an analysis of racial discrimination ... ini menganalisis tiga puisi yang ditulis oleh langston...

AN ANALYSIS OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION

EXPERIENCED BY LANGSTON HUGHES AS REFLECTED

IN HIS POEMS I, TOO, MERRY-GO-ROUND, AND KU KLUX

A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree

in English Language Education

By

Anindita Hanifan Hutami

Student Number: 131214121

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION

FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA

2018

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI

i

AN ANALYSIS OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION

EXPERIENCED BY LANGSTON HUGHES AS REFLECTED

IN HIS POEMS I, TOO, MERRY-GO-ROUND, AND KU KLUX

A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree

in English Language Education

By


Student Number: 131214121

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION

FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA

2018


Demikian pernyataan ini yang saya buat dengan sebenarnya.

Yang bertanda tangan dibawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:

Dibuat di YogyakartaPada tanggal: 14 Desember 2017

: Anindita Hanifan Hutami: 131214121

NamaNomor Mahasiswa

AN ANALYSIS OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION EXPERIENCED BYLANGSTON HUGHES AS REFLECTED IN HIS POEMS I, TOO, MERRY

GO-ROUND, AND KU KLUX

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN

PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS

beserta perangkat yang diperiukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan

kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan,

mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan

data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di Internet atau

media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa periu meminta ijin dari saya

maupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya

sebagai penulis.

Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan

Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:

Yamnnenyatakan

Anindifa Hanifan Hutami

v


vi

ABSTRACT

Hutami, Anindita Hanifan (2017). An Analysis of Racial Discrimination

Experienced by Langston Hughes as Reflected in his Poems I, Too, Merry-Go-

Round, and Ku Klux. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program

Sanata Dharma University.

This study analyzes three poems written by Langston Hughes entitled I,

too, Merry-go-round, and Ku Klux. The poems examine racial discrimination

experienced by the poet, Langston Hughes. Throughout his poems, he attempts to

reveal his experiences as an African-American treated abusively and inhumanly.

The aim of this study is to reveal racial discrimination as experienced by

Langston Hughes which is reflected in his poems: I, Too, Merry-Go-Round, and

Ku Klux. There are two research questions to answer. First, “How do the poems

“I, Too”, “Merry-Go-Round” and “Ku Klux” describe racial discrimination?”

Second, “How do the poems “I, Too”, “Merry-Go-Round” and “Ku Klux” reflect

Langston Hughes’s experience of racial discrimination?

The writer uses two sources in this study. The primary source is the poems

itself, entitled I, Too, Merry-Go-Round, and Ku Klux written by Langston Hughes.

The secondary sources come from a collection of poems, history and literary

theories and internet sources that help the writer analyze the research questions. In

answering the research questions, the writer uses a formalist approach and several

theories such as, the theory of racial discrimination which is applied to describe

the racial discrimination happened in poems; and the theories of socio-cultural-

historical approach and Jim Crow Law on racial discrimination which are applied

to reveal how the racial discrimination experienced by Langston Hughes is

reflected in his poems I, Too, Merry-Go-Round, and Ku Klux.

Based on the analysis, the findings revealed that racial discrimination

described in Hughes’s poems is real. Through Hughes’s poems, he describes that

African-American got bad treatments such as; eat in the kitchen, racial

discrimination towards children’s happiness, and racial discrimination through

inhuman manners. Hughes tries to tell his experiences of being threatened due to

his racial ethnicity by writing poems and this is clearly revealed to the reader

throughout his poems.

Keywords: Racial Discrimination, Poems, African-American


vii

ABSTRAK

Hutami, Anindita Hanifan (2017). An Analysis of Racial Discrimination

Experienced by Langston Hughes as Reflected in his Poems I, Too, Merry-Go-

Round, and Ku Klux. Yogyakarta: Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris Universitas Sanata

Dharma.

Penelitian ini menganalisis tiga puisi yang ditulis oleh Langston Hughes

dengan judul I, Too, Merry-Go-Round, dan Ku Klux. Secara garis besar puisi ini

menceritakan tentang diskriminasi rasial yang pernah dialami oleh penulis puisi,

Langston Hughes. Melaluipuisinya, dia mencoba menunjukkan kepada semua

orang tentang pengalamannya menjadi seorang Afrikan-Amerikan yang

diperlakukan buruk dan tidak manusiawi.

Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengungkap diskriminasi rasial

yang pernah dialami oleh Langston Hughes sebagaimana tercermin dalam

puisinya I, Too, Merry-Go-Round, dan Ku Klux. Disini ada dua rumusan masalah

yang harus dijawab. Yang pertama adalah “Bagaimana puisi I, Too, Merry-Go-

Round, dan Ku Klux mendeskripsikan diskriminasi rasial?” dan yang kedua adalah

“Bagaimana puisi I, Too, Merry-Go-Round, dan Ku Klux mencerminkan

pengalaman Langston Hughes terhadap diskriminasi rasial?

Dalam penelitian ini, penulis menggunakan dua macam sumber. Sumber

utama adalah puisi itu sendiri dengan judul I, Too, Merry-Go-Round, dan Ku Klux

yang ditulis oleh Langston Hughes. Sumber kedua adalah buku-buku koleksi

puisi, sejarah dan teori-teori sastra, serta sumber dari internet yang membantu

penulis untuk menganalisis rumusan masalah. Dalam menjawab rumusan

masalah, penulis menggunakan pendekatan formalis serta beberapa teori lainnya,

seperti teoridiskriminasi rasial yang juga digunakan dalam penelitian ini untuk

mendiskripsikan diskriminasi rasial yang terjadi dalam puisi. Teori pendekatan

sosial-sejarah dan budaya, Jim Crow Law dan diskriminasi rasial digunakan pula

untuk mengungkapkan bagaimana diskriminasi rasial yang pernah dialami

Langston Hughes sebagai seorang Afrikan-Amerikan seperti yang tercermin

dalam puisinya I, Too, Merry-Go-Round, dan Ku Klux.

Berdasarkan penelitian, kesimpulannya mengungkapkan bahwa

diskriminasi rasial yang dideskripsikan dalam puisi benar terjadi. Dalam puisinya,

Hughes mencoba mendeskripsikan bahwa Afrikan-Amerikan mendapatkan

perlakuan yang buruk seperti; makan di dapur, diskriminasi rasial terhadap

kebahagiaan anak-anak, dan diskriminasi rasial dengan cara yang tidak

manusiawi. Hughes mencoba untuk menceritakan pengalamannya yang pernah

terancam denganmenuliskan puisi dan menunjukkannya kepada para pembaca

melalui puisinya tersebut.

Kata kunci: Racial Discrimination, Poems, Afrikan-Amerikan


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The completion of this thesis would not have been possible without the

help of numerous people. Therefore, I would like to express my gratitude to all

people who have given their support, prayers, and motivation to finish this thesis.

First of all, I would like to express my greatest gratitude to God for His

blessings and everlasting love for me. He gave me hope whenever I nearly gave

up and he gave me strength to continue forward. He helped me to find a way

through every problem I faced. Without Him, this thesis could not have been

completed.

My special gratitude goes ultimately to my beloved family who have given

their faith, support, love, advice, and prayers. I thank my father and my mother,

my foster father and my precious foster mother. I also want to thank my older

brother, my younger sisters, my uncle and my aunt. I thank them for everything, I

love them all.

My deep gratitude goes to my advisor and inspiring lecturer, F. X. Ouda

Teda Ena, M. Pd., Ed. D., who has given me his generous time to guide me

throughout the completion of this thesis. I am thankful for his willingness to

check, to read, and to give insightful feedback for me so that I could move

forward with this thesis. I know he is very busy, I thank him for giving his time. I

would also like to show my sincere appreciation to all of the secretariat, library

staff, and all employees in Sanata Dharma University for helping me throughout

my research.


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I would also like to thank all my friends at Sanata Dharma University. I

thank Cornelia Liris who checked my grammar which is an important element for

this thesis. I thank Lolita who checked the page composition for this thesis. I also

thank the family of KKN LIII Hargosari. I thank them for being great friends and

always supporting each other.

I also would like to show my endless gratitude to my best friends all

around the world. I thank Sofiya Auwaliya for her everlasting care and being there

for me through all my ups and downs. I thank the KMG crew for their time and

motivation. My special gratitude goes to my dearest man, Dwek, who has given

me his time, love, and motivation to finish my thesis. I thank him for his

encouragement during the process of finishing my thesis. I thank him for the

warm friendship and for always being with me.

