Verisimilitude - Langston Hughes

This week we were asked, "What is one theme [Hughes] creates? How does the verisimilitude foster the theme?" In his poems, Langston Hughes was able to show that African American people still face racism and segregation everyday. In one poem, "The Weary Blues", Hughes tells the story in first-person narrative, giving the appearance that he is there "...down on Lenox Avenue the other night". The colloquialisms he uses, "Ain't got nobody but ma self" allows the reader to believe that these black men feel isolated and alone but at the same time places the reader in that time period. In "I, Too, Sing America", Langston Hughes writes optimistically, hoping for a better tomorrow for black people. Again, he creates verisimilitude by placing himself in the situation, writing in first-person, "They'll see how beautiful I am and be ashamed". Lines like these strike the reader as true. They can feel his pain and emotion through his writing and his want for a better life for African Americans. And lastly in "The Negro Speaks of Rivers", Hughes outlines his history. However, instead of alluding to his ancestors directly, Hughes uses words like "I" and "my", writing again in first-person. By creating this verisimilitude that he had been there over all these years, Hughes shows that black people have persevered a lot and that they have gained much knowledge "deep like the rivers". Overall, Langston Hughes used first-person to give the appearance of his presence in each situation. By doing this, the theme of each of his poems is expressed. 

Unfairly Criticized

This week in class we read different literary criticisms about The Great Gatsby. When reading the feminist criticism, although I didn't agree with all her ideas, I found that the author made some valid points. She said, "Literary works often reflect the ideological conflicts of their culture, whether or not it is their intention to do so...". In her essay she pointed out that the women were all alike in The Great Gatsby; they are negatively portrayed as shallow, selfish, and appalling.
The main characters(Daisy, Jordan, and Myrtle) all are considered New Women. The way they dress and the way they act are characteristics of the New Woman. In the 1930s women began wearing skimpier clothing, cutting their hair short, and going to parties and drinking and smoking, etc. Women who did these things were considered "new". Many people were taken aback by this new attitude of women; most didn't like it and resented women who acted this way. F. Scott Fitzgerald's portrayal of the women in the book reflects the time period it was written in. The women, coincidentally, are new women and are also represented as horrible, crude, and egotistical. As the author points out, F. Scott Fitzgerald, whether intentionally or unintentionally, characterizes these women based on the 1930s view of women who acted like they did.
I admit that I didn't like Daisy, Jordan, or Myrtle. However, after reading I'm left reconsidering my first perception of them. They were each punished for their "crime" of being new women. Readers are led to dislike these women even though they were acting like many other women of the 1930s and even today. At the end, the author points out that we must know about the past views of women in order to understand women. 

The [Unattainable] American Dream

The American Dream is originally about finding happiness, but by the 1920s happiness only came with wealth; Americans strived for wealth because they thought that money brought happiness. However, F. Scott Fitzgerald never used the words "American Dream" in The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald shows the difficulty of obtaining happiness through the American Dream. Fitzgerald uses motifs to demonstrate the unattainability of the American Dream.
One of the main motifs of the novel are parties. Gatsby throws his extremely extravagant parties in an effort to catch Daisy's attention; hoping that she would see the lights across the bay or hear about them. His attempts however, are useless because no one really knows who Gatsby is. Many of his guests make up his past and are only there to celebrate in the 'American Dream'. The corruption in this dream is evident. Men are fighting with their wives. They are unhappy with their marriages whereas the women feel as if they are being neglected. Plus, most of the guests only show up to increase their social standings and to bask in what they believe is the American Dream. These guests who feign their friendships with Gatsby do not show up for his funeral, which only exemplifies the corruption and superficiality of the American Dream.
Also, Gatsby's sole purpose for throwing these parties is to please Daisy, however she is not impressed by them. This demonstrates the impossibility of Gatsby attaining his American Dream (being with Daisy AND still having his wealth).
Overall, The Great Gatsby uses the party motif to show that there wasn't really an American Dream. The American Dream was perceived as having wealth and not really about true happiness. Wealth was thought to bring happiness, however, we should all know that money does not bring happiness.