Let America Be America Again- ACES Response by Rebecca Martin https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34 With your partner, collaborate on an ACES response. Be sure to put your names in the title line of your post. Answer the following question- How does the poet's use of figurative language help develop the theme of the poem? en-us 2019-04-30 15:14:31 UTC 2020-10-20 22:49:40 UTC hello@padlet.com Levi and Ian levistra2526 https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829048216 The poet's use of figurative language helps develop the theme of the poem, which is "America is not really the way it is perceived," because he proves that America is different than what most people think. An example of this is "I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart, I am the Negro bearing slavery's scars." This symbolism proves that not everyone is treated equally in America. Another example is, "Except the dream that's almost dead today." This allusion shows that as time goes on, the promise of America fades more and more. The poet uses figurative language to emphasize the problems that some American face when it comes to equality and freedom.]]> 2020-10-14 15:25:28 UTC https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829048216 Ahtziri,Cameron,Gia https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829083169 He uses hyperbole throughout the poem exaggerating the need for change in American society.This develops the theme of everything is not as it seems by showing that the so called ¨home of the free¨ is not so free.]]> 2020-10-14 15:33:14 UTC https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829083169 Rachel and Natalie rachsomm6675 https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829103376 The poets use of figurative language helps develop the theme, "just because something is promised doesn't mean its a reality for everyone". In the tenth stanza the speaker says "Yet I'm the one who dreamt our basic dream in the Old World while still a serf of kings, Who dreamt a dream so strong, so brave, so true".  He later on says "I am the man who never got ahead,/The poorest worker bartered through the years". The author in the first quote is showing how these people were lied to about the American dream. That even though Americans promised them that they would be equal, they lied and denied them equality. The second quote further impacts are theme by saying It is one of the examples the author gives of people who were denied everything that America promised. This is an example of a refrain, because the author is finding ways to repeat that several groups of people in America were treated this way. These examples support the theme because they all talk about a way they were working to achieve freedom or equality, but they never received it. In summary the theme helped support the poem by giving examples on how these men were denied freedom and equality.
 




 
]]> 2020-10-14 15:37:36 UTC https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829103376 Emma Caroline and Jane https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829141904 The figurative language helps develop the theme and main idea of the story by emphasizing how America is not as it seems and needs to be the country its depicted to be. In the last stanza, Hughes states, "Except the dream that's almost dead today.'' This quote shows personification in the text as a dream being close to death. When the author states "almost dead'', it encourages that there is still hope for the American dream. The use of the figurative language in the poem helps us understand the theme about how America is supposedly the land of the free, when its anything but.]]> 2020-10-14 15:46:03 UTC https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829141904 Garrett, Mason, and Kenneth https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829153017 The poet's use of figurative language helps develop the different settings and moods in the poem . Illusion and Rhyme are some sweet ingredients that help the reader get a better understanding of the message that the poet is trying to explain. One of the quotes for illusion is, "Oh, let my land be a land where liberty is crowned with no false patriotic wreath." This shows illusion to lady liberty role in America and how she represents freedom for American society. The quote we have for rhyme is, " Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed-let it be that great strong land of love. Were never kings connive nor tyrants scheme, that any man be crushed by one above." This shows the poets use of rhyme to connect the poem better and better explain the authors point. To let America be a dream, a land of love, and freedom, and equality. In,Conclusion, the poet's use of figurative language better forms the poem's understanding by the reader.]]> 2020-10-14 15:48:34 UTC https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829153017 Haley, Caiden https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829949843 The poet uses figurative language  that helps develop the theme of the poem but explaining how America is not what it's made out to be it can be very deceiving. " I am the nigro baring slavery scares I am the red band driven from the land, I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek and finding the same old stupid plan". The author is describing how America does not treat all people fairly and diverseness. Author is drawing attention to how America can be deceiving and that freedom can be interpreted in many different ways.

]]> 2020-10-14 19:00:05 UTC https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829949843 Charles Galyon and Aidan Cluskey https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829949866 The poet's use of figurative language helps develop the theme of the poem by explaining how America is not the ideal "home of the free" that some people think it is. "There's never been equality for me, nor freedom in this 'homeland of the free.'" This shows how America's minority are treated unfairly even though everyone is supposed to be equals there. The use of figurative language in the poem helps draw out the theme of unequal treatment in America, the 'land of the free'.


]]> 2020-10-14 19:00:06 UTC https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829949866 Tess and Seth https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829950123 The poets use of figurative language helps develop the theme of the poem by using hyperbole to draw attention and exaggeration to the fact that America is not always great. In stanza 8 of the poem the author states, "I am the Negro bearing slavery's scars. I am the red man driven from the land, I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek
And finding only the same old stupid plan." The author is describing that America does not treat people with diversity fairly and equally. In stanza 13, the author also states "Who said the free?  Not me?" The author draws attention to his belief that America is not as free as what it is made out to be. The author's use of figurative language helps advance the theme of prejudice to those of diversity by using examples of hyperbole's throughout the text to draw attention to examples of prejudice and inequality throughout the text.