Lastly, I would like to thank all of the great people who have supported

me throughout my college years whom I could not mentioned.



x

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

TITLE PAGE ................................................................................................. i

APPROVAL PAGE ....................................................................................... ii

STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY .............................................. iv

PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI ............................................... v

ABSTRACT ................................................................................................... vi

ABSTRAK........................................................................................................ vii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................ viii

TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................ x

LIST OF APPENDICES ................................................................................. xiii

CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................... 1

A. Background of the Study ......................................................... 1

B. Research Questions.................................................................... 3

C. Significance of the Study …...................................................... 3

D. Definition of Terms ................................................................... 3

1. Discrimination ................................................................... 4

2. Race ................................................................................... 4

3. African-Americans ............................................................ 5

CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ................................ 6

A. Review of Related Study ...................................................... 7


xi

B. Review of Related Theories.................................................. 10

1. Socio-Cultural-Historical Approach to Literature ............ 10

2. Racism .............................................................................. 11

3. Jim Crow Law .................................................................. 12

4. Formalist Approach .......................................................... 14

5. Poem ................................................................................. 15

6. Racial Discrimination ...................................................... 16

C. Review on the Historical-Biographical Background .......... 17

D. Theoretical Framework ....................................................... 19

CHAPTER III. METHODOLOGY .................................................................. 20

A. Object of the Study .............................................................. 20

B. Approach of the Study ......................................................... 22

CHAPTER IV. ANALYSIS ........................................................................... 23

A. Description of Racial Discrimination in Poems I, Too, Merry-

Go-Round and Ku Klux ........................................................... 23

1. Explanation of I, Too .............................................. 24

2. Explanation of Merry-Go-Round ............................ 28

3. Explanation of Ku Klux ........................................... 37

B. Racial Discrimination Experienced by Langston Hughes as

Reflected in His Poems I, Too, Merry-Go-Round,

and Ku Klux …………………………………………………. 43

a. Eat in the Kitchen ….................................................. 43


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b. Racial Discrimination against

Children’s Happiness ………………………………... 44

c. Racial Discrimination through

Inhuman Manners …..................................................... 46

CHAPTER V. CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS, AND SUGGESTIONS ... 47

A. Conclusions .......................................................................... 47

B. Implications .......................................................................... 49

C. Suggestions ........................................................................... 50

REFERENCES .................................................................................................. 52

APPENDICES .................................................................................................. 55


xiii

LIST OF APPENDICES

Page

Appendix A

The Poem of Langston Hughes “I, Too” ........................................................ 55

Appendix B

The Poem of Langston Hughes “Merry-Go-Round” ...................................... 56

Appendix C

The Poem of Langston Hughes “Ku Klux” ..................................................... 57

Appendix D

The Biography of Langston Hughes ................................................................ 58


1

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

This chapter consists of four parts. Those parts are background of the

study, research question, significance of the study, and definition of terms.

Background of the study explains about the summary of literary works and the

background analysis of the study. Research questions consist of the problem to be

discussed. Significance of the study focuses on the contribution of the study or

aim of the study and definition of terms explains the important key terms

mentioned in the study to avoid misunderstanding on certain terms.

A. Background of the Study

There are so many people who live in America with different kinds of

origin. Not only white people who come from Europe, but also other countries

such as African-American from Asia or Africa. African-Americans come to

America because of slavery. They lived on large farms or small plantation and not

allowed to learn. They were prohibited from learning to read and write. The slaves

worked mainly to build the economic foundations of the nation. African-

Americans often get inappropriate treatment from other people, especially White

Americans. They were treated differently because of the color of their skin. They

have dark skin which white people think as ugly and dirty. Those actions occur

because they are slaves.

Some white colored skins also treat them badly in many ways. At that

time, African-Americans were not able to use any public facilities. Woodward


2

(1974) noted that it was because a regulation that people called Jim Crow Law. It

was about treated African-Americans differently by did not admit them as

American people because of the difference of skin color and isolated from social

life. White Americans did not give the front or middle seat to African-Americans

at public transportations. “Up to 1900 the only law of this type adopted by the

majority of Southern states was that applying to passengers aboard train” (p. 97).

Those kinds of treatments from White Americans run to the discrimination that

became a common issue in the African-Americans’ life at that time.

The portrait of discrimination can also be seen in some literary works

which have themes about discrimination against African-Americans. One of the

literary works which have discrimination of theme is the poem created by

Langston Hughes (1902-1967). He is an African-American, and he likes to write

poems containing the discrimination theme that African-Americans experienced.

What makes his poems interesting are about the way he writes his poems which

contain racial discrimination, freedom, and equality. The poem tells about

“Negroes” or commonly called black people that treated differently by another

White Americans. It is like racism and prejudice that African-Americans do not

have any rights or equality in society as the other Americans. He knows that by

birth he is an American, but he is not being treated like one. Those issues make

the researcher curious and want to do an analysis of racial discrimination that the

poet might be felt in his life. This phenomenon attracts the researcher to observe

about racial discrimination experienced by the poet using his poems. The


3

researcher focuses on three poems by Langston Hughes “I, Too”, “Merry-Go-

Round”, and “Ku Klux”

B. Research Questions

Based on the background, the writer formulates two research questions.

They are:

1. How is racial discrimination described in “I, Too”, “Merry-Go-

Round” and “Ku Klux”?

2. How is Langston Hughes’s experience of racial discrimination

reflected in the poems “I, Too”, “Merry-Go-Round” and “Ku Klux”?

C. Significance of the Study

The aim of this study is to reveal how the racial discrimination

experienced by Langston Hughes as reflected in his poems “I, Too”, “Merry-Go-

Round” and “Ku Klux”. The first question is presented in order to know how

racial discrimination is described in poems of Langston Hughes. The second

question is to reveal how the poet’s life when he experienced racial discrimination

by analyzing his poems.

D. Definition of Terms

There are three major terms which need to be explained in order to

understand this study. Those terms are discrimination, race, and African-

Americans. Moreover, this study will also explain about the poems written by

Langston Hughes entitled “I, Too”, “Merry-Go-Round” and “Ku Klux”.


4

1. Discrimination

According to Aguire and Turner (2011) “in general, discrimination is the

act of denying an individual, group or subpopulation individuals by another

individual, group, or subpopulation access to valued resources” (p. 7). Agguire

and Turner also state that in relation to ethnic, discrimination is the process by

which the members of more powerful and dominant ethnic subpopulation deny

the members from less powerful and inferior ethnic subpopulation full access to

society value (Agguire & Turner, 2011, p. 6)

From the definition above, researcher concludes that discrimination is an

inappropriate act done by certain groups of people in order to get what they want.

The act can be very rude or injustice to the group of people which are

discriminated. Discrimination also refers to the practice of treating someone or a

certain group of society in less fairly way than others based on their races.

2. Race

As the statement of Agguire and Turner (2011) “the term race connotes

biological differences among people – skin color, facial features, stature, and the

like – that are transmitted from generation to generation” (p. 2). Race is

community groups which live in one particular area and have the same cultures

and believes, similar physical and biological appearance that were always

inherited to the generation.


5

3. African-Americans

Woodward (1974) states that the movement of Africa, in fact, “Africa was

by no means the only inspiration of black nationalism or the only source of its

ideals and heroes.” (p. 201). Agguire and Turner (2011) say that African-

Americans have not been able to enjoy the benefits that come with living in the

United States (p.101). They are equally access denied by White Americans to the

value resources of society.

Based on the definition above, the researcher concludes that African-

Americans are group of people who are treated and denied unequally by society in

United States. They do not have access to the resources of society such as job and

public facilities.


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CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter consists of review of related studies, review of related

theories, review on the historical-biographical background, and theoretical

framework. Review of related studies explains the review of other related studies

that previously done on the same work or topic. The researcher reviews some

studies related to literary work that suitable with the topic discussion. In review of

related theories, it explains the theories used in the study. In this research, the

main theories used are Socio-Cultural-Historical Approach to Literature,

Formalist Approach, Racism, and Jim Crow Law.

In order to analyze this research, researcher uses Socio-Cultural-Historical

theory. The term of social history refers to sub discipline of the historical science

and it is a general approach to history that focuses on society at large (“Social

History”). The Socio-Cultural-Historical Approach theory provides the social,

cultural, and historical background of a certain literature. This approach

establishes and tries to relate what is the background of the story by reviewing on

the social, cultural and historical background. Formalist Approach provides the

basic analysis to literary works, and it contains of intrinsic elements of literary

works. This approach helps the researcher to analyze the intrinsic elements of

poems which focused on theme, figure of speech, imagery, and symbols. Then,

racism theory explains about what is racism itself and how the racism becomes an

issue in African-Americans’ life. Furthermore, the theory of Jim Crow Law is also

used to reveal what is really happened in African-Americans’ life at the mid-1960.


7

Jim Crow Law has some norms that show us the discrimination among African-

Americans. As Tischauser (2012) said, Jim Crow is a series laws that separate

individuals’ physic based on race, gender, religion, or class. Jim Crow is an entire

way of life where Americans and African-Americans lived in two vastly unequal

communities in South (p. 1). This law is a system of law where the African-

Americans are treated differently and have limited space in society. The next

related theory is review on the historical-biographical background. This part tells

about the objects examined in this study. This theory helps the researcher reveal

the racial discrimination among African-Americans by reviewing on historical

and biographical background of the story in the poems. The last part of review on

related theories is theoretical framework. This part explains the contribution of the

theories and how the theories applied in the study. The researcher uses some

theories that will be described in this part such as theory of discrimination, theory

of racism, and theory of Jim Crow Law. Those theories applied in this study help

researcher to reveal the racial discrimination issues against African-Americans in

society as experienced by Langston Hughes in his poems and to reveal how the

influence of the society to his work.

A. Review of Related Studies

Examining several researchers, the researcher reviews two journals and

three researchers who had conducted a study related to literary works, especially

about the racial discrimination.

