I, Too, Sing America : Literary devices

I, Too, Sing America is a notable literary work by Langston Hughes. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of I, Too, Sing America.

    

        

        
Literary devices
       
Symbols
Eating, Kitchen, and Table: Hughes uses the act of eating as a symbol of equality. The Black speaker says he is sent to eat in the kitchen when guests come.
“They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes.”
So, the speaker eats in the kitchen. It means he suffers from racial inequality. But instead of crying, he laughs, eats well, and grows strong. He hopes that one day, he will eat at the table with everyone. It means he hopes for an equal and just America. In this poem, the kitchen is also a symbol. It symbolizes separation. The table represents acceptance and democracy.
Figures of Speech
Extended Metaphor
An extended metaphor is a comparison that continues throughout the whole poem. In this poem, the kitchen and the table are part of an extended metaphor. The speaker is black. He is sent to eat in the kitchen when guests come. This means racial inequality and unfair treatment of Black people. Sitting at the table later means equality and acceptance. The speaker hopes that one day he will take his rightful place at the same table with everyone else.
Consonance
Consonance is the repetition of similar consonant sounds within or at the end of words.
Example: “I, too, am America.”
The repeated “m” sound in “am” and “America” creates a sense of unity and strength.