Dream Deferred Analysis

What happens to a dream deferred?Does it dry up

Like a raisin in the sun?Or fester like a sore--

And then run?Does it stink like rotten meat?

Or crust and sugar over--

like a syrupy sweet?Maybe it just sags

like a heavy load.Or does it explode?

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This poem is really talking about a dream that is delayed for some time. He keeps wondering when and if it will ever come true. It is never truely answered until the end when he says, "Or does it explode?" This can mean one of two things. It can mean does it explode as in never come true and go away. Or it can mean does it explode as in come true and explode in a happy way. It all depends on what you think it means.

| Posted on 2009-11-09 | by a guest

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Langston Hughes is actually speaking about a dream deferred. For all of you who think he's speaking about race he is not. He is actually speaking about a long lost dream. He is answering his own question with more rhetorical questions. In the end he states "or does it explode?". He leaves this question open minded unlike the others that he closes. By explode does he mean "for it to just explode and tiny fragments of it just disappear as if it was a bomb" or does it mean "to pop and give you that extra oomph to complete your success/dream. Think about that.

| Posted on 2009-11-04 | by a guest

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langston hughes was so cool lololololl this poem is so frickin awesome lolololoolololol

| Posted on 2009-10-06 | by a guest

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In my opinion, this poem portrays to the reader the many outcomes a "dream deferred" has. Dreams are what drives us to accomplishments, and when we jeopardize them by putting them off or pushing them out of our minds we will get negative results. The word "explode" in my opinion means that rather than allowing that dream to do the negative things like festering like a sore or being a sagging load, we can allow that dream EXPLODE and be that driving force that pushes us to accomplish that dream that for so long has seemed unreachable. Langston Hughes lived in a time where blacks were facing terrible racism. I think this poem is a rally call to those in the face of racism. Even if we aren't facing racism as much now we can still benefit from this poem's message. Allow your dreams to explode. Don't allow your dreams to remain dormant. Explosions affect yourself and those around you. Make a difference in your life!

| Posted on 2009-09-24 | by a guest

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Hughes was a brilliant writer. I imagine what he was feeling which led him to ask these rhetorical questions. They weren't meant to be answered; they are the answers. The bottom line, if you don't follow your dreams, they will shrivel up like a raisin.
This poem was the inspiration to the play "A Raisin in the Sun". For all of you that "missed" or didn't get the meaning of this wonderful poem, read or watch "A Raisin in the Sun". I guarantee you will have a "Aha" moment.
For the person who wrote that during the Harlem Renaissance "black people was only to entertain black people" need to do more research because that statement is not true. During the Harlem Renaissance, many shows were strictly for the black public alone, and while this is also discrimination and segregation, the African American community did indeed have their own art and literature based on the times
~~ Happy Reading ~~

| Posted on 2009-09-13 | by a guest

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i am a black/white teenager who has a report on this..at first i was wondering what the .... does this mean. but soon after reading some of your post (excluding the dumb ones) i find this poem very exciting yet sad. i feel excited because i know what the history upon this poem is and i find how he used this to make a great poem, i find it saddening is, well, obviously if you dont chase your dreams they will soon pass..forgotten in the human mind..lost in infinite darkness..or otherwise just explode and disapear forever. Just because its lost..doesnt mean it cant be found. But after its exploded, i believe the person has exploded too, if you know what im saying. Thank Mr. Hughes for such a great poem you contributed to the world.

| Posted on 2009-09-09 | by a guest

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Love has no color so who are you to say that I can't love a Black Man.Years ago I was as stupid as some of you,but God has His way of showing us up.When my Love came along I knew it the minute I laid eyes on Him,and yes He is Black and I am White,but you know something you don't really have an issue with my Love,you have an issue with God,because He created us All in His Own Image,so take it up with Him.Have a Blessed evening.