Buana (2015) has done research with the title “Racial Discrimination

towards Mexican-Americans Reflected through the Setting in Valdez’s Los


8

Vendidos”. This study focuses on analyzing the play, especially the setting which

deals with racism and discrimination. The aim of her study is to reveal the racial

discrimination against Mexican-Americans in a play entitled Los Vendidos written

by Luis Valdez. The approach used in this study was socio-cultural-historical

approach and the method used in this study was library research method. There

were two kinds of data in this study. The primary source was the play entitled Los

Vendidos and the secondary data was sources taken from library. The data were

analyzed by describing the setting of the play and explaining about racial

discrimination faced by Mexican-Americans in public places, economy,

education, social class, and negative stereotypes. The result of this study is that

there are some similarities between the story of the play and real life in the United

States at that time.

Sari (2014) in her research entitled “Racial Discrimination Revealed

through the Major Character and Setting Kathryn Stockett’s The Help”. The aim

of this study is to reveal the racial discrimination that happens to the major

character of the novel. The researcher uses socio-cultural-historical approach in

this study to help her analyze the problems in the novel. The method used in this

study was library research method which means that there were two kinds of data,

the primary data and the secondary data. The primary data was the novel itself and

the secondary data was sources from books and articles. The researcher applied

some theories in this study such as theory of character and characterization, theory

of setting, and theory of racial discrimination. As a result, the researcher found out

that there were racial discriminations against black skin people which can be seen


9

in the setting of the novel and she found out the characteristic of three black maids

from their experiences on the racial discrimination.

Kubuan (2015) has conducted research entitled “Class and Racial

Discrimination against the Chinese Immigrants in the USA in the 20th Century in

Jean Kwok’s Girl in Translation”. The researcher focuses on the class and racial

discrimination happened to Chinese immigrants in 20th in the USA through a

novel. The aim is to reveal the case of class and racial discrimination at that time

by using the socio-cultural-historical approach. The researcher also uses the

theory of character and characterization, theory of setting, theory of

discrimination and theory of relation between literature and society to support the

analysis. The result of the study shows that there were classes and racial

discriminations happen in the story. People from lower classes in Chinese

immigrant society were discriminated by those people from higher class.

Karlsen and Nazroo (2002) have done their research entitled “Relation

between Racial Discrimination, Social Class, and Health among Ethnic Minority

Groups”. The aim of this study was to explore associations between racism, social

class, and health among ethnic minority people in England and Wales. They were

conducted series of regressions analyses on cross-sectional data from the Fourth

National Survey of Ethnic Minorities. They used this method to explore the

relation between different indicators of racism and health and household

occupational class. As a result, researchers found out that there were independent

associations existed between reported experience of racism and perceptions of

Britain as a “racist society,” household social class, age, sex, and various mental


10

and physical health indicators. All of these associations showed a reasonable

consistency across the different ethnic groups.

Noh, Beiser, Kaspar, Hou and Rummens (1999) have conducted research

entitled “Perceived Racial Discrimination, Depression, and Coping: A Study of

Southeast Asian Refugees in Canada”. This study focuses on the relation of racial

discrimination and depression, the roles of coping, and ethnic identity. The data of

this study obtained from personal interviews with 647 Southeast Asian refugees in

Canada. Refugees who reported that they had experienced racial discrimination

had higher depression levels than their counterparts who reported no such

experience. This study found out to support the effectiveness of forbearance in

diminishing the strength of the association between discrimination and depression.

The moderating effect of forbearance was conditioned by the level of ethnic

identity that the beneficial effect of forbearance was significantly greater among

those holding stronger ethnic identifications.

B. Review of Related Theories

1. Socio-Cultural- Historical Approach to Literature

In order to analyze the problems of this study, the researcher uses a certain

approach which is appropriate with the topic of study. The researcher uses Socio-

Cultural-Historical approach to answer research question number two. This

approach deals with the social, cultural, and historical background of a certain

literature. This approach ultimately tries to relate and to represent what is

presented in the literary works to its social, cultural, and historical background of

the story.


11

The historical approach to literature uses the social implications, cultural

events, and intellectual levels that produced a work in order to understand it.

Cultural-historical approach focuses on the relation between individual’s

development and the context of development of which the individual has been a

part (Pacheco & Gutiérrez, 2008, p. 60). One of the goals of this approach is to

make the readers understand the originality of literary works. Some events that

appear in the literary works are typically used to examine a text with historical

criticism include the time period and place in which the literary work or text was

written.

From those points, the researcher is sure that the most suitable approach

applied in this study is socio-cultural-historical approach, because at the end, the

objective of this study is to reveal the racial issues toward African-Americans as

whole community group experienced by Langston Hughes that he expresses

through his poems. By using this approach, the reader will be able to see the

influence of the society to the work written by Langston Hughes.

2. Racism

Racism raises an attitude of people and the way of thinking that they

consider their race better than others. This kind of attitude causes people

underestimates themselves in a group. Racism produces some levels in society

and those levels will lead the groups of people to the act of underestimating

others. On their research, (Inter Group, 2007) finds what racism is by interviewing

students. The finding shows that racism is discriminating against a person because

of their color or race, not interacting with black and fighting with someone


12

because he or she is from another country. Racism only valuing people from their

own group and associating prejudices with a group called a race by classifying

human beings using prejudices based on a hierarchical scale from best to worst.

Moreover, racism also attributes series of “good” and “bad” characteristics to a

person according to their physical aspect by identify them with a series of

prejudices. Racism causes inferiorizing and insinuating that some of them are not

the same people as they are. This also create an act that the groups of people

feeling they are the best in the society.

3. Jim Crow Law

“Negroes” or commonly called black people are treated differently by

another White Americans. They cannot use the same table to eat and always get

threated by others. They have to sit at the back whenever they use the public

transportations or public facilities. It is because of their color of skin, they are

treated badly and that is the rule of Jim Crow Law.

Jim Crow Law was the name of racial caste system which operated

primarily in southern and Border States between 1877 and the mid-1960s. Worth

(2009) noted that Jim Crow Law was more than a series of rigid anti-black laws,

“under Jim Crow, African-Americans became a second status citizens” (p. 8). Jim

Crow Law reflected the legitimation of anti-black racism and this was a system of

law where the black people have limited space in society.

These are the norms of Jim Crow Law. First, a black male could not offer

his hand (to shake hands) with a white male because it implied being socially

equal. Second, blacks and whites were not supposed to eat together. If they did eat


13

together, whites were to be served first and some sort of portion was to be placed

between them. Third, blacks were not allowed to show public affection toward

one another in public, especially kissing, because it offended whites. Fourth,

under no circumstances was a black male to offer the cigarette of a white

female—that gesture implied intimacy. Fifth, Jim Crow etiquette prescribed those

blacks were introduced to whites, never whites to blacks. Whites did not use

courtesy titles of respect when referring to blacks. Finally, if a black person rode

in a car driven by a white person, the black person sat on the back seat or back of

the truck. White motorists had the right-of-way at all intersections.

During this period, White Americans, especially males could claim the

title of superior manhood by meeting the requirements of race, gender, and class.

As researcher who continues to find the events that really happen, DuRocher

(2011) says, “In the Jim Crow South, however, only two things were demanded:

he must be white, and he must be willing to uphold the culture of white

masculinity in a public forum” (p.4). Moreover, Jim Crow Law was more than

discriminating people in South by their race. Jim Crow Law also discriminated

people by their gender. White Americans in South realized that to build strong

solidarity to maintain the segregation was indoctrinate white youth into the racial

order, which included prescribed gender roles. DuRocher (2011) also reveals that

social activists’ autobiography of Southern offer recollection of their experiences

about white race and identity that “gender roles were central to maintaining Jim

Crow” (p.5-6).


14

By the early eighteenth century, the legal framework of slavery in the

South had become clearly codified. There were some beliefs that blacks were to

be slaves for life. They were slaved both of their property and persons. They could

not inherit property or acquire it. Blacks even could not have a sit on juries. They

treated badly and unequally. It made the Jim Craw Law practices push African-

Americans very hard. This rude and legal law made the African-Americans far

from society. They could not have any interaction in society because their position

in the society was also not acceptable. Jim Crow Law is like the system that

controls permanently lock a huge percentage of African-Americans community

out of the mainstream society and economy. This system creates and maintains

racial hierarchy and it functions more like a caste system. Alexander (2012) notes

that Jim Crow Law and slavery “as a tightly networked system of laws, policies,

customs, and institutions that operate collectively to ensure the subordinate status

of a group that defined by race” (p.13).

4. Formalist Approach

This approach is probably the most basic approach to the analysis of

literature. It uses to develop interpretation of literary works. The researcher uses

this approach to answer the research question number one. In 2005, Guerin,

Labor, Morgan, and Willingham stated “as with form and its potential to embody

meaning, imagery and metaphor are an integral part or the work, especially in the

poem” (p. 105).

Formalist approach can be understood by its intrinsic elements. It is

focusing on form over content. Formalist would concentrate on analyzing how the


15

various elements of literary work are integrated into the complex and unique

structure of a self-contained aesthetic work. In this research, there are so many

intrinsic elements that can be used to interpret Hughes’s poems. However, the

researcher only focuses on intrinsic elements such as theme, figure of speech,

imagery, and symbols. As Guerin, et al. (2005) mentioned, “Symbol is a way of

using something integral to the work to reach beyond the work and engage the

world of value outside the work” (p. 106).

