The Definition of America as seen in the Poetry of Langston Hughes and Claude McKay America is a place that many people associate with equality, opportunity and the promise of a good life. ... Claude McKay and Langston Hughes have similar views of America which deviate from the "utopian" symbol that this country has attempted to portray. ... Langston Hughes's poem "I, Too" and Claude McKay's poem "America" depict a more realistic view of American society. ... McKay's poem "America" depicts a feeling of loss. ... Hughes uses the same idea of oppression in America ye...

• Word Count: 1569
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

Seamus Heaney's poem, Mid-Term Break, is a great example of how society's expectations can impact identity because the poem is about a young man who is away at school to obtain an education and establish his identity when he is called back home to deal with the death of his younger brother. From reading the poem, it's clear that the narrator left his family to pursue an identity of his own, and the first line of the poem suggests that he isn't happy about having to return home out of obligation as the oldest child. ... Another poem that touches on identity and social expect...

• Word Count: 2322
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Langston Hughes, famous for his role as a social activist and portraying it through his writings, was one of the many African-Americans who set forth a goal; to become something new. ... In Hughes poem, "I, Too," the narrator, an African-American, is experiencing heavy segregation as a servant. ... He states, "besides, they'll see how beautiful I am and be ashamed" (Hughes). ...

• Word Count: 2116
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography