I love this line and believe this is what is at the heart of this piece. For Hughes, he sees the beauty and merit of his writing his life and experiences, while for others of his race see it as an obstacle. In all honesty, racism is the obstacle, not them. Hughes urges black artists and individuals to embrace their stories and lives. To tell those stories rather than white-wash them to fit what society has made them believe they should be.

The assimilation is from their appearances and career down to their religion. They are trying to reach what white people deem 'correct.' Internalized racism has created this belief that white people are right and that in order to be a part of this country you need to look and act a certain way.

Hughes is explaining that the racism in the country has become internalized, especially for those taking part in 'white culture.' The desire to not be seen as a 'black poet' comes from associating being black with not being 'good' or successful. Hughes is concerned for the black youth who are turning away from embracing their race as a part of them.

He is arguing that in order to be a great poet, he needs to understand that his poetry will always be the poetry of a black writer because that is his story and his life and perspective. The young poet needs to understand that his race is just as much a part of him as being a writer and will be present in all of his writing, just as it is when coming from white writers.

"catch hold of us," is used a couple of times in this story which insinuates that everyone feels this connection to her. Even those who feel broken feel inspired by her as she brings them all together in song.

Ma Rainey is a source of inspiration and strength for those who come to see her. Everyone feels her power and feels stronger for it. She is able to touch and uplift those who listen when they feel no hope at all.

The inclusion of the dialect in the words helps create a sense of community in who this story is written for and the shared language. The water is seen as one movement, such as the people coming together to hear Ma Rainey.

I love this line. There is a death of hope in these lines as all the light goes out and it is only the man in the darkness. The sadness of the man has dimmed all of the light for him. The imagery of this moment is beautifully sad as hope leaves him.

Hughes is just as much a representation of this country and it's history as the 'good parts' that people pay attention to. For the company to face him is for them to face their ignorance and racism. Hughes refuses to hide for the comfort of white people who want to forget the past.

I really love this repetition. When read out loud, this line forces the reader to take their time with this line and absorb the emphasis on this line. These people he talks of live off the grid and out of the norm.

This is a celebration of those that spoke up. He acknowledges the sacrifice of activists standing up for what they believe in. Though not mainstream, they fought back against capitalism.

Those who aspired to not follow the rules tended to fail, falling in line with what was expected. The pressure to conform feels inevitable. The 'madness' they were driven to was that of convention.

Hughes may not have been physically there for the events, but they are a part of him and his culture as they have led him to where he is now. He carries these events that his ancestors have experienced and they contribute to who he is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLgwCQKBcP8

This song and video capture the connection between people's growth and nature. The poem is connecting society's inability to thrive in the wasteland, keeping the world and people near death and empty. Similarly, the song depicts humanity's tie to nature as an indicator of our state of mind. The lyrics, "Why does the plant on the windowsill reflect my state of mind? / Growing and dying all the time," Asks the question that Eliot is answering in the poem. Eliot explains that life needs greenery and rain in order to grow, while this singer sees his own downfall in the nature around him dying. He is the tree in a sense, which is a concept that Eliot also uses to connect us to nature and wilting.

Despite there not being a ton of hope in this song, there is a naivete in the singer that isn't in Eliot's resoluteness of death and loss. The singer asks, "It would be nice to know / When I'll decide to grow," which is something that Eliot has resigned himself to believing will never happen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32W3J7XaNH8

This passage reminds me of the control and expectations of the workers seen in this poem and the soldiers mentioned in the song. The lyrics,"Head in the dust, feet in the fire," not only symbolize the smoldering heat of a place like a wasteland, but also are akin to the men walking up the hill while looking at their feet. They are unmovable and pressured to keep working. This song continues with, "Soldier keep on marchin' on / Head down 'til the work is done," which is also what is expected of these men in T.S. Eliot's work. There is a deadened hope in both figures from the song and poem that further the feeling of restraint and suffocation of life and hope. This is T.S. Eliot's fear as he sees the 'wasteland' as devoid of growth and prosperity.

The poem sees this life as a death to society and happiness while the poem sees this stage as a stepping stone to rising up. This is clear in the line, "Careful son, you got dreamer's plans."

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlzYusN7xDo]

This song shares a connection to the meaning and symbolism of winter and its effect on our mind, protecting or lying to us simultaneously. Eliot suggests that spring strips the layer of peaceful ignorance from our minds that the, "forgetful snow,' gives us. This is echoed in the Mumford and Sons song, saying, "I sit alone in the winter clarity / which clouds my mind." The singer is professing what he believes to be thought out beliefs; however, his mind isn't clear because of the winter. This is similar to Eliot's belief that there was a mental protection from the truth in the winter.

Additionally, this song connects to the nature and desire for life that Eliot explores.The song urges someone to, "Plant your hope with good seeds / Don't cover yourself with thistle and weeds." Both Eliot and Mumford and Sons are warning against the death that comes with dryness. While Eliot paints a picture of wasteland, the song is trying to prevent this evolution by explaining how important it is to have growth in our minds and earth. While the winter can keep us ignorant for a time, we need the rain and greenery to keep us alive and hopeful. While both the song and poem understand the importance of growth, Eliot has less hope in people's power of choosing life.

