What is the poem Dinner guest :Me by Langston Hughes mean?

Question

What does it mean? what kind of diction tone does it use. and how does it relate to Hughes poem, As I grew older?
heres the poem:
Dinner Guest: Me


I know I am
The ***** Problem
Being wined and dined,
Answering the usual questions
That come to white mind
Which seeks demurely
To Probe in polite way
The why and wherewithal
Of darkness U.S.A.--
Wondering how things got this way
In current democratic night,
Murmuring gently
Over fraises du bois,
"I'm so ashamed of being white."

The lobster is delicious,
The wine divine,
And center of attention
At the damask table, mine.
To be a Problem on
Park Avenue at eight
Is not so bad.
Solutions to the Problem,
Of course, wait.

the other poem is called As I grew Older and here it is:
As I Grew Older
by Langston Hughes
It was a long time ago.
I have almost forgotten my dream.
But it was there then,
In front of me,
Bright like a sun-
My dream.

And then the wall rose,
Rose slowly,
Slowly,
Between me and my dream.
Rose until it touched the sky-
The wall.

Shadow.
I am black.

I lie down in the shadow.
No longer the light of my dream before me,
Above me.
Only the thick wall.
Only the shadow.

My hands!
My dark hands!
Break through the wall!
Find my dream!
Help me shatter this darkness,
To smash this night,
To break this shadow
Into a thousand lights of sun,
Into a thousand whiling dreams
Of sun!

Answer 1

He's a black man eating a fancy meal with a bunch of white people. Why is he there? (see lines 4-9) Do you think he fits in? How do you think the people that he is eating with see him? What do they want from him?

Does his language sound like the language of someone who lives in poverty? Is he someone from the ghetto? How much schooling do you think he has had?

What is Park Avenue like? Is it a nice street or a nasty one? What is the Problem on Park Avenue that he refers to? Why is problem capitalized (see line 2)?

As for "As I Grew Older" I do not know that poem.

Answer 2

Langston Hughes Dinner Guest Me

Answer 3

As I Grew Older


It was a long time ago.
I have almost forgotten my dream.
But it was there then,
In front of me,
Bright like a sun--
My dream.
And then the wall rose,
Rose slowly,
Slowly,
Between me and my dream.
Rose until it touched the sky--
The wall.
Shadow.
I am black.
I lie down in the shadow.
No longer the light of my dream before me,
Above me.
Only the thick wall.
Only the shadow.
My hands!
My dark hands!
Break through the wall!
Find my dream!
Help me to shatter this darkness,
To smash this night,
To break this shadow
Into a thousand lights of sun,
Into a thousand whirling dreams
Of sun!

This is my opinion:
Dinner Guest: Me - It's the "in" thing for white people to show that they are such wonderful people to be friends with a black person.

As I Grow Older - talks about making sure he remembers his dreams no matter his color

Answer 4

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RE:
What is the poem Dinner guest :Me by Langston Hughes mean?
What does it mean? what kind of diction tone does it use. and how does it relate to Hughes poem, As I grew older?
heres the poem:
Dinner Guest: Me


I know I am
The ***** Problem
Being wined and dined,
Answering the usual questions
That come to white mind
Which seeks demurely
To...

Answer 5

You are a simply wonderful romantic it is nice to know that there are still a few faithful people out there no matter what the trials and temptations. Very uplifting something I certainly needed at this point in my life. Thank You Dondi although I am aware it was not intended just for me. I certainly felt that way.

Answer 6

What is the other poem? I don't know it.