As I Grew Older by Langston Hughes
Background: In order to understand this poem, the reader must realize that during the period
that Langston Hughes wrote it, Blacks in America did not have equal rights when compared to
White Americans. Despite the great hope that the freedom from slavery of the 1860s brought,
Blacks were still denied the right to vote, they had to sit in the back of the bus, and they could
not use the same restrooms or water coolers that white people used.
Hughes was an active writer during the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s. During
this period, Black writers and artists used their skills to fight for equal rights via peaceful means
and self-expression. Hughes’s dream was the dream of a non-racist society in America and the
freedom for anyone to do what they choose to do and to be treated equally. However, his
dreams came true only many years later during the more militant Civil Rights Movement headed
by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the 1950s and 1960s.
Basic Understanding: This poem has two parallel themes. The first theme is about having a
dream that is unobtainable because of the “walls” of racism and discrimination, and the need to
fight for that dream. The second theme is about growing up and maturing. As a person matures,
he realizes that there are things that he did not realize as a naïve and inexperienced child. In
this sense, the poem is about going from the naivety of being a child, to being a realistic adult.
This adult understands that progress must often be obtained via a struggle against the powers
that disregard the rights that should be granted under Natural Law.
In the first section (lines 1-6), Hughes is reflecting on how he saw his dream of equality as a
child. He notes that as an adult the dream is almost forgotten. The writer may very well be
expressing despair at his failure to achieve substantial progress towards obtaining those rights
enjoyed by White Americans. As a child, Hughes states that his dream seemed real and
obtainable (“In front of me, Bright like a sun – my dream”).
At this point, it should be noted, that throughout his poem, Hughes uses “light” as a metaphor
for hope and equality, and “darkness” as a metaphor of inequality and despair.
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In the second section (lines 7-10), Langston points out that as he gets older, he slowly realizes
that the wall of racism and bigotry (‫( )צרות אופקים‬which was based in American law) is
separating him from his American Dream. The wall slowly rises until it reaches the sky.
In the third section (lines 11-14), the wall of racism has risen so high that it keeps out even the
slightest ray of light of his dream. Our author is in total darkness and despair. The darkness
represents the lack of hope the writer (who represents Black people) has of achieving the
American Dream in the face of legalized racism supported by embedded social codes. At this
point, the writer realizes that he is a shadow of what he used to be in terms of hope and
conviction. The writer has matured from a naïve child to an adult who realizes,
despite his desire to achieve the American Dream and be like other Americans, that the path to
doing so is full of obstacles and barriers. At this point he realizes that he a second class citizen
(I am Black).
In the fourth section (lines 15-19) the writer expresses the full weight of his despair. He no
longer is fighting for his rights. Rather, he gives up and lies in the shadow of hopelessness and
despair. His dream no longer actively exists, and has been seemingly forgotten (No longer the
light of my dream before me). He has come full circle to the beginning of the poem (I have
almost forgotten my dream). Above him (in a threatening manner) is the thick wall of racism
(which he has given up any hope of breaking) and the shadow of despair. This shadow
describes the inferior conditions that African American’s had to live with in segregated America.
The last section of the poem (lines 20-29) represents a radical change in the writer’s attitude.
He realizes that he cannot turn to anybody else (White America) for help, and that he must fight
his battles himself (My hands). He notes that his dark hands that bear the color of skin that is
the reason for his predicament will be used to fight for his American Dream – perhaps a prelude
to the notion of “Black Power” and “Black Pride” of the 1960s and 1970s. These dark hands can
be interpreted to be the hands that have bled and worked during the period of slavery and are
covered with dirt to show that hard work and constant repression of black society has made
them strong and able to fight – Break through the wall (an act of power and strength).
It is these hands (with the stricken Black color) that Hughes commands to Break through the
wall of racism and oppression and allow the light of the American Dream to re-enter his life (the
life of Black Americans). Hughes believes that this struggle (the breaking of the wall) will bring
the American Dream (Into a thousand lights of sun. Into a thousand whirling dreams of sun.).
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The sunlight represents happiness. When the word “sunlight” appears in the poem, the mood is
instantly transformed from darkness and hopelessness into the joy of assertiveness and pride.
While it is obvious that Hughes is speaking to Black Americans, it is equally obvious that his
message of fighting for rights and dreams, even when the odds are stacked heavily against you,
is an international message well-worth being examined.
The title of the poem also plays an important role in the poem’s meaning. The title of the poem
is “As I Grew Older”. The title implies that something changed as he got older. Based upon the
poem, the title most likely means that he learned about how hard it can be to reach your dreams
as he grew older. This helps understand the poem better because throughout the poem he talks
about realizing that it can be hard to realize your dreams, but you don’t know if he had a sudden
realization, or if he slowly learned it throughout his life. Now because of the title we can
conclude that he learned about how hard it is to achieve his dreams throughout his life and that
it was not a sudden realization.
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