| Posted on 2009-08-23 | by a guest

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yall ignorant people talking bout race just need to stop. were all human, we all have a heart, we all have lungs, and we all have a fckin brain so why dont yall start acting like it. OKAY! yall be trippin. and for teh person who said white people and black people shouldnt be together you probably just jealous! HA! A person is a person no matter what color their skin may be and if a black man loves a white woman who are you to say they shouldnt be together? YOU AINT NOBODY. so stop actin like you is. if people keep thinkin that way then we destined for no good. I KEEP IT 100 IM JUST SPEAKIN THE TRUTH && YOU JUST GOT TOLD STRAIGHT UP.
---*SCROLL DOWN TO HARLEM FOR A GREAT ANALYSIS/PARAPHRASE*---

| Posted on 2009-08-02 | by a guest

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The poem is about human rights! Duh retards it was written during the harlem renaissance when black artists, musicians, and poets were around to simply entertain white people. The dream is deferred because with all the talent the black people had they could only use it to entertain whit people. The good thing is the dream is deferred not completely lost.

| Posted on 2009-07-26 | by a guest

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this poem is depicting that if you postpone your dream it will slowly fade away until its eventually or completely gone

| Posted on 2009-06-14 | by a guest

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this is referring to the first comment:
it is so not wrong for girls to like other girls
in fact give me a call
(p.s. guys think it's hot!)

| Posted on 2009-06-03 | by a guest

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i think girls are yummy, but i am a girl is dat wrong???

| Posted on 2009-05-26 | by a guest

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hot dawgz and pizza makes me say mmm mmm mmm in my tummy ummy ummy and L. Hughes poems have no soul, i could right better poems in a vending machine. yah digg? WORD
-Peace

| Posted on 2009-05-26 | by a guest

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this poem really makes you think about your dreams and which ones apply to the different ways of how some of them eventually disapear.

| Posted on 2009-05-18 | by a guest

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This poem means whatever the reader wants it to mean. At a literal level, the poem is so simple that it is almost impossible to find the "hidden meanings." Quick thoughts though-Langston Hughes describes the dreams failure with all five senses: you look at a raisin; you feel a sore; you smell rotten meat; you taste sugary sweet; and you hear it explode. Another idea is that of the seven sentences, six of them are questions. Final thought: perhaps this poem is the progress of blacks' life in America. First they burned under the sun (i.e. in the fields/like the raisin) then they posed a problem and rebelled (a sore and rotten meat), then they were given civil rights and were happy (sugary sweet), but then they felt the burden of segregation (a sagging heavy load), and, although Langston Hughes did not write this poem with Dr. King in mind, the explosion would be the blacks becoming fed up with their situation and doing something about it.

| Posted on 2009-05-14 | by a guest

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This is actually a really good poem because indirectly relates to history. The author is asking a really good question because surely everyone asks this question.

| Posted on 2009-05-12 | by a guest

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I think this poem is powerfull because it makes you evoke images and the rhymes and assonance like load and explode.This poem really makes you think about it and ask many strong questions.

| Posted on 2009-05-12 | by a guest

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I LOVE LOVE this poem. so deep and so powerful. it put a different perspective on history. by the way, poetry is meant to be deciphered...that's what makes it so good. So for the person who said that he "didn't get this poem" and "why can't poems be easy" you need to realize that poems use analytical meaning to display billion of ideas and thoughts with only 11 short lines.

| Posted on 2009-05-10 | by a guest

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To the person who posted their comment on 2009-03-24: You're being rather critical aren't you? It's slightly judgmental to accuse people of ignoring their dreams by simply analyzing their questions and critique. Maybe they're dream is to be an architect and they're currently pursuing that degree at a prestigious technical university. They have to, however, fulfill a required English credit and therefore have to analyze poetry, a field that they may not be skilled in. They may become more successful than you when they aspire to the new Howard Rourke. All I'm stating is that you derived a lot from simple criticism. Quit trying to flaunt an eloquence that you don't have and just chill out. Have patience with people. You are not as smart as you think you are.

