Although she feeds me bread of bitterness, And sinks into my throat her tiger’s tooth, Stealing my breath of life, I will confess I love this cultured hell that tests my youth.
This quote parallel's " I, Too, Sing America" with it's tone of patient resistance. Even though society tries to tear him down, he knows that in the end he will only be stronger and endure.
And realize once more my thousand dreams Of waters rushing down the mountain passes.
McKay makes a connection to water like Langston Hughes' "The Negro Speaks of Rivers". Rivers have a theme of holding both memories and hope.
The dusky, half-clad girls of tired feet Are trudging, thinly shod, from street to street.
Similar to how Langston Hughes highlights the struggles of the parts of the black community that is usually overlooked. Both Hughes, Brown, and McKay put heavy emphasis on how "tired" the African Americans are of their daily struggles within society.
But at my back in a cold blast I hear The rattle of the bones, and chuckle spread from ear to ear
Makes me think about the river Styx with the reaper who carries your soul away.
Son of man, You cannot say, or guess, for you know only A heap of broken images, where the sun beats, And the dead tree gives no shelter, the cricket no relief, And the dry stone no sound of water.
The people of this land don't know anything else. They have never seen anything but this dry empty land---therefore, the idea of greenery is unaware to them.
addressed to cheap jewelry and rich young men with fine eyes
Reminds me of Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend.
“His stalk the delphinium”
I looked up the word "delphinium" and found the definition to be plants that are usually "tall, cultivated species" that sprout flowers. The poem seems to warn people, possibly kind or "unthorned" people, to be wary of society. because society harbors "course" people who defeat "refined" or "unthorned" people. Basically saying no one can be innocent forever.
Nor clean the blood, nor set the fractured bone; Yet many a man is making friends with death
These lines both deny and acknowledge the importance of love.Similar to the other poems we have gone over in class there is a theme of "two-ness". Although love can't heal your pain in a way it hurts more than physical pain, enough to make people end their lives.
What but design of darkness to appall?
This poem seems to question nature, "design" refers to mother nature or the natural order. This poem carries the theme of fearing nature that it can create horrors. This line seems to warn people away from nature and back to the safety of civilization.
sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler
This line relates to how when you come across a split in a path you have to choose a direction. But once you choose a path you always wonder what was down the other. "sorry I could not ravel both and be one traveler" refers to this idea that you travel down one path physically but your mind lingers down both.
A valiant armor of scarred hopes outworn.
Ebus is being described in this line. "Valiant armor of scarred hopes outworn" refers to how Ebus is a brave, strong man who constantly "hopes" for the best. But he is now coming to the end of his life so all his hopes are "outworn." this line is forlorn almost describing a hero who has come to their end.
And you that ache so much to be sublime, And you that feed yourselves with your descent,
This line refers back to how the the clerks have aged but still have life. People obsess over the fear of aging, as if aging will diminish them as a person. People "ache so much to be sublime" to be great in life, that by clinging to this idea of being "sublime" they can't see what they have already achieved.
Be sure, they met me with an ancient air,— And yes, there was a shop-worn brotherhood About them; but the men were just as good, And just as human as they ever were.
Robinson is stating how the clerks have aged because they met him with an "ancient air" and they did have a "shop-worn brotherhood." But although they have aged they are still "just as good, and just as human as they ever were." Meaning that old age doesn't always diminish the individual.
I think sometimes that if I were only well enough to write a little it would relieve the press of ideas and rest me.
Writing is how she relaxes and it is the only thing she has for herself. When John takes away her writing, her only form of freedom, it completely breaks her mind.
John does not know how much I really suffer. He knows there is no REASON to suffer, and that satisfies him. Of course it is only nervousness. It does weigh on me so not to do my duty in any way! I meant to be such a help to John, such a real rest and comfort, and here I am a comparative burden already!
This quote highlights the plight of women during the 1900's, a male dominated society. She says "He knows there is no REASON to suffer, and that satisfies." Meaning that what he believes is the only opinion that matters.John doesn't consider why his wife might be upset because through his perspective everything is fine. Having John upset puts her in distress because society tells women that they should be a "comfort" or "rest" for the husbands. Nothing can ever be wrong with women unless their husbands say so.
That spoils my ghostliness, I am afraid, but I don’t care—there is something strange about the house—I can feel it. I even said so to John one moonlight evening, but he said what I felt was a DRAUGHT, and shut the window. I get unreasonably angry with John sometimes. I’m sure I never used to be so sensitive. I think it is due to this nervous condition. But John says if I feel so, I shall neglect proper self-control; so I take pains to control myself—before him, at least, and that makes me very tired.
John doesn't take her seriously. She is obviously uncomfortable in this house but he repeatedly brushes her off, blaming her ominous feelings of the house on her "nervousness" or "hysteria". He holds all the power in their relationship, which makes sense considering it's the 1900's and men ruled over all aspects of life. She only exists through John, nobody believes her or considers her feelings legitimate unless John agrees.
an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder.
Du Bois's idea of "two souls, two thoughts," within the same body reflects Henry Adams's third-person narrative. While Adams's narrative is reflected within his own literature creating his own form of reality, Du Bois's dual-consciousness is his reality. As a fellow black-american I can relate to Du Bois's idea of dual-consciousness, whenever I interact in public I have an idea of how I see myself, but I'm also aware of how others view me. I find that I smile more in public simply because other people view blacks as "threatening," so instead i smile to ease the nerves of others around me even when I'm not smiling at anything in particular.
They approach me in a half-hesitant sort of way, eye me curiously or compassionately, and then, instead of saying directly, How does it feel to be a problem?
Du Bois and Adams share a common feeling of alienation within society. Adams alienation is born from not being able to adapt to a technological age. While Du Bois's alienation is due to his skin. Adams could possibly learn to adapt to tech but Du Bois can never change his skin.
DYNAMO
After looking up the meaning of "dynamo" it is define as an electric generator or "an energetic, hardworking, forceful person." Through definition the Dynamo and Adams are one in the same. Maybe this is why Adams feels this strange connection towards it.
Langley said nothing new, and taught nothing that one might not have learned from Lord Bacon, three hundred years before; but though one should have known the “Advancement of Science” as well as one knew the “Comedy of Errors,” the literary knowledge counted for nothing until some teacher should show how to apply it.
This quote perfectly sums up the difference between a teacher and a knowledgeable individual. Yes, Langley is knowledgeable about "Advancement of Science" and "Comedy of Errors" but that doesn't mean he can effectively spread this knowledge. Teachers are valuable because they can help others absorb information, which isn't a skill everyone possess.
From all my white sins forgiven
This phrase can refer to how now that blacks have moved from slavery to the working class whites feel they are "forgiven" for slavery. Even though blacks are being paid for their work the poem still highlights how "They Lion" as in the black working class, is still toiling under "white supremacy".
Out of burlap sacks, out of bearing butter, Out of black bean and wet slate bread, Out of the acids of rage, the candor of tar, Out of creosote, gasoline, drive shafts, wooden dollies, They Lion grow.
"They Lion" is a synecdoche for the working class. Levine uses the actions of the working class such as: "out of burlap sacks, out of bearing butter..." to express how the industry is changing society while also highlighting the working class struggle.