Themes and message

Injustice and inequality

The poem “Harlem” by Langston Hughes explores the theme of injustice and inequality. The theme is illustrated by the series of vivid images which create an overall atmosphere of decay and neglect. 

Generally, dreams are associated with positive images and with the idea of the future. However, the alliteration “dream deferred” (l. 1) automatically implies that some dreams – the dreams of African Americans in particu...