A Dream Deferred
Langston Hughes
Lorraine Hansberry titled her play A Raisin in
the Sun after a line in this poem.
in order to understand why her play is titled
A Raisin in the Sun, you must understand the
poem
So let’s talk about it
Yes you get to use white boards!
• Talk with a neighbor about some of the
dreams you have. Things that you really truly
want. List one or two on your board.
• What if I told you that your dream will never
come true? How would that make you feel?
– Sorry boys--you need to get in touch with your
feelings for a moment.
• What will the loss of that dream do to you?
Deferred?
• What does this mean?
• What type of connotations does it present?
ERASE YOUR BOARDS
A Dream Deferred
Read each line of the poem and interpret possible
meanings of the simile/metaphor. Then decide what type of
connotation each line has.
Line from poem
Interpretation
What happens to a dream deferred?
1….does it dry up like a raisin in the
sun?
2….fester like a sore—and then
run?
3….does it stink like rotten meat?
4….crust and sugar over like a
syrupy sweet?
5….maybe it just sags like a heavy
load.
6. …or does it explode?
Positve or
negative
connotation
Clean and pass boards up front.
Turn in dry erase marker.
Homework / Classwork
Part 1
1. You will write and type out your own Dream
Deferred poem using the format on the next
slide.
2. Type your poem and make it visually appealing.
Part 2
1. I will assign you a line of the poem. You will
then create a visual representation of that line.
2. This is completely separate from your personal
poem.
Requirements: Your visual must be a FULL 8 ½ X
11 clean sheet of paper
A Dream Deferred
-- Langston Hughes
What happens to a dream
deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore And then run?
Does it stink like rotten
meat?
Or crust and sugar over Like a syrupy sweet?
Fill in the blanks keeping the same basis
structure of poem. Using similes, then a
metaphor at the end.
A Dream ___________
Title
What happens to a dream ____________?
Does it ______________________
Like a _______________________?
Or ___________ like a ________ And then _________?
Does it __________ like ______________?
Or __________ and ______________ Like a ________________________?
Maybe it just sags
Like a heavy load.
Maybe it just ________________
Like a _____________________.
Or does it explode?
Or does it __________________?
My Example of Langston Hughes Poem:
A Dream De-Railed
What happens to a dream deconstructed?
Does it crumble
Like old newsprint stored below?
Or shrivel like a full blown rose
In the snow?
Does it reek like putrid eggs?
Or stick and honey-coat
Like the maple bottle dregs?
Maybe it just chips
Like a worn-out serving platter.
Or does it shatter?