"Dreams Deferred" #11

Throughout this entire poem, Langston Hughes uses figurative language to get his point across to the reader. There are five similes and one metaphor used in this poem. When a dream is compared to a raisin in the sun, the author means to say that the opportunity for action is now. The dream is then compared to a sore that festers, meaning that it could spread profusely among people if shared with others. The third simile, that compares a dream to rotten meat, symbolizes the fact that dreams that are not taken into action can leave a person with a feeling of unforgettable regret. Next, the author compares a dream to a syrupy sweet. In this simile, the author is implying that deferred dreams can cause people to sugar coated their circumstances, which would result in no change or action. In the final simile, the dream is equated with a heavy load. I think the author is trying to say that a dream left inside of one's head can weigh a person down or inhibit them from reaching their full potential. The only metaphor used in this poem is separated from the rest of the piece. It is italicized, and therefore stands out as the stressed point of the poem. In this metaphor, the dream actually explodes. This has a very negative connotation, especially after learning about the background of the poet. The figurative language in this poem convey's the writer's attitude toward dreams. Through his combination of similes and metaphors, he calls the reader to action so their dreams can become reality instead of becoming deferred.