]]> 2020-10-14 19:00:11 UTC https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829950123 Liam and K'Lei https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829951966 The poets use of figurative language helps develop the the theme of the poem, which is America is not all prefect and equal like it is said to be by giving us examples why it isn't as perfect as it is said to be and showing emphasis on how long it hasn't been equal. In the poem the author uses the metaphor "Tangled in an ancient endless chain" to describe how long this has been happening where you just try to become rich and take advantage of others. The author also writes "I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart, I am the Negro bearing slavery's scars." this is symbolism and it is used to show us that not everyone in America is treated equally and that the continuous cycle has been happening for a long time. The author uses refrain when he repeats the line "Let America be America again" he repeats this line so much because he wants to get the point across that America isn't what it should be and that he wants it to go back to the way it was before with liberty, freedom and equality. The authors use of all this figurative language just to help get the point across that America isn't perfect to everyone and that the way some people see America isn't the way everyone sees America because some people aren't treated equally and are taken advantage of.



]]> 2020-10-14 19:00:47 UTC https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829951966 Kerry and Kierra https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829953204 The poets use of figurative language helps develop the theme of the poem by emphasizing the meaning behind the poem to help explain why America is not "America" to some people. In stanza 13, the author writes, "From those who live like leeches on the people's lives." This simile provides a comparison between the how the people are living between the leeches. The leeches signifies the needs being taken away from the people. The author writes a hyperbole in stanza 6, "I am the young man, full of strength and hope,
Tangled in that ancient endless chain." This hyperbole allows us to understand how the history has affects the people today. This poem helps us understand that somethings might look good on the outside but can have this darkness that people are still not free from.
]]> 2020-10-14 19:01:10 UTC https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829953204 Gabby And Lauren https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829954084 The poets use of figurative language helps develops the theme of "Things are not always what they seem behind closed doors". On the top of page 2, the poet uses symbolism and says, 
"I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart, I am the Negro bearing slavery's scars." This proves the theme because not everyone is treated equally in a country where where equality and freedom are praised. The poet also uses repetition and imagery by writing, "Yet I'm the one who dreamt our basic dream In the Old World while still a serf of kings, Who dreamt a dream so strong, so brave, so true." This also connects to the theme because the poet also dreams America could be great but in reality it isn't. In summary, this can go to show that there is more that goes on on the inside than what you see on the outside.


 


]]> 2020-10-14 19:01:26 UTC https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829954084 Reilly & Samantha https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829954899 The poet's use of figurative language like similes and apostrophe develops the theme of America not being completely free due to oppression from the privileged. He describes all of the many types of people coming to America "To build a "homeland of the free."", but then says "The free? Who said the free?  Not me?" The author describes the people who come to America seeking freedom,  describing the American dream that people seek which doesn't entirely exist. He uses an apostrophe to address some other entity, questioning who said America was free, because he is not and neither are the oppressed people who came here. He later says "From those who live like leeches on the people's lives, We must take back our land again". The people who are like leeches are the people who are higher up in society, and this simile shows how they take advantage of those under them. These oppressed groups cannot feel truly free in America because of their oppression. This figurative language helps describe how America is not completely free due to the prevalent oppression.

 

]]> 2020-10-14 19:01:38 UTC https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829954899 Alina and Sofia https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829955444 The poet's use of figurative language helps develop the theme of freedom, happiness, and equality not being attainable for all by contrasting the experiences between minorities and majorities. In stanza four the poet states "O, let my land be a land where Liberty Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath," this shows how people that come to America come with a false sense of hope and when they get here are treated unfairly. The text also states "(There's never been equality for me, Nor freedom in this "homeland of the free.")" This solidifies his feelings as to how people are treated unfairly because he states that for him personally he has never felt equality.







 
]]> 2020-10-14 19:01:49 UTC https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829955444 Brian, Kyler, Nathan https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829962704 the poet uses figurative language to help develop the theme of "Not everyone experiences the perfect America " by using refrain to emphasize the fact that America was not the true America to him and by using a hyperbole to his points.  In the poem he states "(America never was America to me.)" and he goes on to repeat this statement on multiple occasions. The use of refrain helps emphasizes his point that he is trying to get across which is that America wasn't America to him. This in turn also supports and develops the theme of  "Not everyone experiences the perfect America " in this case everyone means him because he never experienced the great America.  In this poem he utilizes a question and a hyperbole to get his points across he says "To build a "homeland of the free. The free? Who said the free?  Not me?
Surely not me?  The millions on relief today? The millions shot down when we strike? The millions who have nothing for our pay?" The use of the hyperbole makes his point stand out and make the reader look back at it, the point he is making is that not everyone is free which develops the theme because they aren't experiencing the perfect America. The poet utilizes the use of a refrain and a hyperbole to develop and further support his theme of "Not everyone experiences the perfect America " because the refrain puts emphasis an a line and the hyperbole draws attention to a subject.



