Essay- "The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain"

[Ms. Knarr]

Turn to page 657 and read the following essay.



Remember, do not use questions from the text or you will lose credit!

[stephhsieh]

1. I believe the overall meaning of this essay was the struggle of racism and who during his time period and even today, there's that "want" that White people are better and everyone wants to be like them. Hughes meaning of this essay was that Blacks try to be like and want to be like Whites, and he's ashamed of how the Blacks are ashamed of themselves. He wanted his own kind to be proud of what they are and realize they have their own potential and being who they are is more important and the best than being who they're not. They [the Blacks] didn't see their own kind as a beauty but as a shame.

2. I really like this essay because it opens up our [the readers] mind and teaches us to be proud of who we are and accept and understand we are as equal and special as others. I really liked this essay because we still see this "standardization", where some people think that one specific ethnicity/race, religion, gender, ect. is better and their goal is to become that "type" and feel shame upon themselves. I really enjoyed it because it teaches us to love who we are. Its like a cat wishing to be a dog. You can wish as hard as you want, but you'll never become a dog.

3.
Q1-If Hughes wrote about accepting yourself, do you think Hughes ever wished to be White during his life time?
Q2- How do you think Blacks took this piece during this time period? Did they follow his advice?
Q3- How do you think Whites took this? Did they really believe they were the "best" to be?
Q4- Why do you think Hughes wrote about this?

[dougrybczynski]

1. The meaning of this work is exactly what Steph has said, it is the desire of Black artists and the Black middle class to be white. The essay conveys Hughes' feelings on this when he says they should be proud of who they are, embrace it, and live it out to their artistic fullest.

2. I really enjoyed this essay. I love how Hughes knows himself so well that he will put down the feelings of those in his own race who wish to be different and says that we must appreciate who we are. I think that everything he says in the essay is true about the wrongness of wishing to be something different than what you are and the smiting of your true heritage.

3. (Question 4) I think Hughes wrote about this because it deeply hurt him, seeing those wanting to change to be more like whites. I think he is deeply rooted in his race and his heritage and so he is hurt when other Black artists wish they were something different from it.
My question- Do you think Whites enjoyed the literature of those Blacks who wrote as it they were white?

[gabbymcgovern]

1. I completely agree with Steph and Doug on the overall meaning of the essay. The meaning of the essay is that blacks thought that they needed to be white. There was the concept of whites being better than blacks, but the point of the essay is to show that this case is not true. In the essay, it talks about upper class blacks thinking that they were better than lower class blacks, which made them think they were on the road to "being more white." In conclusion, this essay serves to explain how the black artist can not try to write with the idea of trying to be something that he is not.

2. My reaction to the piece was that I agreed with Langston Hughes on the concept of staying true to who you are. It is sad to see that a black writer would want to try to write to impress a white person. The color of your skin plays no factor in how a writer writes or who the writer writes for. I enjoyed how Hughes didn't fall into the pressure of trying to be something that he wasn't. This is why I liked the final paragraph, which motivates blacks to not think that being white is everything.

3. Steph's first question- No, I do not think that Langston Hughes tried or wanted to be white. I think that he was content with his skin color, and he wanted others to feel the same way as him. This is why this piece of writing is so powerful, for it explains why individuality should be welcomed.
My question- Why would upper class blacks think that they were better than people who had the same skin color as them?

[kevinskocypec]

1. I believe that, along with what Steph and most people had said, this essay is about the desire of black people. They would have loved to be part of the normal class, which at that time was the whites. Hughes was happy to be who he was, just wanted respect. Most black people did not see it that way and Hughes wished they could.

2. This essay meant a lot to me and described many situations throughout the world. We should be proud of who we are and keep our dignity the way it is. Just because the blacks at the time we looked as unequal, does not mean they should try to be white to become equal.

3. (In response to Doug's Question): I feel as if Whites felt that Blacks were not as good as them and would not enjoy anything that had to do with them. If they were unaware the writer was black, they might enjoy it. However, just because the writing was a "white style" does not mean it contained a white author.
My Question: Did Blacks look upon this piece positively and take Hughes' advice?

[thomashaldeman]

1. I believe that the meaning of this essay is that the Black people as a whole have a desire to be White. All of the African Americans had this misconception that White people were "Better." I think that Hughes wants the African Americans to be proud of who they are and accept themselves. He believed that the blacks thought of themselves as disgraces compared to the white people.
2. Although I wasn't crazy about this essay, I can understand why many people would enjoy this. It has a great theme, because it tells us to be ourselves and not be envious or jealous of anyone else. Accept yourself for who you are, no matter who tells you otherwise. I do like how Hughes sort of put the whole black race on his shoulders and was able to go out on that limb so others would have an easier life.
3. To answer Kevin's question, I think that many Blacks would read this and feel inspired. This essay gave them a reason to realize that they are just the same as their white counterparts. They now had someone who took a stance, so now they would be able to follow Hughes' leadership. I think that this piece inspired many African Americans.

[thomashaldeman]

Accidentaly hit enter...My Question- Do you believe that Hughes' had the idea that he would be the stepping stone for so many African Americans?