5. Poem

Literature contains of so many parts, and poem is one of it. Poem is a part

of literature that is usually told and learned by public. It is also usually used to

teach students in school about how to define meaning. Some people often call

poem as poetry. They both have the same meaning. Poem or poetry itself is

defined as the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origins from

emotion recollected in tranquility: the emotion is contemplated till by a species of

reaction the tranquility gradually disappears, and an emotion, kindred to that

which was before the subject of contemplation, is gradually produced, and does

itself actually exist in the mind (“William-Wordsworth” 2015).

Poetry is used to achieve the artistic and creative expression in several

ways. In the existence of poetry, it evokes meaning and emotion, figurative ways,

describe an image, an idea or moment more directly and literary to

communication meaning. The power of poetry is its interpretative power. The

power is dealing with things that generate a wonderfully full, new, and intimate

sense of them. It has not only helps the composers but also the readers as means


16

of therapy for people to entertain themselves in several ways. To entertain

themselves, they usually interpret and relate the work with his or her own

experiences in order to feel better about a situation in their lives.

Poetry has its own elements. Its elements include structure, sound devices,

imagery, figurative language, elements of fiction and poetic form (“Elements of

Poetry” 2011). Form is also one of the elements in poetry. Form is the way a

poem looks or the arrangement of words on a page. It is usually used to

differentiate one poetry to another especially in differentiating the types of poem

itself. The main forms of poetry are lyric, narrative, and dramatic. Those types are

common and popular in public. Moreover, each type has its own character that

express the poet’s feelings, thoughts, and imagination. Then, after reading the

poem, people will try to interpret and find the meaning behind the arranged

words. People will also try to relate the meaning of poem to their situation and

moment in their life.

6. Racial Discrimination

The opportunity and experiences of some aspects of life in the United

States have been powerfully shaped by race. People differentiate their race and

their class and it revealed a racial discrimination between them. Thus, racial

discrimination shall mean any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference

based on race, color, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or

effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an

equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political,

economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life (International


17

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, 2014).

They believe that races and classes should be like this. White Americans were on

top and African-Americans were on the bottom of the class. For African-

Americans this has meant that being different is an important segment of how

they see themselves.

Racial discrimination occurs when a person is treated differently or not

given the same opportunity as others in similar situation and condition. The cause

that appears usually about their race, the place or country they were born and their

skin color (Australian Human Rights Commission [AHRC], 2014). The society

agrees with this statement because it represents the racial discrimination itself.

People could see that racial discrimination really occurs in society like in public

places or working places, they discriminate against a person on the basis of their

race. Discrimination can be direct or indirect. Direct discrimination happens when

a person is treated less favorably than another person in the same situation

according to their race, skin color, ethnic origin or immigrant status. Then,

indirect discrimination can happen when a person treats everyone the same but

actually it disadvantages some people because of their race, color, national or

ethnic origin or immigrant status (AHRC, 2014).

C. Review on the Historical-Biographical Background

Historical biography means reconstruction of human life and a

representation of an individual. The notion of biography includes more than a real

life depiction. It also includes the events of a life, the narrative of a life and the

interpretation of its characteristics, as Robert (2002) said “the intent of


18

biographical in its various guises is to collect and interpret the lives of others as

part of human understanding” (p.15.). This historical biography represents one of

many ways of telling the history. The researcher uses this theory to answer

research question number two.

In specialist professional terms, the historical biography has a boundary

with psychology, sociology, anthropology, history and literature. Moss (1999)

described the history and development of humanistic psychology by examining

the historical place of humanistic psychology including the social and cultural

context gave birth to humanistic psychology in the 1950s. The scientific and

academic background in psychology presented in which humanistic psychology

developed. Humanistic psychology is discussed in relation to biofeedback,

feminist psychology, existentialism, and individual personality psychology. In

terms of protagonist, the historical biography is open to everyone and anyone,

statesmen and farmers, generals and artists, philosophers and scientists, heroes

and villains, women and men. In terms of genre, historical biography approaches

an autobiography, literary biography, the traditional tale, the life story, and the

biographical novel. In present times, the historical biography is a phenomenon of

multimedia from the highest academic publications in different disciplines to the

popular journalist biography and the life stories of electronics of the entertainment

industry.

In contrast, within the historical and sociological disciplines, the historical

biography continued as a methodology in understanding the significance of the

historical individual and subjective experience rather than becoming a genre. The


19

most important was the occurrence of the life-work-and-times biography in which

the individual was contextualized in the light of contemporary society.

Finally, the historical biography is influenced by both academics and

artists. A serious historical biography covered the entire spectrum from not very

accessible treatises to stylistically inviting people to read.

D. Theoretical Framework

In order to analyze the racial discrimination experienced by Langston

Hughes in his poems, the researcher uses some theories that are described in this

part, such as theory of discrimination, theory of racism and theory of Jim Crow

Law. The researcher also uses socio-cultural-historical approach and formalist

approach as the most suitable approach in analyzing the racial discrimination in

the poems written by Langston Hughes.

To answer the research questions about racial discrimination revealed,

experienced, and depicted by the poet in his poems, the researcher employs the

theories of discrimination, racism, and Jim Crow Law. By using those theories,

the researcher tries to find out the racial discrimination experienced by Langston

Hughes through his poems.


20

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the methodology which consists of two parts. The

first part is object of the study. It shows the description of the literary work study

and what the work is generally about. This part will tell the information of the two

poems by Langston Hughes “I, Too”, “Merry-Go-Round” and “Ku Klux”. The

second part is approach of the study. It shows the approach that applied to analyze

the study.

A. Object of the Study

There are three poems by Langston Hughes that the researcher uses as the

object of the study. Those three poems are I, Too, Merry-Go-Round and Ku Klux.

Langston Hughes is an African-American poet. He usually writes poems or

literary works about the life around him, especially about the equality that

African-Americans try to strive for. Based on his knowledge about social

problems of African-Americans, Royster (1974) noted including Hughes

experiences that, “Hughes understood himself to be a prophet, not of the religious

order but of the racial and economic order” (p. 46).

The first poem is I, Too. It was published for the first time in 1926. This poem

is aim to the Americans, especially white skin people. The tone of this poem is

more about frustration and strong willing because African-Americans have treated

badly by White Americans and they did not get their rights as the same American.

According to Constantakis (2009) in the poem, “when that happens, all men,


21

white and black, will sit together at the same table, sharing equally in the

opportunities that the American dream offers” (p. 97). It is like racism and

prejudice that black skin people do not have any rights or equality in society as

the same American. He knows that by birth he is an American, but he is not being

treated like one.

The second poem is Merry-Go-Round. It was first published in the spring

of 1942 in a collection named “Shakespeare in Harlem”. The theme is also the

same with the first poem. It is about racial discrimination against black skin

people who live in America, especially children. Since there was a law called Jim

Crow Law, the black skin people did not have any rights to use the public

facilities such as transportations. They had to sit at the back sides of the bus or

they even could not eat at the table of the restaurant. They ate beside the kitchen.

However, merry-go-round has no front and back. It is not like a bus as its shape is

round. Shivashankar (2016) also said when children want to ride a merry-go-

round, they become confused to decide where to sit because there is no front and

back.

The third poem is Ku Klux. The poem was published in 1942. By reading

this poem, readers can know that the theme is racial discrimination. It can be seen

in every sentence that the poet writes. The sense of this poem is afraid to be

discriminated. This poem tells that Ku Klux is the name of the Klan. The Klan

appeared in 1865 and had existed since 1968. Some racist Americans in the South

formed a racist organization named Ku Klux Klan and has existed in many

countries of the states and known as the Ku Klux Klan or Invisible Empire of the


22

South (Kiilerich,n.d.). The members were all of Americans who came from every

profession and class.

B. Approach of the Study

The researcher applies the socio-cultural-historical approach and formalist

approach in this study. Socio-cultural-historical approach is applied to observe the

literary works based on the socio-cultural and historical context. It also uses to

observe the relation of the works from the different author with the similar subject

and the works by the same author in the same or different time. This approach

sees the literary works as the depiction of the culture and the way of life a

particular group of people in the civilization. Then, formalist approach is applied

to observe the intrinsic elements provide in poems. It helps the researcher to

analyze the poems by focusing on intrinsic elements that appears such as theme,

figure of speech, imagery, and symbols. The researcher applies these approaches

because it helps the researcher to reveal the image and idea about racial

discrimination among African-Americans by looking at the poems created by

Langston Hughes.


23

CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

This chapter presents the answer to the research questions, so it is divided

into two subchapters. The first subchapter is to find out how the racial

discrimination describes in poems of Langston Hughes. The poems are I, Too,

Merry-Go-Round and Ku Klux. The researcher will analyze the poems by

paraphrasing and describing the intrinsic elements of the poems. The researcher

believes that each stanza has their own meaning, so that it could be arranged

together and create new general meaning that described in the poems. The second

subchapter, the researcher will analyze those two poems as the reflection of racial

discrimination experienced by the poet, Langston Hughes. The researcher

explains how the racial discrimination experienced by Langston Hughes through

his poems I, Too, Merry-Go-Round and Ku Klux.

A. Description of Racial Discrimination in Poems I, Too, Merry-Go-Round

and Ku Klux

Since African-Americans are considered as second class citizens in

America and they become out casted in the United States society, Hughes asks

where to find freedom and equality for African-Americans in the United States.