| Posted on 2009-05-06 | by a guest

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This poem is about how if you let your dream fade away, nothing is going to happen. If you expect your dream to be accomplished, you need to do something to ACCOMPLISH it

| Posted on 2009-04-22 | by a guest

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"i dont get this poem. i dont even have the write title. like really.
why did he say a dream explodes! i dont want any of my dreams to expode"
First off, your grammar is atrocious.
Second, THINK about what the poem means, THINK about what an exploding dream is. What would a dream do if you were to ignore it? It would do something.. would it die? Would it hurt you? Would it glaze over and become something fantasized about in memory?
Read the post below yours... it is also mine.

| Posted on 2009-04-02 | by a guest

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i dont get this poem. i dont even have the write title. like really.
why did he say a dream explodes! i dont want any of my dreams to expode

| Posted on 2009-04-01 | by a guest

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Few people posting here seem to realize that poetry is a form of art first, and a form of writing second. In poetry, the portrayal of meaning is intended to be a subjective art; meaning is to be defined by the reader. Like literary fiction, it uses imagery, metaphors, similes, and other tools in order to show a point (though that point may be different for each person).
Dreams do sometimes explode if delayed. Someone who does not accomplish their dream can be destroyed by it. There are numerous examples in the world of people who do not live up to their deepest desires and are severely hurt. Hughes' poem is simply a contemplative exploration into the path of a dream which was delayed. It may glaze over an become a sort of legend, or it could become a destructive force in the life of a dreamer. He never says what happens, he merely takes a thought path in order to explore the potential choices.
It's art. If you don't understand it, don't attempt to analyze the meaning behind it... just take it for what it's worth and never judge someone for it.

| Posted on 2009-03-29 | by a guest

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Wow, i can't believe how narrow minded some people can be. Some of the comments that were made on here are a true testiment of what Langston was trying to convey in his poem of expression of the negative effects of letting your dreams defer. I believe that the people who posted some of these statements are those who more than likely once had a dream themselves, but some how some way, gave up on themselves and allowed their dreams to defer. So now they are closed up in a mental box that has been lined with stupidity and ignorance, and although the've been giving a widow of hope with a chance to view the accomplishments of others who are sucessfully living out their dreams,they still choose to complain and criticize. How sad :(

| Posted on 2009-03-24 | by a guest

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this poem is terrible. he talks about a dream and if it explodes? like who cares! why do poets always have to have 'hidden meanings' like i would MUCH rather enjoy a poem where i know EXACTLY the messege the poet is trying to convey.

| Posted on 2009-03-10 | by a guest

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i think people dig too deep into this poem, it is what it is... he is stating very clearly don't put off your dreams or you wont succeed. Nothing more, nothing less. He's trying to get a message across he's not going to HIDE it.

| Posted on 2009-03-06 | by a guest

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I view this poem as a revolutionary poem makin a strong call for the "BLACKS" to rebel against the injustice done to them throughout ages.. his expression is sarcastic enough to arouse the emotions of the readers..Hughes here refers to the dream deferred; a dream which the blacks had.. He points out the consequence of the dream deferred metaphorically.. well i love the poem even though short and crisp it means much more than that...

| Posted on 2009-03-05 | by a guest

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I don't know who your name is but whoever talks about how the dream explodes like a bomb planting new ideas has got it right. He's the smart one listen to him.

| Posted on 2009-03-05 | by a guest

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I like teh poem.
I am t3h newbzor with teh p00pz and t3h chocolate milk comes from muy bum bum ok0x and ty.

| Posted on 2009-02-11 | by a guest

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There are many quaoty posts about this poem, I wish everyone would use this section for anlaysis and save teh rest for Craig's List's Rants and Raves page

| Posted on 2009-02-04 | by a guest

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Switch to Geiko and save money on your car insurance

| Posted on 2009-01-26 | by a guest

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I Think that this poem means that you shall not give up on your dreams EVEN if your dreams are ready to give up on you.

| Posted on 2009-01-26 | by a guest

.: Harlem :.

