Langston Hughes Irony or Understement by cwilliams@boyslatin.org

cwilliams1 — 2013-09-16 22:33:30 UTC

Dinner Guest: Me

I know I am
The Negro Problem
Being wined and dined,
Answering the usual questions
That come to white mind
Which seeks demurely
To Probe in polite way
The why and wherewithal
Of darkness U.S.A.--
Wondering how things got this way
In current democratic night,
Murmuring gently
Over fraises du bois,
"I'm so ashamed of being white."

The lobster is delicious,
The wine divine,
And center of attention
At the damask table, mine.
To be a Problem on
Park Avenue at eight
Is not so bad.
Solutions to the Problem,
Of course, wait.

Langston Hughes

cwilliams1 — 2013-09-16 22:38:31 UTC

Words you might not know:

"demurely" means modestly or in a reserved way
"damask" refers to a fine, rich table cloth
"fraises du bois" are tiny, wild strawberries, literally "strawberries of the woods."

Irony-- "I know I am"

cwilliams1 — 2013-09-16 22:43:57 UTC

He has conceded to the reality of how society views his reality.

-- Wills

Understatement-- "To probe in a polite way"

cwilliams1 — 2013-09-16 22:47:31 UTC

Is it politeness, fear, to humiliate, enmity, or simply a convo amongst men?

--Wills

cwilliams1 — 2013-09-17 13:12:30 UTC

Dinner Guest: Me

cwilliams1 — 2013-09-17 13:13:48 UTC

Dinner Guest: Me

Noah Abrams Irony "I know I am , The Negro Problem

2013-09-18 15:02:55 UTC

He comes out from the jump

saying he is the problem in society.

Alain Loiseau Irony- "I'm so ashamed of being white."

2013-09-18 15:02:59 UTC

White people aren't ashamed of being white. In the society that he is in of that time. Being white was considered the better than being black.

Dashaun B. Irony - "The lobster is delicious"

2013-09-18 15:03:00 UTC

This is ironic because at this time period many blacks didn't have an abundance of money.

Kyi Reviere- I know I am" the Problem

2013-09-18 15:03:15 UTC

This is ironic because he knows he is the PROBLEM but he still acts

like everything is alright by eatting lobster.

George Turner

2013-09-18 15:05:52 UTC

The irony part about it is that black really don't have alot of money.

How would you feel if you was black and ask how you got there.

Irony- I know I am the Negro Problem. The speaker claims to be part or the problem, yet continues to eat lobster instead of becoming part of the solution.- Myles Miller.

2013-09-18 15:06:13 UTC

Kam B Irony- "I'm so ashamed of being white"

2014kbaynes — 2013-09-18 15:06:19 UTC

This is ironic because during this time period you would expect someone white to be racist not say that they are ashamed of their whiteness

Justin T. - "I know I am, The Negro Problem"

2013-09-18 15:06:24 UTC

This is ironic because he is admitting to be apart of the problem which was uncommon in that time period and it shouldn't be a problem to be African American

Tamir Winstead - "The Problem

2013-09-18 15:07:47 UTC

This is ironic because at this time blacks didn't really consider themselves as being the problem they felt as if it was the white man who was the cause of the things happening.

Julien Carroll

2014kbaynes — 2013-09-18 15:09:39 UTC

This is ironic because he is Black and holds himself to a higher standard in those times more than Caucasians even though they think lowly of him.

Elijah K/Irony- "And center of attention

2013-09-18 15:09:46 UTC

Its ironic that Huges says he's the center of attention because we, at first, believe that

being the center of attention is a good thing. But Hughes is stating that the attention

he is getting is negative because the person he's eating with is astonished by the fact that Hughes is in the position he's in.

2013-09-18 15:10:33 UTC

Nasif McPherson Irony "I am so ashamed of being white"

Normally at that time period, it would have been considered better to be whit

Amir Calloway

2013-09-18 15:11:05 UTC

It is ironic because the thoughts in there heads are fliped.

Noah Abrams Understatement "Over Fraises du bois, 'I'm so ashamed of being white.'

2013-09-18 15:12:43 UTC

The white man is trying to make a mockery of blacks being ashamed to be black.

Justin T. "Im ashamed of being white"

2013-09-18 15:13:07 UTC

This is ironic because in that time period white people were not shmaeful, if anything they were prideful.

Kam B understatement

2014kbaynes — 2013-09-18 15:13:35 UTC

The understatement is the questions the white man is asking because he is probably asking him why he is doing what he's doing and how he even learned how to write well

ElijahK/Understatement- "Answering the usual questions..."

2013-09-18 15:14:18 UTC

Hughes is showing that although the man is just asking "questions",

There is a message behind the questions. It is the white man's mind that

feels it is necessary to questions why and how Hughes is where he is.

Tamir Winstead "Usual Questions"

2013-09-18 15:14:23 UTC

these usual questions could be hidden racists questions

that they would usually as such as "how'd you get here?"

Samir J

2013-09-18 15:15:06 UTC

Irony is when he knows that he is a part of the probelm,he acknowledgeds it and doesn't cre

Tyler Wright - "I'm so ashamed of being white"

2013-09-18 15:15:58 UTC

This is irony because in this poem he is talking about how being black is not a "good look" in society and for him to use this quote is ironic

Julian D

2014kbaynes — 2013-09-18 15:17:47 UTC

Its ironic because Langston Hughes is a African American

and he holds him self as a respectful person and they think

that he a low class man

Samir J

2013-09-18 15:17:58 UTC

Understatement is when he knows that somebody will report him but again he still doens't care . He knows there will be a soluton

Irony- "The Negro Problem"

2013-09-18 15:18:05 UTC

He's suppose to be the problem, but

isn't acting like it.

--Kunard

Tamir WInstead "Usual Questions"

2013-09-18 15:18:58 UTC

These questions could be hidden racists questions people were usually asked

such as "how'd you get to the status were at now?"

Dashaun B. Hidden Racism - "That come to white mind"

2013-09-18 15:20:16 UTC

White think many things and one for them might be why is he there? Also They ask him questions becuase he really not suppose to be there