English 1001—Great American Authors

Discussion Questions for Selected Poems by Langston Hughes, "Montage of a Dream Deferred"

  1. How does Hughes use italics in "Dream Boogie"?

  2. How does the speaker express his love in "Juke Box Love Song"?

  3. What is the relationship between the two characters like in "New Yorkers"?

  4. In "Ballad of the Landlord," how does Hughes use the relationship between the landlord and tenant to shed light on the overall themes of this section of poems?

  5. What is the relationship between "Low to High" and "High to Low"?

  6. Describe the community that comes together around the death of a young man in "Night Funeral in Harlem."

  7. To you, what is the most memorable sketch of Harlem life in the montage?

  8. What is the connection between Harlem and the dream deferred?


John D. Schwetman
February 28, 2001