Then, he started writing literary works as the protest of being threatened by other

American citizens. Those three poems are the reflection of the protest itself. The

protest of the inequality is because those African-Americans cannot get equality

for a long time without any exception.


24

1. Explanation of I, Too

This poem was published in 1926. It was included in Langston Hughes’s

first collection of poetry, The Weary Blues. Researcher believes that the poem

reflects Hughes’s dream that one day the segregation will end. They cannot use

the same table to eat and always get threated by others. However, as Constantakis

(2009) mentioned, “Hughes believes when the segregation ends, all men, African-

American will sit together at the same table and share the same opportunities and

equality as American” (p. 97-98). Hughes wrote this poem as the response to

American poet Walt Whitman “I Hear America Singing”. Hughes’s poems make

it clear that the United States does not provide a joyous experience for its citizens.

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.

a. Paraphrase of I, Too

This is a poem in which Hughes intends to declare that he has the same

identity as an American. The poem reflects Hughes’s dream that one day the


25

segregation will end. So that African-Americans will stand at the same line with

others American as one race, America. As Constantakis (2009) said this poem

begins as the response to nineteenth-century poet Walt Whitman’s “I Hear

America Singing”, “in this poem, Hughes also wants to tell anybody that he can

sing America too” (p. 99). It is understandable that Hughes wants to criticize the

unfairness condition among African-Americans. In this poem, he states that his

identity is an American because he can sing America too. The poem shows the

strong power and the willingness that African-Americans have to fight for this

unfairness among them. African-Americans will show their power to the society,

as Constantakis (2009) mentioned that “Hughes is able to grow stronger since

segregation is still a part of life for many African-Americans but it will not last”

(p. 100). They believe that one day they will stand on the same line as the other,

no more sit at the back, no more eat in the kitchen, and no more racism. He

continues his opinion on what happens on his surroundings. He says that no one

will dare to order him to eat in the kitchen. He believes that they, African-

Americans and White Americans will eat together at the same table.

At the end of this poem, Hughes states that his beauty provides the reason

to end segregation. However, he is not literally talking about physical beauty that

sets him apart from other people. What he is talking about is the beauty of

existence. To see the beauty of life and living, the poet claims that once they

realize that African-Americans are beautiful, they will be ashamed that they

denied African-Americans to have equality in life. This statement gives a view


26

that all people will regret segregation. The poet is hopeful that all people will see

that each human being deserves life and opportunity.

b. Theme of I, Too

Reading and understanding this poem brings researcher to the conclusion

that the poem is about to find the identity of African-Americans and their rights as

the citizens of America. The poet claims that he is an American and he has the

same privileges as the other Americans, as Constantakis (2009) noted, “one of the

privileges is the right to eat with another Americans at the same table. Through

this poem, the poet tries to establish his identity” (p. 100-101). At the beginning

of the poem, the poet states that he has the right as others to sing America and to

celebrate America.



Ironically, he is being out casted by American society, and his identity is

denied. He is treated differently by other Americans. The society will not accept

him as an American. White Americans denied his identity by sending him to eat

in the kitchen and lack of facilities in public.


When company comes,

By the time, he is finally strong enough to demand that he wants to be

recognized as an American. He will make sure that American is his real identity.

At the last of this poem, he is ready to claim his identity that has been denied for a

long time. He is an American.


27


When company comes.

Nobody'll dare

Say to me,


Then.

Besides,


And be ashamed—

I, too, am America.

c. Figure of Speech, Imagery, and Symbols in I, Too

The tone of this poem is the feeling of frustration and strong willing to

gain something, especially to get respect from another Americans. It is like racism

and prejudice that black doesn’t have any rights or equality in society as the other

American. He knows that by birth he is an American, but he is not being treated

like one. The tone of strong willing showed that the black and white men would

eat at the same table and be considered as equal Americans in the future.

Moreover, the tone of this poem also can be interpreted as patriotic because the

poet wants to show his love for America by declaring that he too can “sing

America”, which means that he is claiming his right as an American.

This poem is aimed to the Americans, especially white skin people. The

poem tells that people cannot see others just by looking at the color of their skin

and their look. They also have to think about the character, personality and

intelligence. The word like “tomorrow” connotes the future for African-

Americans. That word filled with hope that the next day will be better, as

Constantakis (2009) noted, “someday they will not live in segregation, isolated

from the rest of human-kind. They will all eat at the same table and enjoying the


28

abundance that all Americans experience” (p. 101). Hughes states tomorrow as

the future where African-Americans will be welcomed to eat at the same table

with White Americans. The word “dare” also states that as the minority, they are

not weak. African-Americans will not stand for any racism. It is threatening,

because they claim that they have the power as another Americans and with it,

they will come at the same point to prove that they really have the power as equal.

In addition, the phrases such as “they’ll see how beautiful I am” and “I,

too, am America” provide visual imagery of African-Americans’ character. Not

only based on the color of skin, but everyone else should take a look on their

personality, characteristic, and intelligence that they “the darker brother” have the

same right, same freedom, and same equality. Constantakis (2009) found that in

this poem, the speaker is hopeful. All people will see that each human being

deserves life and opportunity. “I, too, am America” is the powerful and strong

statement which shows that African-Americans also Americans, they have to be

treated as equal as others. They have to be accepted as an authentic American

because their race is an American.

2. Explanation of Merry-Go-Round

Merry-Go-Round was first published in Hughes’s collection book of

poetry entitled Shakespeare in Harlem in Common Ground in 1942. This poem

talks about a speaker who asks where the Jim Crow Law is on a merry-go-round.

Bailey (1997) mentioned Jim Crow Law in this poem refers to “the laws that

supported the segregation of the race” (p. 15). Tischauser (2012) also noted that

segregation happened in America refers to “the physical separation of individuals’


29

according to their race, gender, religion and class” (p. 1). Then, the children got

confused where to sit down on a merry-go-round since there is no Jim Crow Law

on a merry-go-round. It is because the shape of a merry-go-round which has no

front or back side on it.

Where is the Jim Crow section

On this merry-go-round,

Mister, cause I want to ride?

Down South where I come from

White and colored

Can't sit side by side.

Down South on the train

There's a Jim Crow car.

On the bus we're put in the back-

But there ain't no back

To a merry-go-round!

Where's the horse

For a kid that's black?

a. Paraphrase of Merry-Go-Round

The poem contains of protest against the law that is unfair for African-

Americans. The poet begins the story by complaining about a merry-go-round. In

this poem, Hughes borrows the point of view of an African-American boy who

wants to ride a merry-go-round. The boy got confused where to sit on a merry-go-

round. Due to the shape of a merry-go-round, there is no front or back side. There

is no Jim Crow Law on a merry-go-round. The boy asks the merry-go-round

operator whom he calls “Mister” because there is no section on it.

The boy says that African-Americans in the South cannot sit side by side

with White Americans in public transportations. African-Americans should sit on

the back seats of the trains or buses. They cannot sit in front because they are

physically different just by looking at their skin color. Tischauser (2012)


30

discovered Jim Crow Law in America required streetcar companies to designate

separate seating areas for African-Americans riders (always on the back). He

strengthens his statement by showing the supporting facts, that the segregation in

the South separates African-American passengers from White Americans on the

trains. It also happens on the buses. They have to sit at the back side of the bus.

All of the front sides on the trains or buses are owned by White Americans. This

is what is meant by “Jim Crow car” by the speaker. Finally, the boy asks the guard

of a merry-go-round. He complains to the guard by saying that there is no

backside on a merry-go-round. The shape is round. He ends the poem by asking

which horse is prepared for African-American kids.

b. Theme of Merry-Go-Round

Reading and understanding Merry-Go-Round brought researcher to the

conclusion of the theme which touches the sensitive section of racism. The section

is Jim Crow Law. This law states that African-Americans would remain separate

but equal with White Americans. This is a reflection of how entire group of

African-Americans become victims of discriminatory behavior. The most

important in this poem is that the poem tells about racism especially

discrimination and segregation. In this poem, the poet introduces the law that

discriminate African-Americans. The law called Jim Crow Law. The Law is about

separation between African-Americans and White Americans in society life of

America. The law provides the norms that African-Americans have limited space

in society. They could not use the same table to eat and they could not have to sit

at the front when using public transportations or any public facilities.


31

This poem explains that the law of Jim Crow Law really pushed African-

Americans very hard. This law becomes an issue in every part of African-

Americans’ life. Jim Crow section makes it clear that African-Americans are not

acceptable in society of America. Although the law is used in every elements of

society life, the Jim Crow Law cannot be applied in riding a merry-go-round. It is

different with trains or buses that have backside seats for African-Americans. Its

shape is round and there is no front or back sides on a merry-go-round.




Another evidence of segregation is that the word “Mister” in the poem

used to call the guard who is White American man. It is clear that African-

Americans have to behave politely to White Americans because African-

Americans are in the lower caste of society life. They have to be careful in taking

any actions toward White Americans. It is because there are so many rules to obey

and there is no way for them to reject the rules. As an African-American child he

has been put on the back and set aside but he cannot be put at the back on a

merry-go-round because there is no back, it is just a round. DuRocher (2011)

mentioned that White children in the South often accepted the acts of racial

violence “as natural and inherent to the racial order of Jim Crow, as parents and

the community indoctrinated White youth to believe in male supremacy through

parental stories, schoolbooks, toys, playacting, and children’s organizations” (p.

