7/23/2019 Analysis of Theme for English B

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/analysis-of-theme-for-english-b 1/2

 THEME FOR ENGLISH B

ANALYSIS

In “Theme for English B” by Lngs!on H"ghes# bl$% $ollege s!"&en!

is gi'en n ssignmen! by his ins!r"$!or !o (ri!e )ge bo"! himself* The)ge is s"))ose& !o “$ome o"! of” him so !h! i! (o"l& be !r"e* The

s)e%er+s ))er s)e%s bo"! his life n& &e!ils (h! he feels*

As he &eb!es (he!her he sho"l& (ri!e !he !r"!h# he re$or&s !his

in!ernl s!r"ggle* He (on&ers if his (hi!e ins!r"$!or (ill be ble !o

"n&ers!n& his life s bl$% yo"!h li'ing in bl$% $omm"ni!y b"! s!"&ying

in (hi!e $ollege* He e'en!"lly en&s ") (ri!ing his ))er bo"! !his in!ernl

&eb!e*

He begins by sying !h! he is !(en!y,!(o yers ol& n& !he only

$olo"re& s!"&en! in his $lss* He hs )re'io"sly !!en&e& (hi!e s$hools* He

&es$ribes his ro"!e home* I! is si& !h! he hs !o go &o(n hill n& (l% !o

ge! !o his )r!men!* This is n e-m)le of symbolism* The bl$% $omm"ni!y

is )hysi$lly n& so$illy belo( !he (hi!e one* I! is lso sho(n !h! !he

s)e%er hs !o (l% s"$h &is!n$e* He &i& no! "se, or )robbly $o"l& no!

.or&, 'ehi$le*

He sys !h! he shres !he $"l!"re of Hrlem s !h! is his

en'ironmen!* Ho(e'er# he sys# he li%es !he sme !hings s )eo)le of o!her

e!hni$ b$%gro"n&s* E'en !ho"gh his en'ironmen! n& so$il s!n&ing re&i.eren! from !he yo"!hs of his $lss# he is no! so &i.eren! from !hem f!er

ll* He s!ill ser$hes his i&en!i!y# sying !h! his )ersonli!y is no! $on/ne& !o

ny s!ereo!y)ing of bl$% )eo)le# b"! he is no! (hi!e*

 The s)e%er sys !h! he is )r! of !he ins!r"$!or s !he ins!r"$!or is

of him* E'en !ho"gh !hey my h'e !heir &isgreemen!s# !hey re no!

$om)le!ely &i.eren!, s so$ie!y (o"l& h'e yo" belie'e* They re bo!h

Ameri$n n& lern from e$h o!her* Here# !he s)e%er+s self res)e$! is

)or!rye&* I! is sho(n !h! he %no(s !h! his ins!r"$!or $o"l& lern !hings

from him* There is n ins!n$e of irony nering !he en& of !he )oem in !he(or& “some(h!”* The ins!r"$!or is si& !o be “some(h!” freer !hn !he

bl$% s!"&en!* This is n "n&ers!!emen!* The ins!r"$!or (o"l& h'e m"$h

more of n &'n!ge in !he si!"!ion sin$e he is !he el&er one# !he one in

!he )osi!ion of "!hori!y in !he $ollege n& !he (hi!e one*

7/23/2019 Analysis of Theme for English B

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/analysis-of-theme-for-english-b 2/2

 This )oem sho(s !h! English B is bo"! e0"li!y* I! is bo"! lerning

from e$h o!her n& li'ing s one )eo)le*

1OM2ARISON 3ITH “4REAMING BLA15 BOY”

 The )oems “4reming Bl$% Boy” by 6mes Berry n& “Theme for

English B” )resen! ins!n$es of r$ism* In bo!h )oems# bl$% s!"&en! is

re$ei'ing s"b!le r$il &is$rimin!ion from his !e$her7le$!"rer n& )ersons of 

o!her r$es in generl*

In “4reming Bl$% Boy”# !he bl$% boy is in $lss of (hi!e s!"&en!s

n& hs (hi!e !e$her* In “Theme for English B”# !he boy is !he only

$olo"re& s!"&en! in his $lss n& his ins!r"$!or is lso (hi!e* His $ollege is)re&ominn!ly !!en&e& by (hi!e s!"&en!s*

 In “4reming Bl$% Boy”# !he boy lmen!s !h! he is no!

$ongr!"l!e&, or e'en $%no(le&ge& for &oing some!hing goo&* As res"l!#

he refrins from ns(ering 0"es!ions in $lss* In “Theme for English B”# !he

boy hs no! m&e ny s)e$i/$ referen$es !o ins!n$es of r$ism b"!

men!ions !h! !he ins!r"$!or (o"l& no! (n! !o be )r! of him# sho(ing !h!

!hey h'e !heir &i.eren$es* As res"l!# he hs !o (on&er (he!her !o (ri!e

!he !r"!h in his ))er for fer of being mis"n&ers!oo& or &is&'n!ge&*

In “4reming Bl$% Boy”# !he fo$"s is !he &is&'n!ges !h! !he boy

hs !o f$e be$"se he is bl$%* He (ishes !h! he $o"l& en8oy his life n&

!h! r$il )ersons (o"l& no! &is$rimin!e gins! him* This )erson (ishes

!h! r$is! )ersons (o"l& $hnge !heir (ys* In “Theme for English B”# !he

fo$"s is i&en!i!y of !he boy, (ho he relly is* He is bl$% b"! he hs in!eres!s

similr !o !hose of (hi!e )eo)le* This )erson !l%s bo"! !he life of !he bl$%

boy b"! sho(s !h! )eo)le of 'rio"s r$es relly re no! !h! &i.eren! f!er

ll*

In bo!h )oems# !he min !heme is r$il &is$rimin!ion* The )ersonsre being .e$!e& n& (ish !o be !re!e& li%e e'eryone else*