The poem I, Too by Langston Hughes has left me very inspired. The line which I found to be the strongest is “I, too, am America” (Hughes 275), because it received my emotional feedback. It sends a message, to which I can relate myself since I consider myself to be an American and be proud of it.
This is the last line of the poem that draws an emotional conclusion to the whole text. I have learned that it is important to have the national pride and the feeling of belonging to your nation, even if it is diverse. Besides, the line reminded me of the racial issues that took place in my country in the past. I find the fight of black people for the equality to be very critical. The line also emphasizes how hopeful people can be even if they are experiencing hardships at the moment.
When I first read the end of the poem, I felt sad. It made me feel sorry for the speaker, for this was the story of all black people. I thought that this was unfair to undermine someone’s belonging to the nation based on various kinds of prejudice. I felt that the speaker sounded offended by the society, and his phrase about belonging to it was filled with anger. Moreover, the line made me think of all the people who had not lived to see the moment when racial discrimination was officially ended.
However, I also felt happy when I read that line. I thought that justice had finally won and everyone could be equal. Besides, I found that, apart from anger, the line was filled with hope. The hope for a better future, for opportunities, for the nation becoming united prevailed over the negative moments. That was a moment of inspiration to move forward in order to fulfill any dreams.
The final words of the I, Too poem still keep me thinking about the matters of racial discrimination. This man found the strength to say proudly that he was American despite the attitude towards him. I believe that this corresponds to the fact that people define themselves not only through their heritage but also through their lifetime experience. I do not understand how a nation can reject someone who identifies as a part of it. Unfortunately, today the level of the racial discrimination is still high in some communities. I find my personal responsibility in fighting this prejudice in order to make this world a better place for the future generations.
Speaking about the future, I have come to the idea that this reading made me dream of what kind of community it could be if everyone were equal. I remembered the famous speech of Martin Luther King and the repetitive quote of him having a dream. His views, in my opinion, still have their place in today’s world. The final line of I, Too made me dream of the times when every person would have an opportunity to call himself American despite his race, religion, and cultural heritage, and not be thought of as someone who is not worth it.
Finalizing the above said, I think that the message sent by the last line of the poem is very powerful. It made me experience a range of conflicting emotions and provided me with ideas I found valuable. I believe that this message has the potential to inspire a lot of people to care about each other.
Work Cited
Hughes, Langston. Selected Poems of Langston Hughes. New York: Vintage Books, 1990. Print.