Introduction
By “I, too sing America” the author means that he also sings the anthem of America as he is a full-fledged citizen of the country, has the right to be a patriot, and can be proud of his homeland. Hughes “sings” and tries to convey the main idea of the poem to everyone who pays attention, and the original audience is the whole world.
Main body
“To eat in the kitchen” is a metaphor used by the author to show the implicit segregation and discrimination to which the colored population of the USA is subjected. With the words “I, too, am America,” the author defines his position in society as being a U.S. citizen despite discrimination. Being an American means being proud of the country even with small manifestations such as singing a hymn despite skin color. This writing leaves impressions about America as about the state in which racism still exists.
The author presents an extensive system of metaphors: “the house” is all of America, and “the kitchen” is where black people are forced to live due to intolerance. “The table” and “the eating” are used to grow stronger; perhaps this is the support of the fighters against racism, more significant due to more discrimination. Such domestic items help reflect the absurdity of prejudice in a common country, as the separation of family members living in the same house. A storyteller is a man who does not give up in the fight against racism but only tries to become stronger and gain his right to be considered an American. The person not afraid to express their position for a minority is its voice in the fight against oppression. This piece becomes more difficult due to the emotional content: for the author, white people are “the other,” and for them, people of color are “the other.” This performance shows how different the citizens can be and reflects Hughes’s neutral feelings towards whites, even during discrimination.
Conclusion
The author examines the period of slavery when blacks were property and the beginning of the 20th century when they were not. However, their superiors could still manage their activities, which can also be considered slave-holding. For an ordinary American family, the American dream is the desire to have various material goods; for Langston Hughes, it is the right to be considered equal to white people and have the same freedoms and resources.
References
Hughes, L., & Collier, B. (2012). I, Too, Am America (Illustrated ed.). Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.