perseverance seem to emit from the poem when he states that he will eat well and grow strong. This metaphorical statement allows the reader to know that Langston Hughes was really speaking from the heart.

Hughes’s use of first-person narrative allows the reader to understand that he is looking toward the future. It allows the author’s thoughts of hope and