I was intrigued by Langstone Hughes’s “Salvation”, a story concerning the lessons and challenges that everyone can witness in the lives of youths. He discusses young people’s social and emotional difficulties by relying on his life experiences, including the time he was supposed to witness a 12-member revival while actively involved in his church. With this definition essay, Hughes uses a calm and purposeful tone, hoping to illustrate the peer pressures and internal struggles that arise from both the religious community and the church, as well as his personal experiences that contributed to the demands that were placed on him as a young man. As adults, it is not advisable to create an environment where the youth are forced to conform to certain preferences and are left with no option to decide their fate. The quote “The whole congregation prayed for me alone, in a mighty wail…” (Hughes 83) indicates that the young man was pressured to make a choice, a common occurrence I have witnessed in the current society where the youths are denied a chance to make their decisions.
Work Cited
Hughes Langston, “Salvation.” Readings for Writers, edited by Jo Ray McCuen-Metherell and Anthony C. Winkler, Cenage Learning, 2016, pp. 82-85