Langston Hughes

1. Langston Hughes By: Mark Lawrence Ashley Johnson English 5 Set 6

2. Table of Contents • Biography • Background Information • Thank you ma’am video • Story Map • Plot Elements • Poem • Poem Analysis • Compare & Contrast • Evaluation • Works cited

3. Biography • Biography video • Wrote his first short stories, poetry, and dramatic plays in high school. • An important writer and thinker of the Harlem Renaissance. • Creative genius was influenced by his life in NYC’s Harlem. • Literary works helped shape American literature and politics • Promoted equality, condemned racism and injustice, • Celebrated African American culture, humor, and spirituality throughout his works.

4. Story Map: Thank You Ma’am The boy fell down, the women kicked him and shook him. She would not let him go. Climax Dragged the boy home and cleaned him up, also feed him something. Gives him money to buy some food and shoes. A boy named Roger ran up behind her and tried to snatch her purse, Rising action Roger leaves the apartment saying “Thank you Ma’am” for all she did for him. Falling action Mrs. Luella is walking alone at night on a sidewalk. Inciting Incident Resolution

5. Plot Elements • Setting • Eleven o’clock at night in the city • Mood • Angry & relaxing • Conflict • Character vs. Character Mrs. Luella vs. Roger

6. Plot elements • Characters • Roger- • A skinny teenage boy • Protagonist • Dynamic character • Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones- • An old grumpy woman • Antagonist

7. The Negro Speaks of rivers I’ve known rivers: I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins. My soul has grown deep like the rivers. I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young. I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep. I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it. I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln went down to New Orleans, and I’ve seen its muddy bosom turn all golden in the sunset. I’ve known rivers: Ancient, dusky rivers. My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

8. Poem symbolism • Metaphors • “Rivers” • Extended metaphor for the souls of black communities • “Muddy bosom turn all golden in the sunset” • Mud: skin color of the slaves • Gold: the abolishment of slavery • “Ancient, dusky rivers” • Skin color • Shadows or darkness of the speakers past.

9. Poem ANALYSIS • Personification • The Congo River • It lulled him to sleep • The Mississippi River • He said he heard the rivers sing • Had a muddy bosom • Repetition • I bathed…I built…I looked…I heard • I’ve known rivers…I’ve known rivers

10. Poem symbolism • Simile • “Rivers ancient as the world” • Compares age of river to the age of the earth. • “My soul has grown deep like the rivers.” • Compares depth of soul to that of the rivers. • Hyperbole • “Raised the pyramids above it.” • Example of exaggeration, he could not have done this.

11. Compare and contrast The Negro Speaks of Rivers Thank You Ma’am Similarities She is well of age, and gave the boy some wise advice. When Mrs. Luella found Roger he was unclean, but she gave him clothes and cleaned him up. • Similarities • His soul grew deep which symbolizes wisdom. • “I’ve seen its muddy bosom turn all golden in the sunset.”

12. The Negro Speaks of Rivers Thank You Ma’am Differences The story is about a life lesson which is don’t steal what isn't yours. They had freedom • Differences • The poem is about slavery. • The poem has a lot of symbolism in it. • They people had no freedom at the time.

13. Evaluations The Negro Speaks of Rivers Thank You Ma’am The story was good and you can learn lessons from the story. It teaches you to respect your elders and to listen to the advice they give because it could be something that helps you down the road. • The poem was good and it explains how slaves felt back then. It also gives details about the futures of black slaves. Overall it was a good poem if you are into symbolism.

14. The End