Every word in “Harlem (A Dream Deferred)” communicates a part of the meaning to the readers. Each word conveys more of the impact of a dream unaccomplished. The author is not literally saying but instead is asking. He is imposing the readers to think about a dream deferred. Without having to say it literally, the question rises In the minds of the readers; do I have dreams that have been left sitting? Are they causing this heavy down sagging in my life, in my heart?
The author writes the poem in questions which brings up questions to the readers about themselves. As well we have the word ‘Harlem’ in the title. Possibly readers will be reminded of the community Harlem In New York City. Most likely It has something to do with that community or the African-American people who live there. Otherwise, why else would the author put that word in the title? This poem gives the readers a feeling of moldiness, surrounds them with heaviness, it brings thoughts about a dream that no one would want to believe In. The whole poem is made up of Imagery, in each nine we have vivid Images from the words written. Does It dry up Like a raisin In the sun? ” In this line we see a hot sun with shriveled dried up raisins. Than maybe we think about a dream in this state. “Or fester like a sore- and then run? ” Nobody likes to hear the word fester. It only brings images of ugly wounds infected and full of puss. What horribleness to think of a dream that way. Then he asks the question “Does it stink like meat? ” He is more or so saying does a deferred dream follow you like the smell of rotten meat? Is it something horrible that you can’t get rid of unless o throw It away or burry it?
His next line Is not stinky or horrible like rotten meat, and immediately It changes the Image in the readers mind to something sweet and sugary but gone stale, no longer having the taste of true sweetness. Then you read the next line and the author says “Maybe it Just sags like a heavy load? ” Is this unaccomplished dream bogging down that happiness In your life? Maybe you’ve been walling to long for It to happen and life no longer feels worth living. Finally In comes the last line rather suddenly “Or does it explode? ” Have you waited a long time or this dream happen, only to give up on it suddenly, all at once?
Was it there untouched then suddenly thrown away? Each line in “Harlem (A Dream Deferred)” brings up questions In a readers mind about himself, about the poem, and about dreams in general. 2. This Is the poem I choose to write about. The Victor If you think you are beaten, you are. 1 OFF If you like to win but think you can’t, It’s almost a cinch you won’t. If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost. For out in the world we find Success begins with a fellow’s will. It’s all in the state of mind. If you think you are out classed, you are. You’ve got to think high to rise.
You’ve got to be sure of your-self before You can ever win the prize. Life’s battles don’t always go To the stronger or faster man. But sooner or later, the man who wins Is the man who thinks he can. By C. W. Linebacker It’s all in a state of mind, if you think you can’t do something you won’t be able to. To succeed you must have the will power to push on, if you think you can’t, you surely won’t. This poem is a reminder of how you’ll succeed through the strength and confidence of positive thinking. If you think you can do something, for example, run a long distance race.
You have a good chance of winning or doing well, but if you choose to think negatively, that you’ll never do it, that you’ll never make it to the finish line. Then most certainly that is what will happen. Your body was created to obey the thoughts of your mind. So that which you think, being negative or positive, determines significantly, more then anything else, how well you’ll do, in anything you set out to complete. “The Victor” is a very inspiring poem for many people because e all have struggles and problems throughout our lives. It’s not easy to always think positive when life is bringing you down.
It’s about what you think you can and can’t do. It’s about making the right choice to climb your mountain when you come to it. The poem speaks about the way we defeat ourselves. When our minds begin to have doubts and fears, then already, we have been defeated. You have to set goals and believe you can achieve them. It depends only on what you think you can accomplish. There is many times where the approach of things has stopped a person from achieving something, whether it’s a life changing circumstance, or Just a small everyday thing, because that person Just could not bring himself into believing he could do it.
This poem comes down to one thing; think negative and the outcome will be negative; think positive and the outcome will most surely be positive. How far do you think you can go, how far do think you can push yourself? The word “think” is the key word. It’s all in the state of mind, in our self-esteem and how we think about ourselves in life. So a person is sitting at a table with a plate of rice in front of him. Now this particular person despises rice, you might think; well he probably Just has different taste buds.
But really it has nothing to do with taste buds or anything else. It has only to do with how this person pictures rice in his mind. The whole about rice. This simple example goes for anything whether it is, running a race, writing an essay or doing you chores. It has nothing to do with the task itself; the difficulty of it matters very little. It’s how you look at it, which makes the difference. Many people tend to look lowly at themselves, they tend to think they’re no good at anything, they’ll often see themselves as ugly or stupid.
They might even think that nobody likes them. This poem is a little reminder, to all of us out there with such thoughts, that how we think of ourselves is how we’ll feel about ourselves. To conquer the world we must first believe in ourselves. To have faith in others we must first have faith in ourselves. To be loved by others we must first love others. To do all these things we must first have a positive nature, and then we’ll see the world in a new light. It will become a place you never thought it could be.