There is so much to this poem once you dig deeper in to its meaning. Oh, and the poem is named 'Harlem', not A Dream Deferred. You lose the true subject of the poem when you change the name.
What happens to an aspiration put off?
Does it dry up like an already-dry raisin, losing all possablilty of being eaten for nutritional value in the process?
Or does it do the opposite of dry up, and become and infected wound that never goes away, forcing it to painfully stay on your mind.
After a while, does stink as it spoils, reminding you that it use to be 'good', and that you missed your chance to use it?
Or does it crust and sugar over into a sweet mask? The sweetness of the dream is extracted and formed into a 'happy face' faccade.
Maybe it sits heavily on you shoulders, wheighing you down.
Or does the dream explode sending bits of it flying every which way, planting new ideas into others ideas while causing dammage to the dreamer and others around them, like a bomb?

| Posted on 2008-05-26 | by a guest

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Sorry for all you black and white lovers out there, but I HATE seeing black and white people together. It's just so wrong. It's mix match.Black and white people don't belong together! Why can't they just stick with their own race? Can somebody explain to me why black and white peole always get together? Most of the time, the relationship doesn't even last and the child is wondering whether they are black or white. What will they mark on their tests when they ask you your race? I'm not trying to be offensive, I'm just speaking my mind. Blacks, leave the whites alone! Whites, leave the blacks alone! Someone's going to annihiliate the whole mixed race!

| Posted on 2008-05-13 | by a guest

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As I perceived that Huges tries to make it a point that Harlem, which was the blacks capital in New York has deffered its dream. How?
Simple 1920s say the great progress in Harlem, as that period is marked by the great artistic works.
But at the time the poem was written they have forgotten their pledge to make it prosper even to the more lofly heights. The rise in criminal practices are the events which marked Harlem later, to which Huges states as Dream Deffered.
The contrasting images used are a wonderful examples of the dilema going on in one's mind, i.e., the pessimism trying to over power us. All the images are to be taken in the specific sense.
Dried raisins taste good but its not stressed on.
So its seems an easy poem, which it is if only literal meaning is to be taken but as you read between the lines you get to explore the more hidden truth about it.

| Posted on 2008-03-24 | by a guest

.: poem :.

this is an amazing poem especialy the words he uses as in langston hughes uses, just like with a thing with hope is a thing with feathers, we have feathers on us just like hope is on us we might not like the hope but hope is great for us, a dream is a phoenomenal use in our mind and hughes shows this in this poem, at the very end u may interperit differently by the exploding being good or bad but this is a poem of wonderesnous

| Posted on 2008-03-01 | by a guest

.: poem :.

this is an amazing poem especialy the words he uses as in langston hughes uses, just like with a thing with hope is a thing with feathers, we have feathers on us just like hope is on us we might not like the hope but hope is great for us, a dream is a phoenomenal use in our mind and hughes shows this in this poem, at the very end u may interperit differently by the exploding being good or bad but this is a poem of wonderesnous

| Posted on 2008-03-01 | by a guest

.: chyahh :.

this is the bestest poem in the world
but i just need a paraghraph summary
of wut it means and nobody wrote that
you guyz dont do anythingg;

| Posted on 2008-02-26 | by a guest

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i would just like to say to the person that thinks that black people in africa hate black people in america that its a big fat lie. when i moved here, i felt lost and seeing a black person whether born here or not i was happy because i felt much closer to the person. anyway, its a shame that you think black people sold black people, that might indeed be true in some cases, some chiefs did sell their people, but does this rid the white man from what he has done to a black man. did selling the people give him the right to abuse them and treat them less of a woman. i think both sides are at fault here and the sooner we get over this rivally the better the world is going to be. it makes me really sad that a person thought that way. langson hughes might not have written eloquently but he had a good reason for not doing so. he was adressing his writings to african americans that were less educated at the time. i dont think he intended his work for a white man, bacause they would not have read his work at the time anyways.

| Posted on 2008-02-25 | by a guest

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chocolate :.
i like chocolate milk its creamy,brown and i make it in the bathroom.Thank you.

| Posted on 2008-02-11 | by a guest