]]> 2020-10-14 19:04:08 UTC https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829962704 https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829981502 2020-10-14 19:10:04 UTC https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829981502 I have a dog https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829985664 2020-10-14 19:11:29 UTC https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/829985664 Abby https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/830797557 The poet's specific use of figurative language helps develop the theme of "Everyone doesn't live the believed American dream." For example, "I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil. I am the worker sold to the machine. I am the Negro, servant to you all. I am the people, humble, hungry, mean—" This quote is an example of a refrain. The refrain helps emphasize the concepts and reinforces it to the reader. Another example, "Yet I'm the one who dreamt our basic dream. In the Old World while still a serf of kings, Who dreamt a dream so strong, so brave, so true," This example of a allusion reminds readers of where these people came from and can help the reader connect why they left. This figurative language shows that people dreamed about a perceived America and then ended up experiencing something else. The specific uses of figurative language helps the author develop a theme that showcases the inequality and injustice. 


]]> 2020-10-15 02:00:26 UTC https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/830797557 Emma, Adie, and Shariah https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/832596752 The poet´s use of alliteration is used to help develop the theme by emphasizing discrimination towards people of color. The poet expresses his thoughts in stanza 7, ¨I am the young man, full of strength and hope,
Tangled in that ancient endless chain
Of profit, power, gain, of grab the land!.¨ Earlier in the poem the poet uses the alliteration, ¨Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed.¨ This allowed readers to see what working people of color thought that America would be. Later in the poem the The poet uses these alliterations to express his sorrow and anger towards America and the way it has discriminated against people of color. The alliterations the poet uses helps to enhance the theme by emphasizing the oppression people of color had fallen under. ]]> 2020-10-15 14:52:47 UTC https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/832596752 William and Raike https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/832606237 The poets use of figurative language in the poem helps support the theme that not everything is what it seems. In the poem the author uses refrain and repeats the statement that america was never america to me. The author uses refrain to explain that america is described as a great place but its not how everyone describes it and he didn't have a great experience. The author also uses a simile when he says for those who live like leeches on other peoples lives. This helps explain the theme because if you are living off of others and not trying to help america be america again then you are only making it worse by not helping out. In conclusion the author uses multiple types of figurative language such as refrain and simile to help support the theme that not everything is what it seems. ]]> 2020-10-15 14:54:52 UTC https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/832606237 Mya and Sierra https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/832610338 The poet uses figurative language to help develop the theme of the poem which is the "American Dream" and how it doesn't apply to everyone. For example the poet says " I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart," This example shows that not everyone experiences the "American Dream" they pushed them to the limit to work hard but yet they got no equality, freedom, or liberty. In the rest of Stanza 5 the poet is talking about the other minorities being put into slavery, ran out of their land, and people seeking a home pushed away. The poet uses figurative language to develop the theme by describing how even though they say America is the dream and how you will be treated with equality and freedom but yet they treat everyone differently and most with no freedom or respect.]]> 2020-10-15 14:55:52 UTC https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/832610338 Carolyn https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/832637557 The poet's use of figurative language helps develop the theme by illustrating the theme of "America's ideology isn't America's reality."  In the poem the poet uses refrain to say "I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart, I am the Negro bearing slavery's scars. I am the red man driven from the land." This emphasizes all of the people that America has mistreated despite the fact that they worked to make America or if they were here first. Another example would be when he uses another refrain to say "Tangled in that ancient endless chain, of profit, power, gain, of grab the land! Of grab the gold! Of grab the ways of satisfying need! Of work the men! Of take the pay! Of owning everything for one's own greed!" This is used to show how despite America's claim to equality people are still greedy, selfish, and unfair. The poet 's use of figurative language helps the reader to understand the reality of inequality in America.




 



]]> 2020-10-15 15:01:43 UTC https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/832637557 Tate, Jeffrey and Pedro https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/832687025 The poet's use of figurative language in the poem helps support the theme that the American Dream of freedom and equality might not apply to everyone. Despite hard work impoverished people and people who are a different race will struggle to get ahead in life. The speaker disappointed in the fact that not everyone can achieve the same goals that they ]]> 2020-10-15 15:11:48 UTC https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/832687025 Nate https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/839299740 The poem has a theme of inequality versus freedom and he uses figurative language to develop that idea.  Figurative language he used include metaphor and hyperbole .  Phrases like “dog eat dog” and “out of the rack” are metaphors that paint a disturbing picture of where he thinks America really is.  Out of the rack can also be thought of as hyperbole.  “Tangled in an endless chain” is another metaphor for how long he feels economic inequality has gone on.

In one stanza he says “Say, who are you that mumbles in the dark.”  Using the verb mumble helps drives home how the writer has difficulty being heard.  He describes himself as negro, red man and poor white to emphasize some of the types of people who are caught in “that endless chain” of profit and power gain.  

Other examples of hyperbole are “the man who never got ahead”  and the “poorest worker”.  He continues to develop and ask about freedom, using more hyperbole and metaphor.  “All the songs we’ve sung and all the hopes we’ve held” are hyperbole.


]]> 2020-10-18 22:33:10 UTC https://padlet.com/remartin/ax9anx7jfc34/wish/839299740