93). Merry-go-round is a simple joy for childhood. To sit everywhere you want is


32

a simple joy to everyday life for that child. This child wants a normal life where

he can simply sit and enjoy riding a merry-go-round.

As segregation happens to all African-Americans, therefore African-

Americans children are also accustomed with it. They are aware of Jim Crow

term. They learn to put themselves in places where they think they shall belong,

so that they will not in troubles. Hughes reveals where segregation happens and

dominates American society. He reveals what really happened there. It can be

seen that the poet is accustomed to sit separately from White Americans in public

vehicles. Hughes wants to show that racial segregation and discrimination has

been going very deep in the life of African-Americans. It is because Jim Crow

Law that is enforced on the area where he lives, Southern United States.


White and colored





The way Hughes delivers the sense of unfairness, unequal treatment, and

bitterness in this poem is very well. As an African-American who lives in

America and as a human, Hughes believes that every person has the rights to get

freedom and equality in every elements of life. People have their own life and no

one can rules other people’s life. However, the reality has not been in the same

way with Hughes’s thought. This poem is the reflection of his protest against

racial discrimination. In this poem, the speaker states that racial discrimination

happens in the South. The place is the Southern United States where African-


33

Americans are ruled by White Americans through Jim Crow system. African-

Americans are given different facilities from White Americans. Worth (2009)

noted that during Jim Crow Law “African-Americans were not permitted to enter

many hotels, restaurants, or theaters” (p. 8). They have to sit at the back whenever

they are in public facilities while White Americans are given the front seats

whenever they use public vehicles. Moreover, African-Americans have to enter

different carriage whenever they travel by train. Those treatments mean that

African-Americans are denied by the society. They cannot associate with society

in this situation. This kind of situation leads to a condition that African-Americans

considered as second class citizens and do not deserve to get number on any

facilities.



The poet also delivers another fact that a merry-go-round is a circular

thing. Hughes wants to say that this fact cannot be rejected. The shape of merry-

go-round is circle and everyone has freedom to choose the seat on a merry-go-

round. There is no different horse to a merry-go-round. His strong believes of

freedom and equality gives him strength to fight against this unfairness system

among African-Americans. He invites African-Americans to join him against the

unfairness treatments by protesting to the White Americans and the United States

government as well. Hughes also tries to ask the discriminators where they will

place African-Americans in the United States society. It is clearly stated in the last


34

three lines of this poem. It indicates that African-Americans deserve the equality

in society.

Where's the horse


Since African-Americans are considered as second class citizens in the

United States society, Hughes asks where the place for them by protest to the

White Americans and government. Hughes asks where African-Americans can get

their freedoms and equalities in the United States society, especially in Southern

United States. Besides segregation, there are two other types of racial

discrimination in this poem. Those two types are denial and institutional

discrimination. Those types of racial discrimination are reflected in the poem as it

provides in characteristics of its types. The segregation can be seen in the poem

since the poem talks about separated public vehicles or seats in public vehicle.

African-Americans have to sit separately from White Americans and it can be

found in this poem when researcher discovers that the segregation happens in two

kinds of public transportations, train and bus. Moreover, this poem introduces Jim

Crow Law by mentioning it in the first line. This law is a system of unfair

treatments among African-Americans in Southern United States. The system of

Jim Crow Law makes African-Americans lose their dignity and rights to get

freedom and equality in every elements of life, especially as the human being and

as the citizens of the United States.

The presence of Jim Crow Law was not only found in public

transportations. The system of Jim Crow Law also appears as Hughes provided in


35

evidence which is a merry-go-round. He provides the evidence of Jim Crow

system as in this poem that he calls the operator of a merry-go-round with

“Mister”. It shows that the operator is White American man. This existence of Jim

Crow system indicates that institutional discrimination also takes roles as one of

the types of racial discrimination reflected in the poem. Through this poem,

researcher also discovers that racial discrimination also happens to African-

American kids. In the first three lines Hughes describes how the kid intends to

obey the Jim Crow rules and accepting the fact that they must be kept away from

another White American kids. The kid knows that he must separate himself from

White Americans. He intends to avoid contact by not blending himself among

White Americans. The line about the horse is also Hughes’s way of pointing out

that he might as well ride a horse rather than be discriminated and sit at the back

of the bus. Segregation will probably also apply on the horse he wants to ride.

However, a merry-go-round has no front or back side. The shape is just circle and

it is a symbol of joy for child. A merry-go-round is also made for young kids and

children who are usually will not discriminate against other children unless they

are taught to. So a merry-go-round is a device that has an innocence of childhood

that has not been taught to realize the difference between races.

c. Figure of Speech, Imagery, and Symbols in Merry-Go-Round

It is clear that the tone of Merry-go-round is somehow tense. The poem

was developed with question and the words are arranged to the sense of protest.

The attitude of the poem emits the sense of confusion and oppression. It is

because African-Americans oppressed and separated by Jim Crow Law. African-


36

Americans children are confused about where to sit on a merry-go-round since

Jim Crow Law cannot be used to segregate people on a merry-go-round. The

poem also shows the strong sense of innocence. This strong sense of innocence in

the poet’s voice makes the injustice of segregation appears even more brutal and

cold language. The poem connects itself to the Jim Crow Law which segregated

African-Americans from White Americans. It resulted in systemized social,

educational, and economical disadvantages for all African-Americans.

Merry-go-round has circular motion. The symbol that inspires Hughes to

write this poem is a merry-go-round itself. The shape that appears in this poem are

extremely important. A bus is rectangular, one could also say it in linear shape,

and therefore the African-Americans have to sit at the back. They have to go to

the “end of the line”. In case of a merry-go-round, the ride is a circular, and all

points on a circle are equal. The shape of a merry-go-round also represents

equality which means there is no inferiority. By understanding this fact, everyone

can sit everywhere because there is no difference between horses on a merry-go-

round. Hughes wants to tell that everybody has the right to choose where they

want to be in this world. People should not underestimate others. This treatment

will lead to a stratification that results inferior group and superior group. This

condition is contradictory to equality, since equality does not involve the

stratification.

The horses on a merry-go-round somehow symbolize the right to live. As

the poet says in the poem “Where is the horse for a kid that’s black?” The kid

represents African-Americans, they ask about their right to live in the world, in


37

which particular place they will find freedom to live. Merry-go-round can also be

symbolized as the place where African-Americans live, that is America. People

have the right to live and freedom to choose where they want to be placed.

African-Americans want equality in their life just as the same as horses on a

merry-go-round. The horses are placed equally on a merry-go-round. Moreover, it

also symbolizes the life cycle. Merry-go-round moves in two ways and the horses

follows it rotation. First, they can go right or left by following the rotation of

merry-go-round. Second, they can move up and down. It images the life cycle

where everybody will experience the bad and good of life. Everybody will taste

the bittersweet of life.

This condition will lead to protest that delivered by African-Americans.

Relating to their condition, African-Americans stuck on the bottom of life cycle.

They experienced racial discrimination for being African-Americans. It made

them protest and fight the discrimination among them. They also wanted to

experience the feeling to be at the top of life cycle. Thus, they delivered a protest

and fought for their rights.

3. Explanation of Ku Klux

Ku Klux was first published in 1942 in Hughes’s collection book of poetry

entitled Shakespeare in Harlem. The poem tells about the Klan who called ‘Ku

Klux’ arise and attack African-Americans by breaking into their houses at night,

dragging them from their bed, and torturing them in most inhuman manner.

Chalmers (1987) noted that some critics describe “the Klan as a movement built

on hatred of the Jews, Negroes, and Roman Catholics” (p. 151). The


38

discrimination that White Americans showed in this poem is extreme because

they did not only torture African-Americans in inhuman manners, they also

torture them in many instances of murdering.

They took me out

To some lonesome place.

They said, “Do you believe

In the great white race?”

I said, “Mister,

To tell you the truth,

I’d believe in anything

If you’d just turn me loose.”

The white man said, “Boy,

Can it be

You’re a-standin’ there

A-sassin‘ me?”

They hit me on the head

And knocked me down.

And then they kicked me

On the ground.

A klansman said, “Nigger,

Look me in the face –

And tell me you believe in

The great white race.”

a. Paraphrase of Ku Klux

This is the poem in which Hughes wants to show that his race was treated

poorly by White Americans. There was extreme treatments among African-

Americans that usually did by the Klan named ‘Ku Klux’. Actually the members

of the Klan are White Americans who are racist and tend to do discrimination in

every aspects of life, as Chalmers (1987) mentioned, “the usual pattern was to

approach the local Protestant minister and would be overed a free membership

and urged to take office in the to-be-formed local, either as chaplain or higher up

in the leadership structure” (p. 34). They will not let African-Americans live


39

peacefully as a human. They tortured African-Americans in public by kicking and

punching them till they fall to the ground. The Klan tortured African-Americans

as they are a toy. The Klan has no humanity and just continuously treated African-

Americans in a way that really cruel.

The Klan asked African-Americans to believe in the greatness of white

race. African-Americans should say that they believe on it in front of the Klan.