This reminds me of a love poem maybe? Like she's watching two people together but she's in love with one of them. That would make sense with the half finished sentences and random names.

I don't understand the rambling of words that happens throughout the poem. I'm a bit lost in the intention. However, using birds here is interesting with the earlier talk of eggs.

I don't understand the use of egg... egg usually refers to children, purity, or birth. Maybe it has to do with rebirth or a woman or purity. I'm not too sure.

This meaning of the phrase is about the emptiness of the ocean, or in this poem, the loneliness of the narrator. There is a void in the narrator where they feel nothing. I'm not sure why, except maybe having to do with war or poverty given the use of German.

The dead tree offers no protection or safety and this picture represents that. The author emphasizes the importance of protection and cover throughout this poem.

The author's decision to describe snow as warm like a blanket insinuates that there is comfort and safety in snow. However, the author reminds us that the snow is temporary and will not last forever. This image shows a blanketed Earth that seems to be comforting rather than cold and angry.

Knowing that the freedom and grace of deer running is unattainable will be safer than yearning for something you can never have. Otherwise, you'll be hurt and discouraged. Staying honest about the world is the only way to survive.

Elsie is an expendable worker. She is young and used by America to work for the rich She is dehumanized and not seen as a real person. She is a concept rather than an actual person.

I'm not sure what this line is referring to. Is this just about the individuals that are products of the country or the 'American Dream.'

There is a separation between people, that is similar to the one DuBois talks about. People would rather block one another out, and only let in those they choose, than to get to know others.

There is a lot of haunting and isolation in this poem. Being separate and removed from everyone and everything but nature is both beautiful and terrifying. He seems to distancing himself from the chaotic life outside of these forests, but he knows he'll have to return.

This isn't REALLY true. Both paths are described to be very similar and him taking this path was mostly just by chance. Maybe 'ages and ages' has to do with him justifying how he got to the place he is in, despite there not really being some grandiose reasoning or plan.

He says here that the paths are about the same, so why would there be any difference? Is there one? How are you supposed to know which path will be the best for you?

I see this as "village" meaning humanity or human passion slowly failing and losing strength. God is ashamed and hurt by the outcome of the village or humanity.

I love this line. In order to feel true love towards your life, you have to live it and take part in every bit it offers. The speaker seems content and proud of the life she has lived, and it took her to the end of that life to be proud of it.

Does he think the poetry of the time doesn't stand up to the poetry written by Homer and Whitman? It sounds like he sees potential in poets, however they are held back by the rules of poetry instead of letting out their power and abilities like a roar.

Can't have one without the other. In order to appreciate goodness, you have to know of the bad or the good will mean nothing. Not sure of the rest of the poem, but i understand this sentiment.

She see's herself in the wallpaper and is trying to rid herself of it. Having to see the paper is having to deal with constantly being manipulated and unable to escape.

She is started to loose her sanity because of her hatred and fear of this wallpaper. Her mental state is only decreasing with her being stuck in this house, forced to be surrounded by this wallpaper. Her husband is controlling and abusing her.

The wallpaper is practically controlling her. Her husband keeping her in this room and unwillingness to chang the paper is only increasing her obsession to the point of exhaustion.

She is under her husband's complete control. What does he deem better if he doesn't believe she's sick to begin with? He is keeping her sick and manipulating her I think.

Going into this reading, I do have some prior knowledge of this story. I think she has a mental illness and her husband is gaslighting her and doesn't belive that anything is wrong with her. She is under his control.

Baldwin talks about this feeling of having to deal with the fact of being both black and American and feeling like you don't have a clear place in your own country. It's a devastating insight.

Slavery didn't guarantee freedom and prosperity for black people. Additionally, this didn't absolve the U.S. of what it had done to people for years.

Black individuals are constantly being reduced down to their skintone and political movements. Many people that aren't POC attempt to connect with black people through talking about political issues instead of actually seeing them as full people.

He believes that America, with their affinity for facts and science, has last the passion and energy of art, religion, sex, and humanity. He criticizes how America depicts woman as tender and feminity as a negative, when he believes that the passion and strength of feminity and women should be appreciated.

I'm not too sure what he's saying but I do see that he is disscussing both religion and science as forces against one anothers, or trying to reconcile the two. He is showing that he is aware of the history of sex and what it has become to Puritans. Is it a critique?

Is this about the conflict between scientific findings and religion? His findings and knowledge seem to be clashing with what he believes in his religion. Saying "his science," means that his religious beliefs is the most true to him and what he believes to be factual.

This is a critical analysis of industrial working class life. Oil stained is referring to the rise of the oil industry and use expanding across the world. "Stained" has a negative connation of 'dirtying' or 'ruining.' He sees the industrial takeover as the destruction of the earth and its beauty.

Why is this line phrased this way? Is using 'they' instead of 'the' a way to depict class or is it something different? It could be regional, but I'm leaning more towards Levine using this wording to show education and class.

"Gray Hills" can be referencing the industrial large amount of smoke and pollutions of the working class jobs that are talked about throughout the poem.