"http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"> English 1001, Discussion Questions 11, Spring 2001

English 1001—Great American Authors

Discussion Questions for Selected Poems by Langston Hughes, selections from "Distance Nowhere," "After Hours," and "Life is Fine"

  1. How does the main character in "Strange Hurt" express her feelings of hurt?

  2. What has Hughes done to make "Drum" sound like drumbeats?

  3. How do the poems "Song for Billie Holiday," and "Fantasy in Purple" evoke the musical style associated with them?

  4. What is Hughes' attitude toward the male characters in the poems "What?" "Gone Boy" and "Maybe"? What are these two characters like?

  5. How does Hughes' reference to a hypodermic needle in "Trumpet Player" influence your understanding of the image of the trumpet player?

  6. Is life fine in "Life is Fine"? Why or why not?

  7. What are the troubles that young girls face in the poems "Mama and Daughter," "Delinquent," and "S-sss-sh!"?

John D. Schwetman
February 28, 2001