The Klan forced them to agree with that statement that Klan saved white races

from African-Americans which considered as a threat in society. The Klan often

attacked their houses at night and broke everything in front of them. They dragged

them from bed and even murder them. African-Americans were completely scared

by the Klan. They lived with feelings of worry, fear, and insecurity. African-

Americans were afraid that the Klan would take them in sudden and knock them

down with not clear reasons for them. African-Americans felt that they also had a

right to uphold their pride. At the end of all this treatments, the Klan wanted to

show the power of white pride and their Christian faith.

b. Theme of Ku Klux

Reading and understanding this poem brings researcher to the conclusion

that the theme of this poem is racial discrimination in an abusing way. In the

poem, the poet tries to tell that white races or called Ku Klux Klan usually

discriminate them by abusing and humiliating them. In this poem, African-

Americans are the object of oppression and the Klan is the subject of oppression,

as Bartoletti (2010) said in her book, “for two hundred and fifty years, white

people had occupied the top rails in society, and black people, the bottom rail.


40

They were only understood as an inferior race, as property that could be bought

and sold and exploited in order to produce wealth for white people” (p. 7). The

klansman feel that their race is superior than the African-Americans. They refer

themselves as “great white race”.

They took me out




The same with Merry-Go-Round, Hughes uses the words ‘mister’ and

‘boy’ in this poem. These words refer to the klansman, the subject of oppression

and African-Americans, the object of oppression, who were still young or even

kid. The boy tried to telling the truth to the klansman that he believed in anything

if the klansman would just turn him loose. However, the boy would never win in

this kind of war because the klansman claims that they were superior than others

as a race and the klansman just mock at the boy standing there.

I said, “Mister,





Can it be


A-sassin‘ me?”

The Klan activity includes kidnapping, torturing, lynching and killing

African-Americans flourished in the South where African-Americans were

minority. The poem shows the abusing process that really clear as “hit”, “knock”,

and “kick”. It is not relevant to the fact that the oppression was much more than


41

that. The reality is crueler. The fact is that the oppression sometimes led to

murder. DuRocher (2011) noted “a Klansman intimidating an African-American

may pretending to be a slain Confederate to soldier who was “thirsty in hell”. The

man commanded the group’s victim to haul over buckets of water, which the

Klansman pretended to drink, but in reality, the water streamed onto the ground”

(p. 35).




On the ground.

At the end of this poem, the klansman forced African-Americans to

believe in the greatness of white race. They felt that their race is superior to

African-Americans race and it spreads in any parts of life, as Chalmers (1987)

also mentioned, “The Klan found a more respectable unifying outlet for its

energies and its power. It turned to politics in a big way. In the primary campaign

for the governorship, three of the candidates were Klansmen” (p. 43). They

kidnapped and tortured African-Americans to show their power as a great white

race. After the Klan abused African-Americans, they would ask them whether

they believed in the greatness of white race. They would always push them to

believe in that statement.






42

c. Figure of Speech, Imagery, and Symbols in Ku Klux

It is clear that the tone of this poem is the feeling of frightened. It shows in

this poem that African-Americans are always haunted by the feeling of frightened.

Their day may be filled with the thoughts of running away from their place

because the activity of the Klan. Bartoletti (2010) African-Americans felt insecure

living this life “frightening tales traveled from plantation to plantation, telling how

Yankee soldiers were ransacking houses, turning the air thick with feathers as

they ripped open mattresses and beds, searching for guns and silver and other

valuables” (p. 3). The Klan would always hunt them as the object of

discrimination. The discrimination did by the Klan was inhuman. The Klan

kidnapped African-Americans, tortured them and sometimes murdered them.

This poem has two figures of speech, they are euphemism and irony.

Euphemism shows in the third stanza, line 1 – 4. It shows that the abusing process

in this poem seemed light. There are words “hit”, “knock”, and “kick” in that

stanza. Actually, it does not correspond to the fact that the oppression they got

much more severe and sometimes led to murder. Then, irony shows in the first

stanza, line 5 – 8. The irony which existed in this poem expressed in the usage of

word “Mister” from African-Americans to call the klansman. It also has a

connection with that statement whereas the klansman respond and they realize

that African-American is mocking at him.

This poem also has three imageries; they are visual, kinesthetic, and

auditory imagery. A visual imagery shows in the first stanza, line 2 – 4. By

reading that stanza, reader can see the visual imagery that the poet tries to


43

describe. Next, a kinesthetic imagery, it shows in the third stanza line 1 – 3. When

reading this stanza, we know what really happened in the poem. It is clearly

mentioned in that lines that African-Americans got hit, kick, and knock by the

klansman. The last imagery is auditory which shows in the first stanza, line 3 – 4.

The word “they said” tells as if it really being told and we hear that word.

B. Racial Discrimination Experienced by Langston Hughes as Reflected in

His Poems I, Too, Merry-Go-Round, and Ku Klux

Langston Hughes is one of the best known African-American writers of

the twentieth century. He published works in so many genres but he first known

as a poet. He is also a figure at the forefront of Harlem Renaissance. He expressed

the voice of African-Americans through his poetry. While Hughes is known as the

poet laureate of Harlem, he has also been recognized for his depictions of the

African-Americans’ struggle in his prose, plays, and literature for children. In his

poetry, Langston Hughes never sought to be all things to all people but rather to

create a body of work that epitomized the beauty and variety of the African-

Americans and the American experiences. Hughes renders the voices,

experiences, emotions, and spirits of African-Americans (Rampersad & Roessel,

1994, p. 3). Hughes is well known for the influence of jazz and bebop music in his

poetry, both as a subject matter and as a structure.

a. Eat in the Kitchen

The word “eat in the kitchen” appears in the first poem I, Too line 3 and

13. This line of word refers to discrimination among African-Americans by


44

sending them to eat in the kitchen and lack of public facilities. African-Americans

being out casted by White Americans society and even African-Americans’

identity are denied. “Eat in the kitchen” connotes meaning that African-

Americans have no right place, especially in society. They always put at the back,

which also means that they will not be seen because they cannot be embodied. In

this poem, the word “I am the darker brother” line 2 also claims that African-

Americans have no proper rights. African-Americans have no proper rights in

society because they cannot be equal as White Americans. They deserve equality

as White American because they are American. They want their rights as the same

White Americans who can eat at the table and can be accepted in society as

American.

Hughes wrote the poem I, Too from the perspective of an African-

American man either a slave, free man in Jim Crow South or even a servant. The

situation Hughes tries to describe in this poem reflects a common experience for

many African-Americans during his time. This touches on the common practice of

racial segregation during early 20th century, where African-Americans faced racial

discrimination in every aspect of their lives. They were forced to work, eat and

travel separately from White Americans.

b. Racial Discrimination against Children’s Happiness

Racial discrimination against children appears in the second poem Merry-

Go-Round. It is discrimination towards the joyous of children who wants to ride

merry-go-round.


45




The first three lines in this poem show the discrimination towards children

through the word “Mister” which refers to White American man. The child asks

White American man to show him where he should take a sit on merry-go-round.

He explains that on the bus in the South, the blacks have to sit on the back,

however, on a merry-go-round there is no back to the ride because it is circular. It

also reflects that “Mister” as White American man takes the happiness of African-

Americans children by the practice of Jim Crow Law. The law requires African-

Americans cannot sit side by side and separated by White Americans. The law,

Jim Crow Law, which suppressed African-Americans during 20th century, was an

attempt at a “separate but equal society”. Moreover, a merry-go-round symbolizes

a life cycle. It shape is a round and it moves in two ways, right and left, up and

down. It symbolizes that as a human, everybody will experience the good or bad

in life.

Hughes uses the persona of a child who wants to ride a merry-go-round

because at his time, he never felt the joyous to be a kid. Once, he worked as

cooking assistant, launderer and busboy. Then, he traveled and wrote more

literary works based on what happen at his time. There was the time where

African-Americans were slaves and they were treated as the minority under White

Americans. African-Americans were not treated equally to White Americans

because African-Americans consider as low social and economic standings.


46

c. Racial Discrimination through Inhuman Manners

Inhuman manners appear in the third poem Ku Klux. It shows some words

and treatments which are inhuman to do. The word “do you believe in the great

white race?” refers to a meaning that in this word African-Americans are forced to

admit and believe to the greatness of white race. The word “Nigger” in this poem

refers to African-Americans and this word denotes meaning a black or dark-

skinned people. However, the using of that word hurts them because it connotes

meaning the racial discrimination against African-Americans. This word has often

been used as an insult against African-Americans and it is extremely offensive.

Not only using words, African-Americans discriminated by White

Americans through the bad treatments. The treatments are very bad and extreme,

sometimes it leads to murderer.




Those three lines from 13 up to 15 stanzas tell the reader that African-

Americans got bad treatments. Those treatments are inhuman. White Americans

tortured African-Americans as they are toy. They treated African-Americans in a

way that really cruel by hit, knocked, and kicked them down to the ground.


47

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS, AND SUGGESTIONS

This chapter consists of three parts. Those parts namely conclusions,

implications, and suggestions. The first part is conclusions which present the

results of the study. Conclusions deal with the answer to the problem. The second

part is implications. The implications provide ideas on the results of the study

which are related to education in general. The third part is suggestions which

present some suggestions intended for future researchers and English teachers.

