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1、A comparative analysis of Harlem and Altar: topic, theme and figurative language This essay will look at two poems, Harlem by Langston Hughes and Altar by Marilyn Chin and analyzes the topics, the themes and figurative languages, especially in the use of figurative language. The aim of this paper is
2、 to compare the two poems and find the similarity of them which is topic and the differences of them which are theme and the use of figurative language. Both poems Harlem and Altar have a similar topic that is about the American dream. The readers can find that from the following examples. In the Ha
3、rlem, the first stanza what happens to a dream deferred? the reader can know that Hughes is interested in a dream in his poem. Also, from the word deferred, we can find something negative, which is able to be explained that Hughes dream cant be finished so it has to be deferred. The same example cou
4、ld be find in last stanza Or does it explode? after explode, we get nothing. So, the dream or goal is maybe just an ideal but couldnt be done. Then, link the title of the poem Harlem which is a small town in New York, we can get the answer that is the topic of this poem is about a negative American
5、dream. Similarly, the topic of Altar is also about the American dream, this can be seen in the fifth line the Golden Mountain Edition that is a kind of newspaper in California, the place is located in northwest of America. Then, the second line of third stanza of the poem who danced around that immi
6、grant dream, the readers can understand that the poem is about an immigrant dream of America. Again, by the last line of the second stanza last cry, it sounds like something negative, we could imagine that if a person just has a last cry but without anything, it will be very sadly. In this way of th
7、inking, the topic of Altar is also about a negative American dream. Therefore, we should admit that the two poems Harlem and Altar have a similar topic that is about the negative American dream. A comparison of the poems shows a different use of figurative language in relation to the American dream.
8、 Firstly, Hughes uses similes to describe the American dream. The examples of word use are like, as and than, these are similes in the use of figurative language. Again, Hughess similes have something negative of American dream. By the second and third stanza, Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun
9、? a raisin in the sun is really a metaphor for his dream also it has something negative, a raisin is already dry, if a raisin in the sun, it will be hard to eat because it is too dry. Similarly, Does it stink like rotten meat?, the fresh meat already has some smelling, if it turns to bad and becomes
10、 rotten meat, it will be very stinky. Also, like a syrupy sweet? the syrupy is a kind of sugar and the sweet is also a type of sugar, each of them is tasty and sweet, but if we put them together it will be too sweet and cannot be eaten. In this way, in Hughess poem the American dream is liked a dry
11、raisin, rotten meat or a syrupy sweet, the dream put off too long so it becomes dry and has horrible odor. It seems to be delayed too long and nearly die. According to this, the readers can realize that Hughes uses these similes to show his negative effect of the dreams deferral. However, in the poe
12、m Altar, Chins use of different figurative language in describing the American dream is rather focused on metaphors. Examples of word used is is. In the last line of the second stanza Of her seasonal life is a dash Of shimmery powder, a last cry a dash of shimmery powder is a metaphor and represents
13、 something happened in speakers life, it could be a revolution and then failed because after a dash just has a last cry. Equally, the second stanza A deathtrap shines on the dying bougainvilleas a deathtrap shines is also a metaphor and means something seems to disappear and die. It is very negative
14、 and represents speakers external conflict that is something seems to die so the author wants to protect it. Then, a geomancer in the poem; it is a very traditional Chinese stuff, which is a kind of Chinese witch. In the poem, that represents Chinese culture. From here, we can understand that the th
15、ing that Chin wants to protect is the Chinese immigrations identity in USA. As the examples have shown, the poems have different theme. The theme of Harlem is the American dream in African American peoples mind. The author Hughes talks about black peoples life, mood and dream in Harlem, they want to
16、 get the same opportunity as white people but they cant because they are still suffering from the racial discrimination. This is suggested in the negative similes dry raisin rotten meat and syrupy sweet. So, the dream is very hard to be accomplished in Harlem. On the other hand, in the poem Altar, t
17、he setting is in America, but from author Chins metaphors such as a geomancer and the second stanza who danced around that immigrant dream, the theme of Altar is the American dream in Chinese immigrants mind, the author Chin mentions about immigrants who live in USAs life, they miss their family mem
18、bers who are in China and they want to keep their identity and Chinese culture in America. This is can be find in negative metaphor deathtrap shines and last cry, the Chinese culture in America likes a deathtrap shine and seems to die. So, Chinese immigrants are crying for that and they try to prote
19、ct Chinese culture in America. Last cry can also be explained that Chinese immigrants miss their family members in China, so they are crying for missing their family. In conclusion, this essay analyzes that the similarity and differences in both poems. But still after the comparison, the readers sho
20、uld concede that the poems still are very different. The poems all talk about the American dream, but Hughes is interested in African Americans life and culture and Chin is interested in Chinese immigrants life and culture. Also, the authors use different figurative language to describe their dream.Work cited:Chin, Marilyn. “Altar.” The Phoenix Gone, the Terrace Empty. Minneapolis: Milkweed Editions, 1994. 29.BiographyHughes, Langston. “Harlem.” The Norton Introduction to Poetry. Eds. J. Paul Hunter et. al NY: W.W. Norton and Co., 2002. 383
