Question

Which statement best describes the role of the speakers in the two Hughes poems? A)In both poems, the speaker describes a scene or event. B)In both poems, the speaker uses a first-person point of view. The speaker in “Harlem” expresses thoughts and feelings; the speaker in “The Weary Blues” describes an emotional scene. The speaker in “Harlem” describes a violent scene; the speaker in “The Weary Blues” expresses

Answer 1

The speaker in “Harlem” expresses thoughts and feelings; the speaker in “The Weary Blues” describes an emotional scene.

Answer 2

The correct answer is C.

The poem "Harlem" reflects on dreams, and what happens to those which do not come true. The speaker wonders if they dry, or they rot, or even if they explode.

On the other hand, in the poem "The Weary Blues" the speaker tells the story about a Negro man that is playing a song in the street. The song is a very beautiful and sad blues that explains how unhappy the negro man is, and who he wishes he had died years before.