Langston Hughes tries to explain the concept of interaction and the way people perceive their personality. In his poem, he applies emotion of anger and pride. He explains on how people are misused while having qualities of making the best in their live by application of their body and personal qualities. He describes the black American ladies as white men’s prostitutes. The black women have no confidence with their beauty and try to be blindfolded by white men to use them to satisfy their needs. The poem has an aspect of misuse and discrimination. The author tries to bring up the aspect of salient racism. People feel not comfortable while associating with the representatives of the other race; and the representatives of the less privileged race feel that they are supposed to serve the superior race.
Analysis
The black American women are described as beautiful in the poem. Langston admits that the women are beautiful, and the white men keep on admiring them. There is a problem of discrimination because of which the black women do not have confidence with their own beauty. They allow the white men to use them to satisfy their needs, because they have kept in their minds that the white men are superior, and they should be given whatever they want for them to act in favor of black people. Langston in his tones is on the side of the black woman though he writes that what they do is prostitution. He claims that the white men cannot help but keep on looking to the women because of their beauty. The white man likes going out with the black ladies not just because of their beauty, but because they admit whatever the man is saying and their response favors the white man.
Langston describes the black women as “too pretty”. This is because despite of their beauty, they do not admit that they are beautiful but try to wear stockings. They wear stockings to beautify themselves while they are beautiful. Langston says that they should enjoy their physique and stop putting the red stockings. The women are not proud of themselves, and that is why they put on red stockings in order to conceal the black skin and have red legs. They think that without red stockings, they cannot attract the white men. The lack of confidence has made the black woman to become white men’s prey. Langston is not happy with their action of not being proud of their natural beauty, but he strongly agrees with the aspect of prostitution, since it is brought up by their beauty.
Conclusion
Racism and discrimination still exist, and individuals are grouped according to their skin color and race. In most parts of the world, racism has disappeared, but another form of racism called “silent racism” has emerged. Individuals should be proud of their dignity and respect all people disregarding the skin color. Most individuals discriminate themselves by respecting powerful people or people from wealthy and developed races. In order to avoid this, people should have self-confidence and be proud about what they do to earn their living.