Analyse this poem
I, Too
BY LANGSTON HUGHES
I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
Tomorrow,
I’ll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody’ll dare
Say to me,
“Eat in the kitchen,”
Then.
Besides,
They’ll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed—
I, too, am America.
In this poem, Langston Hughes captures the experience of African Americans during a time of racial segregation and discrimination in America. The speaker, identified as the "darker brother," is marginalized and treated as inferior in comparison to white Americans. Despite being sent to eat in the kitchen when company comes, the speaker maintains his dignity, strength, and resilience.
The poem conveys a sense of hope and defiance, as the speaker declares that he will no longer be relegated to the kitchen but will instead claim his rightful place at the table. This assertion of his presence and his worth challenges the prevailing attitudes of racism and exclusion.
The poem also emphasizes the speaker's beauty and humanity, highlighting the hypocrisy and ignorance of those who would seek to dehumanize or oppress him. By insisting on his belonging and worthiness as an American, the speaker asserts his right to equality and recognition.
Overall, "I, Too" is a powerful and poignant expression of the African American experience, conveying themes of resistance, pride, and the struggle for inclusion and equality in a society marked by prejudice and injustice. The poem celebrates the resilience and strength of African Americans in the face of adversity, asserting their rightful place in the American narrative.