A Random Revelation

Being changed by the questions raised and posed by this course, I am driven to share my thoughts on a particular piece of literature. I recently read an excerpt from a book of poetry called The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes, a compilation of works from the great author, poet, and playwright. The poem that I read is called “Theme for English B.” It is a piece about Hughes’s reflection, through an experience, of who he is within American society. I chose to write a blog about this piece because it raises the question of racial and societal identity for minorities in America. It is a significant piece to me because it touches on issues that still affect minorities today, and helps to create a sense of awareness about how we define ourselves through our relationships with others, particularly within American culture.

This piece helped me to learn a great deal about the social identity of minorities in America. After reading this piece, I have realized that we all are the products of our environment. The bulk of who we are, or claim to be, is shaped by the very social interaction that we experience with others. America is synonymous with social integration; it is a melting pot of cultures, resulting in a macramé of American standards. What is American? If we are products of our social interactions, how do we define ourselves? Our culture? In my opinion, the individual is shaped not only by social interaction and environment, but life experience and internal morality. Although our society has the power to assimilate, I believe that it is not the society that defines the individual, but the individual who defines the society.