Not without Laughter by Langston Hughes - 1391 Words

In the novel, â€Å"Not without Laughter,† Langston Hughes uses the narrators voice and the thoughts and dialogue of the character Sandy to explore social stratification. Specifically, the class relationships in American society through Sandys experiences with the 3 sisters of the novel: Annjee, Tempy and Harriett. The sensibilities, style and intuitive feel of these 3 characters communicates to the reader that each one represents a different means of living, reflective of three prominent social strata in American society: the working-class, the petit-bourgeois middle class and the declassed. Annjee is Sandy’s mother and a main character throughout the novel. She typifies the life of a working-class woman. The only thing she owns is her labor, which she must sell to ensure subsistence day to day. Annjee recognizes her social position when she says bluntly, â€Å"Thank God for night†¦ ‘cause all day you gives to white folks† (Hughes 1930, p.78). This brief statement is an example of class consciousness; she knows that she must sell her labor to survive and that her labor is out of her control (but rather rests in the hands of the employer). One of the first explicit introductions of class relationships through the thoughts and dialogue of Sandy is when he accompanies his mother to her workplace- Mrs. Rice’s family home. Annjee is berated and spoken to in a master/servant tone by her employer, while Sandy expresses his frustration and sadness at the scene (Hughes 1930, p.76-77). TheShow MoreRelatedNot Without Laughter by Langston Hughes1394 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout Langston Hughes novel, Not Without Laughter, the author introduces multiple characters that reveal their notions of prejudice. The novel explores that prejudice in one form or another is in every aspect of ones life. Prejudice can be defined as an opinion for or against a persons look, race, class, or religion, which is usually formed by a hasty generalization. Most of the main characters, Aunt Hager, Sister Johnson, Jimboy, Harriet, and Tempy contain different accounts of prejudiceRead MorePrejudice in Langston Hughes Novel, Not Without Laughter1387 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout Langston Hughes novel, Not Without Laughter, the author introduces multiple characters that reveal their notions of prejudice. The novel explores that prejudice in one form or another is in every aspect of ones life. Prejudice can be defined as an opinion for or against a persons look, race, class, or religion, which is usually formed by a hasty generalization. Most of th e main characters, Aunt Hager, Sister Johnson, Jimboy, Harriet, and Tempy contain different accounts of prejudiceRead More Prejudice in Not Without Laughter by Langston Hughes Essay1750 Words   |  7 Pages Prejudice is a cancer that spreads hate among its perpetrators and victims alike. In 1930 Langston Hughes penned the novel, Not Without Laughter. This powerful story, written from the perspective of an African-American boy named James â€Å"Sandy† Rodgers, begins in the early 1900’s in the small town of Stanton, Kansas. Through the eyes of young Sandy, we see the devastating impact of racism on his family and those they are close to. We also see how the generations of abuse by whites caused a divideRead MoreEssay on The Poetry of Langston Hughes During the Harlem Renaissance1694 Words   |  7 Pagesartistic movement it was. II. Langston Hughes â€Å"I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older Than the flow of human blood in human veins. My soul has grown deep like the rivers.† â€Å"I’ve Known Rivers†-Langston Hughes James Mercer Langston Hughes, (February 1, 1902 – May 22, 1967) was born in Joplin, Missouri, to James Nathaniel and Caroline Hughes in 1902. Hughes’ parents were of mixed-race, and Langston Hughes was of African American, EuropeanRead MoreJames Mecer Langston Hughes: Literary Genius1763 Words   |  8 PagesJames Mercer Langston Hughes was born February 1, 1902 in Joplin, Missouri. James Hughes and Carrie Langston are Hughes’ parents. They later divorced when Hughes was young. After his parents divorced he went to live with his grandmother until he turned thirteen years old. At thirteen years old he moved to Lincoln, Illinois. After living in Illinois he later moved to Cleveland, Ohio to live with his mother. When he moved to Cleveland he started writing poetry (â€Å"James Mercer†¦Ã¢â‚¬  par. 2). Langston had manyRead MoreEssay on The Use of Laughter in Poetry by Langston Hughes2140 Words   |  9 PagesThe Use of Laughter in Poetry by Langston Hughes Jessie Fauset explains in her essay The Gift of Laughter that black comedy developed not as a method for blacks to make people laugh, but as a necessary emotional outlet for black people to express their struggles and hardships. The funny man took on a much more serious emotion than appeared on the surface level. Comedy was one of the few means black people had available to them to express themselves. The paradoxical definition ofRead MoreLangston Hughes Poetry649 Words   |  3 PagesLangston Hughes, the most memorable figure of the Harlem Renaissance, wrote everything from plays, short stories, novels, and most importantly poetry. Hughes’ writing is based on his personal views on frustration that he had towards the plight of African Americans. Langston has no fear with anything he is involved in and stood up for his people. Unfortunately, his people responded negatively towards his actions, for they thought he was creating more racial tensions. Nevertheless, this w as not Hughes’Read MoreEssay on James Langston Hughes891 Words   |  4 Pages (February 1, 1902 - May 22, 1967) Born in Joplin, Missouri, James Langston Hughes was born into an abolitionist family. He was the grandson of grandson of Charles Henry Langston, the brother of John Mercer Langston, who was the the first Black American to be elected to public office in 1855. Hughes attended Central High School in Cleveland, Ohio, but began writing poetry in the eighth grade, and was selected as Class Poet. His father didnt think he would be able to make a living as at writingRead More Langston Hughes Essay833 Words   |  4 PagesLangston Hughes Langston Hughes was born on February 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri. He was named after his father, James Hughes, but was known as Langston. He was the only child from his parents James and Carrie Hughes. His parents were not married for long because of an unhappy marriage. When they separated, Langston was left with his mother, who left him behind to move from city to city to find work. Langston ended up living with his 70 year-old grandmother in Lawrence, Kansas. He livedRead MoreLangston Hughes Biography1058 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"James Mercer Langston Hughes, known as Langston Hughes was born February 2, 1902 in Missouri, to Carrie Hughes and James Hughes.† Years later his parents separated. Langston’s father moved to Mexico and became very successful, as his for mother, she moved frequently to find better jobs. As a child growing up Langston spent most of his childhood living with his grandmother named Mary Langston in Lawrence, Kansas. Mary Langston was a learned women and a participant in the civil rights Movement. When