I have discovered in life that there are ways of getting almost anywhere you want to go, if you really want to go.
Langston HughesRead
Good morning, daddy! Ain't you heard The boogie-woogie rumble Of a dream deferred? • • • • You think It's a happy beat?
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the struggle and unfulfilled dreams, suggesting that such deferred dreams create a tension rather than happiness.
In this quote, Langston Hughes uses the imagery of music to express the emotional turmoil of deferred dreams. The 'boogie-woogie rumble' symbolizes the persistent, underlying tension that arises when aspirations are postponed or unfulfilled. The rhetorical question about whether it is a 'happy beat' points to the ambivalence of such delays, indicating that while there may be an upbeat surface, the reality is more complex and tinged with sadness. The overall sentiment conveys that unfulfilled dreams can resonate deeply, creating a persistent, if not joyful, noise in one's life.
Themes
DreamsDeferredWisdomLifeMusic
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about pursuing goals despite obstacles, one might reference this quote to illustrate the importance of addressing dreams.
More from Langston Hughes
All quotes →My writing has been largely concerned with the depicting of Negro life in America.
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I tire so of hearing people say, Let things take their course. Tomorrow is another day. I do not need my freedom when I'm dead. I cannot live on tomorrow's bread.
Langston HughesRead
An artist must be free to choose what he does, certainly, but he must also never be afraid to do what he might choose.
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The calm, Cool face of the river, Asked me for a kiss
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The only way to get a thing done is to start to do it, then keep on doing it, and finally you'll finish it.
Langston HughesRead
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