Harlem A Dream Deferred

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Harlem a Dream Deferred -Explanation

The poem by Langston talks about the fate of dreams that are never fulfilled . The poem is a metaphorical depiction of the disappointment of the `black population ' in Harlem . In the poem the dream refers to the hopes of the black people which were opportunity , better living conditions freedom from racism . However the expectations were dashed by conditions of overpopulation exploitation . In the poem , Langston describes the fate of an unfulfilled dream by comparing it to

a raisin that shrivels in the sun and ultimately disappears . Here the Sun represents time . The unfulfilled dream may become a sickening reminder of ones failure by `stinking like rotten meat ' or it may just crust over with sugar . This last statement here means that society may cover unmet goals with a veil of normalcy . The act is superficial because on the surface the problem may appear to have disappeared . However it would always remain since the root cause was never eradicated . The last line Or does it explode " is quite ominous and as it highlights the severity of a postponed dream . Here the poet compares the oppressed black people who have been denied yet another dream as a ticking bomb ready to explode

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