Walt Whitman And Langston Hughes’s American Dream Differences

Ahmad Hamlett Draft 2
12-13-18
6th period
The American Dream
The American Dream is the thought of everyone having the same chance of becoming successful. Walt Whitman’s perspective of the American Dream is working hard will help you achieve a better life. Langston Hughes’s perspective of the American Dream is to have equality throughout the American society. While both Whitman and Hughes are similar in their belief in the promise of the American Dream, they are different in their perspective of its reality.
Both Whitman and Hughes use imagery to express their perspectives of the promise of the American Dream. Whitman’s imagery portrays his perspective when he states, “The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam...” The vivid imagery of Whitman illustrates the promise of the American Dream because the worker is working hard for a better life. Hughes’s imagery portrays his perspective when he states, “They send me to eat in the kitchen/When company comes…" This illustrates his view of the promise of the American Dream because the narrator isn’t getting the equality he deserves because no man is better than the other based on ethnicity. Imagery is a literary device that both poets use to demonstrate their perspectives of the promise of the American Dream.
Both Whitman and Hughes use diction to express their perspectives of the promise of the American Dream. Whitman’s diction portrays his perspective when he states, “Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else”. Whitman’s use of diction illustrates the promise of the American Dream because the narrator uses the word “singing” because the worker is happy doing his job. Also, using the words “what belongs to him or her” emphasizes possession. Hughes’s diction portrays his perspective when states, “They’ll see how beautiful I am...” This illustrates his view of the promise of the American Dream because the speaker uses the words “They’ll see” because they want to show that they can be treated as equal as the company. Diction is a literary device that both poets use to demonstrate their perspectives of the promise of the American Dream.
Both Whitman and Hughes use point of view...