Langston Hughes’ Dream Deferred is a powerful poem that speaks to the frustration and hope of those who have seen their dreams deferred. The poem’s speaker asks what happens to a dream when it is postponed or ignored, and suggests that it might “fester like a sore” or “explode.”
The Dream Deferred could be read as a response to the Dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which called for racial equality and an end to discrimination. In Dream Deferred, Hughes asks what happens when such dreams are not realized. He suggests that they may “fester like a sore” or “explode.” This could be seen as a warning to those who would ignore the Dream, or as a statement of hope, that even if the Dream is deferred, it will eventually be realized.
Dream Deferred is also a reminder that dreams are not always what we expect them to be. Sometimes our dreams are dashed against the rocks of reality, and we must learn to pick ourselves up and start again. This poem is a call to never give up on our dreams, no matter how difficult they may seem.
A dream is not only a dream that you may have while sleeping. The majority of people employ their dreams as a method of establishing future objectives. Dreams might help individuals advance in life since they become personal accomplishments. “Dream Deferred” by Langston Hughes discusses what happens to dreams when they are put on hold. It’s up to the reader to determine which dream is being referred to in the poem.
It could be interpreted in many ways, which is what makes the poem so great. The poem starts off with the question, “What happens to a dream deferred?” The speaker is asking what becomes of a dream that is put on hold. He goes on to list a few possible scenarios. The first possibility is that it “sags like a heavy load.” This could mean that the dream becomes too much to handle and eventually crushes the person. Another possibility is that it “explodes.” This could symbolize the anger and frustration that comes with not being able to achieve a dream.
The speaker asks several more questions throughout the poem, each one getting progressively darker. He wonders if the Dream deferred will “stink like rotten meat,” or “crust and sugar over / like a syrupy sweet.” These images are all quite negative, showing the speaker’s pessimism about the deferred dream.
The poem ends on a somewhat hopeful note, with the speaker saying that maybe the Dream will come true, “after all.” This could be interpreted as the speaker finally coming to terms with the fact that his Dream may never be realized.
“Dream Deferred” is a powerful poem that speaks to the frustration and disappointment that comes with having unfulfilled dreams. The poem leaves it up to the reader to decide what Dream is being deferred, making it relatable to anyone who has ever had a Dream.
The speaker begins the poem with a visual metaphor that is also a simile, comparing a postponed dream to a raisin. “Does it dry up/ like a raisin in the sun?” The comparison in the question is between a deferred dream and a raisin in the sun. A deferred dream shrivels up and fades away as it rots due to baking by the sunlight. Because we measure time by the movement of the sun, the importance of sunshine is stressed throughout this poem.
Dreams, like raisins, can be stored away for a long time without anyone knowing. Dreams, however, unlike raisins do not have an expiration date. Dreams can sit in the back of our mind for years unfulfilled and never go bad.
The speaker asks several questions throughout the poem about what happens to a dream deferred and each question is a metaphor or simile. “Or does it explode?” This is a metaphor comparing a dream deferred to a bomb. A Dream deferred that sits too long without being fulfilled can become so full of frustration, anger, and pent up emotion that it explodes. The explosion can take the form of violence or riots as seen in many inner cities across America. “What happens to a dream deferred?” is the main question of the poem and it can be interpreted in many ways.
The final lines of the poem give us the speaker’s answer to the question. “Does it stink like rotten meat?” This is a metaphor comparing a dream deferred to rotten meat. Dreams that are not fulfilled will eventually turn into something foul and rotting.
The stench of a rotting dream can poison the mind and body just like the stench of rotting meat can poison the air. “Or crust and sugar over/ like a syrupy sweet?” This is a metaphor comparing a dream deferred to syrup. Dreams that are not fulfilled can become so cloying and saccharine that they turn into something sticky and sweet. The stickiness can trap us in a never-ending cycle of longing and desire.
This poem does not insist that the reader have a particular dream. The tone of the speaker is clear: any vital dream or aim that must be put off has the potential to have severe negative effects. I examined each issue and discovered what the consequences are, in order to help you out. Hughes’ poem uses a raisin as symbolism for negative outcomes.
This poem also uses metaphors to warn about the dangers of Dreams deferred. A raisin in the sun is a metaphor for a Dream that’s been put off for too long. The raisin was once plump and full of juice, but now it is wrinkled and dry. It symbolizes how a Dream can “dry up” if it isn’t fulfilled. This poem makes me think about what I want to do with my life and how I can achieve my Dreams. Dreams are important, and if we don’t chase them, they may never come true.
A raisin has already been dried, and it is nutritious. However, if a raisin is left in direct sunlight for an extended period of time, it will become difficult to chew. Its worth has vanished; it is no longer nutritious. This scenario represents a dream. In determining whether or not they are valuable members of society, their life goals are important, but suppose someone told them that they couldn’t realize their ambition.
Langston Hughes’s poem “A Dream Deferred” asks what happens to a dream when it is postponed or delayed. The speaker in the poem imagines what might happen to a dream that has been “deferred.” Perhaps it “sags / like a heavy load,” he suggests, or “stinks like rotten meat.” Maybe it “crusts and dries up / like a raisin in the sun.” Or maybe it simply “fades away / like smoke.” Whatever the case, the speaker concludes that a deferred dream can become “a nightmare.”