A. Conclusions

From the analysis, several conclusions can be drawn to answer the

research questions. In this research, the writer talks about Hughes’s works on

literature which is poem and his experience that related to his poems. There are

three poems in this research entitled I, Too, Merry-Go-Round and Ku Klux. The

first poem, I, Too was published in 1926 that reflect Hughes’s dream. He believes

that the segregation will end and African-Americans will get their rights as a

human, especially as America in society. They will sit together at the same table

to eat and no more discrimination. They are also American people although they

have a different skin color. Constantakis (2009) mentioned “Hughes states on this

poem that African-American also part of America, they sing America and they are

America” (p. 99).

The second poem is Merry-Go-Round. It was published in 1942 in his

collection book of poetry entitled Shakespeare in Harlem. This poem tells about


48

the speaker who is a kid. He wants to ride a merry-go-round but he doesnot know

where the seat is for African-American kid like him. It is because there is no front

of back on a merry-go-round, its shape is a round. He becomes confused because

he does not know where to sit down since there is no Jim Crow Law on a merry-

go-round. Sivashankar (2016) noted that in the poem the child seems to be

confused by the freedom he is offered in the North opposed to the South. Merry-

go-round is different with a bus which has front and back on it. Worth (2009)

stated, actually, Jim Crow law is used to separate African-Americans passenger

from White Americans “across the South the Jim Crow laws ensured that lacks

remain segregated from whites” (p. 11). It also applied on public transportations

like train or bus. However, on a merry-go-round, there are no rules of using the

seats. In this poem, merry-go-round is also used as a symbol of joy for kids. Kids

just want to be happy and enjoy their life by simply riding a merry-go-round. The

third poem is Ku Klux which published in 1942. It tells about the klan that name

their klan as Ku Klux Klan or the also called klansman. The klan arises in order to

haunt the life of African-Americans. The klan attacks African-Americans by

breaking into their houses at night, dragging them from bed, and torturing them in

inhuman ways. The klan becomes more extreme when they are looking for

African-Americans at their houses just to murder them straight away. The

members of the klan are White Americans who are racist and its purpose of this

klan is not really clear. They do crimes and murder African-Americans for their

joy, and their feelings of discrimination of race.


49

Hughes’s life was far from perfect. He called himself, a folk poet. It means

that his work is probably beneath criticism and the truth indeed. He prepared to

write down his work to reach his primary audience – African-Americans. He

writes and creates poems based on his experience as an African-American. He

surely knows the feeling to be an African-American who is being discriminated at

that time. In his poems, the discrimination happens through actions of White

Americans who ask African-Americans to eat in the kitchen, sit at the back seat,

and treat African-Americans in inhuman ways by kicking or punching them.

Thereafter, Hughes understood that he could have a place in the tradition of

American writing which served a dominate features of racism. This tradition

really happened in his life and it emphasized the realities of American life. The

center of his arts and works is that he kept his hopes and dreams as well as the

actual condition of his life, African-American, and society (Rampersad &

Roessel, 1994, p. 5). He could see that these factors will eternally inspire

American democratic tradition and write so many works where his hopes and

dreams are stored and delivered. Above all, one must respect the Africa-

Americans and their culture as well as the Americans in general and their national

culture.

B. Implications

In this part, the researcher provides the implications of the study to

education. Literary works are good sources for teachers, especially English

teachers. It provides so many benefits for students. There must be lot of lessons

and students can learn from that. It does not only provide pleasure for students,


50

but it can also provide knowledge and improve their skills in English. The poems

by Langston Hughes I, Too, Merry-Go-Round and Ku Klux are one of those

literary works. By reading these poems, the students can understand the history

and what the speaker really wants to say through his poems. Besides, the poems

can also help the students to learn English because it is written by native speaker

of English.

This study is related to the real meaning of racism described by Langston

Hughes. His poems represent the life of African-Americans who are discriminated

and poorly treated by White Americans. The poems clearly show the readers

about what happened among African-Americans. The theme of these poems is a

good lesson, especially because Indonesia has so many races and ethnics. It is a

positive lesson for students. They will learn that unity in diversity is beautiful.

Students will learn that as Indonesian people who have various ethnics and

cultures, they have to respect each other. Discrimination is not good, because it

brings people to hate each other and it leads to hostility between ethnic and race in

Indonesia. In order to reunite, we should love each other. Everybody have to

accept all of differences they have so that they will live in peace. These lessons

are needed in education. It is because the students must have respect to all

creatures in this world, especially respect on the differences between human

beings.

C. Suggestions

Hughes’s poems I, Too, Merry-Go-Round and Ku Klux are very interesting

poem with the history of African-Americans. There are many aspects that can be


51

analyzed in the poems. Hughes’s poems contain of moral values and story about

slavery of African-Americans. The poems are a good source to learn since it has

moral values that can also be implemented in our life, especially in Indonesia,

because there are so many races, ethnic and culture which live in one place and

everyone should give respect to each race, ethnic and culture.

In this study, the writer focuses on the racial discrimination experienced

by Langston Hughes as reflected in his poems. Thus, the researcher wishes the

future researchers to conduct a research on the relation between moral behavior on

Hughes’s poems and real life nowadays. A Moral Development approach can be

used to conduct the study to help future researchers determine moral behavior in

the poems and real life.


52

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APPENDIX A

I, Too




When company comes,

But I laugh,

And eat well,

And grow strong.

Tomorrow,


When company comes.

Nobody'll dare

Say to me,


Then.

Besides,


And be ashamed—

I, too, am America.

Taken from: Rampersad, A., & Roessel, D. (Eds.). (1994). The Collected Poems

of Langston Hughes. New York: A Division of Random House, Inc.


56

APPENDIX B

Merry-Go-Round





White and colored







Where's the horse





57

APPENDIX C

Ku Klux

They took me out




I said, “Mister,





Can it be


A-sassin‘ me?”




On the ground.








58

APPENDIX D

Biography of Langston Hughes

James Langston Hughes was born on 1st February 1902 at Joplin,

Missouri. His father, James Nathaniel Hughes, was a stenographer and his mother,

Carrie Mereer Langston Hughes, was a writer who wrote verse and acted in

amateur theatricals. Hughes moved to Lawrence, Kansas, where his mother had

grown up. He lived in a state of poverty at the home of his grandmother, Mary

Langston. Hughes’s mother had to work and Hughes lived with his grandmother

till he started attending school in Topeka, Kansas. In 1909, Hughes moved to

Lawrence with his grandmother for five years. After his grandmother died, he

moved to Lincoln, Illinois, and started his eighth grade there. He graduated from

the eighth grade in 1916 and entered Central High School in Cleveland, Ohio.

Then, in 1918, he began to publish verse and short stories in the Central High

Monthly Magazine.

Hughes was born at a time when African-American was decidedly second

class citizens in the USA, and only lived to see the early years of the civil rights

movement. This situation and condition inspired him to write poetry using the

themes that are suitable with his experience. Hughes’ early poems were better

received by American critics than African-American. He wrote so many poems

that praising the dignity and history of African-American. He tried to relate his

life experience to his literary work. He wrote the poems while he was facing the

real life that African-Americans were discriminated by White Americans. It may


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be difficult for an artist born in such a home to interest himself in interpreting the

beauty of his own people. African-American interpreted as not beautiful because

the color of their skin. Hughes received mixed reactions from African-American

individuals who were concerned that he emphasized lower-class life and presented

an unfavorable image of his race

Wagner (1973) said about black poets that “Hughes wrote his first poem for

prize day at the Lincoln grade school and had been elected class poet” (p. 387).

After graduation, he lived with his father in Mexico and they often fought about

Hughes’ desire to be a writer. In January, 1926, Hughes published The Weary

Blueswhich was winning the first prize in poetry in Opportunity Magazine’s

literary contest. The magazine arranged for a book contract for Hughes with his

own publisher. In February 1942, Shakespeare in Harlem was published. The

themes and the forms of it turned to 1920’s, including the blues. Hughes started a

weekly column in November, “Here to Yonder”, in the Chicago Defender

newspaper. Hughes supposed to attend the American Jazz Festival in Newport,

Rhode Island. He got an inspiration to write a gospel musical play entitled

Tambourines to Glory, with music by Jobe Huntley. Then, the play converted into

a short novel. In July 1960, he took part in Newport Jazz Festival. He began a

long, jazz-driven poem, “Ask Your Mama”, which based on “dozens”, a ritual of

harsh teasing that popular in African-American community. In 1964, Hughes was

honored at the fifty-fourth annual dinner of the Poetry Society of America and

testimonial banquet at in Detroit at “Langston Hughes Day” there. In May 1967,

he entered New York Policlinic Hospital in Manhattan after complaining of


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illness and did a prostate surgery. Sadly, he died because of complications

following the surgery. His body cremated at Benta’s Funeral Home.

Taken from:

Rampersad, A., & Roessel, D. (Eds.). (1994). The Collected Poems of Langston

Hughes. New York: A Division of Random House, Inc.

Wagner, Jean. (1973). Black Poets of the United States: FromPaul Lurence

Dunbar to Langston Hughes. (Kenneth Douglas, Trans.). Chicago: Broad of

Trustees of the University of Illinois.


an analysis of racial discrimination ... ini menganalisis tiga puisi yang ditulis oleh langston...

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