"What happens to a dream deferred?" This is a famous quote from a profound poet named James Langston Hughes. This question is so personal that its literal interpretation supercedes the race, color, and demographic of the individual asked. It's the history of the individual's life. The poem Harlem was written during an era when Black hopes of prosperity and affluence were marred with the reality of oppression and depression. The poet expresses his thoughts through similes and symbolism. To better understand this piece, we will explore literal, analytical, and personal views of the expose reminiscent of the Harlem Renaissance. Even to the naked eye, the poem Harlem depicts its' expression with vivid imagery.
             In the first stanza the question is asked, "What happens to a dream deferred?" The author uses similes to compare the stagnation of this dream to the dryness of a raisin in the sun, or the fluidness of a bed sore. The second stanza compares this dream to a piece of decaying flesh, or the encapsulating ability of heated sugar. The author expresses that this dream can either die or possibly go into incubation for a period of time. "Or crust and sugar over-Like a syrupy sweet?" The third stanza contains imagery along with symbolic meaning. The author never states what type of heavy load. He allows the reader to apply personal interpretation in order to define a heavy load. He then continues on to allow personal interpretation of the ultimate destiny of this dream, explosion. "Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode?" An explosion can be a good or bad incident. It is left completely up to the reader to interpret the meaning. Although the poem Harlem can !
             be viewed from a literal perspective, there are much deeper implications when considering the history of the author, and the time frame that this piece was written.
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