English 1001—Great American Authors

Discussion Questions for Selected Poems by Langston Hughes, "Words Like Freedom"

  1. What is the difference between a person with a title and a person without a title in "In Explanation of Our Times"?

  2. We can interpret the last stanza of "In Explanation of Our Times" two different ways. What are these two different interpretations?

  3. "Consider Me" covers several facets of its speaker's identity. What do we learn about the speaker from this poem?

  4. What does the speaker of "Consider Me" mean when he says he is "Descended also / From the / Mystery"?

  5. Why did Hughes choose to end this collection of poems with "Freedom's Plow"?

  6. How does Hughes' use of collage in this poem contribute to his version of U. S. history?


John D. Schwetman
February 28, 2001