Answer: Hi there! I read "Harlem" last week in my English class and would love to help you out! Please see the "Explanation" section for a (hopefully) elaborate answer.
Explanation: I wrote a simple version of this poem in bullets.
If a dream would shrivel like a raisin in the sun, it would change into something so different that it wasn’t before.
If a dream were to fester a sore, it would irritate and hurt someone badly. This could cause them to do something bad then run away.
If a dream were to fail and crust over like sugar, that means that the diminished dream doesn't hurt you much.
If someone would let their dream rot like meat, they’d have to lose all faith and hope, letting their dream go to waste like it was nothing.
If a dream was to sag like a heavy load, it would slow the person down into thinking more about the dream, instead of working on trying to make the dream come true.
When a dream doesn’t come true, one can become too stressed and mentally and emotionally explode, leading to an act of self-harm or something one would regret.
What do you think this post (poet??) is saying?
I believe that Langston Hughes' poem best describes the many results of dreams (or ambitions) and how they can affect one's state of mind. Some effects of dreams can be benign while others reveal themselves to be detrimental.
This explanation is just my interpretation, and you are free to disagree with or change anything mentioned. Good luck with your assignment! :)
