D iction
I mages
D etails
L anguage
S entence Structure
(Word Choice)
(Included / Excluded)
(Formal / Informal)
(Punctuation?
Full sentences?)
Gwendolyn Brooks &
Langston Hughes
Influence of Blues and
Harlem Renaissance
Gwendolyn Brooks
(1917 – 2000)






Grew up in Chicago, IL
Endured racial prejudice. These experiences influenced her work.
Published more than 75 poems, but failed to be employed by the
Chicago Defender – an African American newspaper.
Works also influenced by blues rhythms
Met Langston Hughes of the Harlem Renaissance movement
while she was in high school.
“Who he was is a smallish part of what he was.” –
Brooks of Hughes.
Langston Hughes
(1902 – 1967)




Enormously influential during Harlem Renaissance
Jazz Poetry – “demonstrates jazz-like rhythm or the
feel of improvisation
Stressed the theme “black is beautiful” as well as racial
consciousness and cultural nationalism
Encouraged pride in diverse black culture and the black
aesthetic and use of these as source of inspiration for
black artists.
Harlem Renaissance





1920s and 1930s, Harlem in New York City.
Grew out of changes since abolition of slavery and the Great
Migration of African Americans to northern cities
Influenced African Americans in America as well as writers from
French-speaking African and Caribbean colonies who lived in
Paris
Redefined how America and the world saw the African American
population – from rural and uneducated to cosmopolitan
sophistication.
"Like avant-garde movements in Europe, the Harlem
Renaissance embraced all art-forms, including music, dance, film,
theatre and cabaret.”
“We Real Cool”
by Gwendolyn Brooks
THE POOL PLAYERS.
SEVEN AT THE GOLDEN SHOVEL.
We real cool. We
Left school. We
Lurk late. We
Strike straight. We
Sing sin. We
Thin gin. We
Jazz June. We
Die soon.
“I, Too”
by Langston Hughes
I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.
Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed-I, too, am America.
“I, Too” Rewrite


DUE 2.10.11 (Thursday)
Directions: Using Langston Hughes’ poem “I,
Too” as a muse and echoing his form and
patterns, rewrite this poem in a way that is both
personal and meaningful for you.
Works Cited

1941, and the workshop participants were all African-American. The group dynamic of Stark's workshop
proved especially effective in energizing Brooks. "Gwendolyn Brooks - Wikipedia, the free
encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Feb. 2011.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwendolyn_Brooks>.

"A Blues Aesthetic." Iniva - Institute of International Visual Arts. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Feb. 2011.
<http://www.iniva.org/harlem/blues.html>.

"I, Too by Langston Hughes." PoemHunter.Com - Thousands of poems and poets.. Poetry Search Engine. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Feb. 2011.
<http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/i-too/>.




"Langston Hughes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Feb.
2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langston_Hughes>.
"Poet Laureate Timeline - Poetry (Library of Congress)." Library of Congress Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Feb. 2011.
<http://www.loc.gov/poetry/laureate-1981-1990.html>.
"THE DARKER BROTHER - NYTimes.com." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia.
N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Feb. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/1986/10/12/books/the-darkerbrother.html>.
"We Real Cool by Gwendolyn Brooks." PoemHunter.Com - Thousands of poems and poets.. Poetry Search
Engine. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Feb. 2011. <http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/we-realcool/>.