Blog 3: "I Too"

Keeping Your Chin Up

          On the surface, "I Too" by Langston Hughes, is a poem expressing a patient and optimistic outlook towards changing racial equalities.  The opening stanza of the poem, " I am the darker brother.-  They send me to eat in the kitchen- When company comes,- But I laugh,- And eat well,- And grow strong." (Hughes 1039)  I think that being welcome to eat at the table represents his welcome into society, and since eating is something we all do, it more specifically represents his welcome into society as a person.  On a deeper level, I think this poem really speaks of confidence, due to his ability to laugh away others' thoughts and do what he can to better himself for the time being.  The second stanza elaborates on confidence and adds a flare of optimism with, "Tomorrow,-  I'll be at the table-  When company comes.-  Nobody'll dare-  Say to me,-  'Eat in the kitchen,'-  Then.-  Besides,-  They'll see how beautiful I am-  And be ashamed-" (Hughes 139-1040)  This stanza tells me that he understands his value as a person, is sure that he will be welcome into society, and is patiently awaiting that day.  But I think the very last line of this poem is the most important part in regards to confidence, "I, too, am America."  This indicates that, while confident in himself and his predictions, he is just like you, not better or lesser.

          In America today, the media and advertising agencies project an impossible image of "normal" women and men; men are big and strong while women are curvy and slim.  Unfortunately, many people don't fit into these "normal" categories, and this creates a lack of confidence in many men, women, boys, and girls throughout the country and probably the world.  I'm no different.  Until I was about 16 I was an extremely small boy; I was always smaller than everybody in my class, family, and friends.  Even after I sprouted to six feet tall, I was still very skinny and now ungainly.  Even though I knew, as everybody knows, that everybody is different, I maintained a low confidence for most of my life regarding my appearance.  It wasn't until a couple of years ago when I realized that this is probably how I will look for the rest of my life, tallish and slim, and decided that I like that idea.  (Especially after seeing how some of those "normal" big and strong guys aged.)  Now, I'm a fairly confident person; I like the way I look and don't really care what other people think anymore (though, I am still quite embarrassed when given compliments), and that confidence has provoked me into doing more with myself and my life.

          As for a  world full of people who are confident and welcome, I am of two minds.  On one hand, I think almost everybody should be a welcomed member of society and humanity, and I believe self-confidence is something that should be encouraged in everyone.  On the other hand though, people who have been ostracized throughout their lives have created some of the greatest poems, writings, films, and even science.  Galileo Galilei was ostracized from the world and even placed under house arrest in the last years of his life for his belief that the earth revolved around the sun, and he is today considered to be the father of physics.  There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance.  People who are overconfident scare me, because they often think they are better than other people and have no problem stepping on others to elevate themselves.  I think it is of the utmost importance to remember throughout life that you are as good as anybody, but better than no one.

Works Cited:

Hughes, Langston. "I Too." 1925,1959. 1865-Present. Ed. Nina 
     Baym. 8th ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2013. 485-97. Print. 
     Vol. 2 of The Norton Anthology of American Literature. 2 vols.