I chose a picture of a sun in the desert for the line from Hughes's "Harlem": "Or does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?" This picture was significant because a desert with footsteps pertains to a feeling of hopelessness. The sun beats down on the barren land where nobody wants to be. The raisin is much like the desert floor being soaked in the sun in that little or no life can survive there. The life has been sucked out of the dehydrated raisin and not much remains within this once life-filled fruit. A dream deferred is much like this raisin and desert floor because not much remains of it. The dream has almost no hope of being revived and made a reality. Much like the desert, there is virtually no way to bring back a life filled land.
I chose a picture of a sun in the desert for the line from Hughes's "Harlem": "Or does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?" This picture was significant because a desert with footsteps pertains to a feeling of hopelessness. The sun beats down on the barren land where nobody wants to be. The raisin is much like the desert floor being soaked in the sun in that little or no life can survive there. The life has been sucked out of the dehydrated raisin and not much remains within this once life-filled fruit. A dream deferred is much like this raisin and desert floor because not much remains of it. The dream has almost no hope of being revived and made a reality. Much like the desert, there is virtually no way to bring back a life filled land.
Your choice of images works really well with this peom. I agree that the feelings and ideas that "Harlem" evokes can be mirrored by the desolate and draining dry desert sands. A dream deferred can really lose life lying in the sand like that, and shrivel up like a rasin. I am glad you did not choose an image directly from the text, but broadened your range to the desert expanse.
ReplyDeleteThis picture fits well with that line in Hughes' poem. The desert is already dry and the sun would make it more dry. The sand would also be so hot that it would be hard to walk on. With the desert being so dry, no plant or living substance would be able to survive representing how a dream would lose its importance when a raisin is left out to dry. The dream would eventually run out of life and die. The sign of hopelessness is a very nice touch since it would be as if those who travel in this dry land would be hopeless in surviving through the heat.
ReplyDeleteWow I never pictured it that way. This picture just like the poem can be viewed as inspiring or as a pessimistic just like the poem. At first looking at this picture it looked seemed optimistic, the picture looks like the sun is shinning on the dessert with nothing but foot steps. I thought it was optimistic but then I read your interpretation and it is pretty sad. That roaming in the desert is like a dream deferred, like a man lost in the desert. Just like the poem it seems sad and depressing but when you look at the meaning it is meant to inspire the African Americans of the Harlem Renaissance. to go after their dreams or they will be lost.
ReplyDelete