American Literature

They say brave but I don’t want it.

Who will we mourn today. Or won’t we.

Black all the windows. Lower down the afternoon. I barricade

all my belonging. I am mostly never real American or anything

availing. But I do take. And take what’s given. The smell of blood.

I breathe it in. The dirt so thick with our good fortune. And who pays for it. And what am I

but fear, but wanting. I’ll bite the feeding hand until I’m fed

and buried. In the shining day. All deadly good

A group of individuals, writers who wanted to go against the conformity being enforced in society. Were they rebels? Were they drug addicts? The answer to that, is no.

They were people who realized the issues in society and norms. They wanted to change politics, and from their conventional writing, it began a movement to stand up for what they believed in.

They didn't want to write like writers before them, they wanted to make people question and wanted to be out in the open with their thoughts. That is what any good writer looks for.

Meditation, hallucinogenic drugs and other forms of religion not practiced or known were used to get out in this head space they created.

McKay talks about how the same country that restricts him, is the same country in the end that strengthens him.

Since there are things contributing to his failure in the sense of not being given the same opportunities or pathways, the same hate the nation gives him, fuels him to be better and stronger.

He finds hope, faith in the sinking of his own ship. He builds character and morals.

That to me is priceless.

Whether he is full of terror, full of disappointments, full of doubts, he knows his worth through it all.

"I stand within her walls with not a shred of terror, malice, not a word of jeer."

The fact is that Langston knew the color of his skin was an impediment for his success in life. But he knew that shouldn't be the case.

"It's not easy to know what is true for you or me at twenty-two, my age."

Even as a young man, he understood the difference he received versus even from people in his class.

Being the only colored student in his class, his aspirations, dreams, goals weren't even recognized as such. He wasn't capable of thinking beyond himself because he was colored.

And even today those same blocks are what is preventing minorities in general. It's about the skin they hold, the attitude they supposedly have, and the behaviors they perceive.

In pieces like that, around the world, there are many cities that not a lot of people would want to live in, but are full of soul and heart from the people saving it's reputation.

It's so simple to bring any city like Chicago to life with words easily describable as human, or animal refrences.

There's plenty of places that came to mind when reading Chicago, that have lights bouncing off the walls, and eyes lurking behind every wall.

The joy and thrill of the wind flowing through my hair and smelling the fumes dancing through my nose.

Is a transitioning piece of literature. It's quite incredible how intriguing how descriptive words reflect the character and their personalities to the tea.

Her house being the piece of intrigue, and thus is conveys her stubborn thoughts of wanting to stay a traditional thinker.

I would imagine that Miss. Emily would not be fond of the world we are currently living in.

She would probably turn in her grave knowing there are women in politics, women marching for equal rights, women in sports, and women changing the world one brilliant mind at a time.

In my opinion, it has to do with the way she was raised as well, since her father was a slave owner, and passed his feelings, emotions and thoughts onto her.