Thursday, June 09, 2011

Group 1 "Aunt Sue's Stories"- Langston Hughes

1. What is your interpretation of the poem? What can you offer in terms of interpretation that can help deepen the understanding of the poem? What continues to confuse you? What do you notice about the use of poetic devices?


2. Comment on a classmate's interpretaion and/or question(s).

19 comments:

  1. First off, after reading the poem "Aunt Sue's Stories" it's obvious it's about Aunt Sue. I felt as if the stories you read through out the poem weren't just being recited by a woman just using her head, but more than less, her heart. I figure Aunt Sue had personally been part of slavery and her stories that "aren't from a book" are her past experiences. I noticed Hughes' use of alliteration through out the entire poem.

    First comment! No one to comment on... :)
    Love,
    Jenna L Period 5

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  2. After reading the poem "Aunt Sue's Stories", I feel that it is about a women Aunt Sue who is telling her story of slavery. I figured that she is telling this to her nephew, i can tell that she is telling the story from her heart. The way it is written, it is not the detail but the true and deep meaning in the tone he writes. I feel that this is Langston Hughes way of expressing the idea of slavery through poetry, but in a way that people can connect to more. Because at some point in ones life everyone hears a story from either a parent or an aunt, where they can relate and understand more. Which is what Hughes is doing here.
    Jenna, good find on the alliteration!

    Grace N. Period 6

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  3. "Aunt Sue's Stories" is a relatively simple poem to understand. Hughes is very straightforward with the way he writes this poem. It is about "Aunt Sue" who tells stories to children. She doesn't make up these stories, she speaks from experience. Her stories are about the horrors of slavery. Reading the poem, you can tell that Aunt Sue cares about the child she is teling her stories to, as she cuddles him to her bosom. Because the poem seems so simple, is there any deeper meaning to it? Grace, I agree! Aunt Sue is passing down her stories in hopes of preserving them so they are not forgotten.

    Madison B
    Per 5

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  4. "Aunt Sue's Stories" by Langston Hughes is pretty easy to understand. Although it may have a very deep meaning to the author as well as African American's (their past journeys and struggles), it is not a significantly "deep" poem. The large majority of the words and lines are straight forward. It is a poem about a lady who tells a small child of the past hardships of their African American ancestors. The only point in the poem where it is not literal is when it talks about slaves working which is to add an element of imagination and imagery to the poem so that the readers can do two things: 1. get an idea of what types of stories Aunt Sue tells, which tend to be about slavery and 2. see what the child who listens to Aunt Sue's stories hears. They are sad stories that Aunt Sue tells, but they are very real and are meant to educate the newer generations of the many struggles and obstacles their people have over come and survived - even flourished from.

    Like Madison, I'm also wondering if there is a deeper meaning than the sentimental values and personal feelings of this poem since is it so extremely simple. Jenna, I like the idea that she is reading the stories from her heart instead of her head! It makes it more personal and full of feeling!

    Steph E. Period 5

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  5. I believe that this poem is pretty self explanatory. The title, "Aunt Sue's Stories," gives away that this is about Langston's aunt, Sue. Then, when I read deeper into the poem, I discovered that it was about the stories she told about slavery, especially for African Americans. She told of real-life stories, stories that she lived to witness. The impact of these stories is much greater because she told real experiences, not something that she read somewhere or made up. I noticed that Hughes uses a lot of adjectives to make it easier to visualize the severity of slavery. He also uses repetition to emphasize certain things.
    Grace, I agree with everything that you said! I like how you mentioned that through poetry, he expressed the horrors of slavery. Some people do it through art, music, and novels, but he used poetry.

    Allie B. Period 6

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  6. Like everyone else, I think that this poem is very straightforward and doesn't require much analyzing before the meaning can be understood. This poem is not just the story of this boy, but the story of every African American whose ancestors were slaves. These stories are passed down to every generation so the struggles and oppression of their forefathers will never be forgotten. These stores also help the next generation understand themselves better for they cannot fully perceive who they are if they do not know where they have come from.

    Treasure p6

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  7. "Aunt Sue's Stories" genoral plot is clear. Aunt Sue is passing down storries of her mistreatment as a slave. The turning point in the poem where her stories change from just tales to a real meaning is when the poem recites, "In the dark shadows that cross and recross." This line changes the poems meaning from somber tales being retold, to those tales still being lived. The poem uses alliteration with S words such as: Summer nights, aunt Sue, Stories,Softly, Slaves. These words are also repeted throughout the poem. Words ending in ING are also used in this poem for alliteration including: singing, listening, walking, working.Every word begining each line is capitolized. The poem seems to be an elegy to me because of the dreary topic and somber tone. I don't really have a question on the poem other then his choice of randome stanza patturns. I'm pretty OCD so I just prefer to see a poem that looks organized. lol.

    ALLIE, I did not think that the poem gave away that Aunt Sue was Langston's Aunt. I actually don't get that out of the poem at all. I think that TREASURE is more accurate in saying that the poem is more of a genoral poem about black american. I do see how you could infer that the author may be calling himself the brown faced child, but it is not completely evident. Arn't you guys glad this is our last blog post?!

    JACKIE G P6

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  8. "Aunt Sue's Stories" is foreboding in how it predicts how stories of slavery will be experienced in the future. The reaction of the "dark-faced child" suggests that after the generation that experienced slavery first-hand is no longer able to share their experiences, accounts of slavery will become, while not fictitious, stories nonetheless.
    Treasure, I agree that sharing the stories will allow future generations to have a deeper appreciation for their heritage.

    Luke S.
    Period 6

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  9. I would have to disagree with all the above statements. Clearly this poem is an allegorical piece about the struggles between Batman and Two Face.

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  10. I get the impression from the poem, that the poet wanted readers to see that storytelling was an excellent way for family members to bond. I visualized the child, sitting at his aunt's knee and looking into her eyes, as she poured out her emotions.

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  11. what is the meaning of the sentence or para? -" In the dark shadows that cross and recross."

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  12. PENISSSSSSSSSS I love peniss

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  13. aunt sue's stories is a relatively simple story to understand. it is quite obvious on first read that the story is about aunt sue. its pretty easy to understand how its about aunt sue and the struggles of slavery and african americans. the author, langston hughes, is straightforward in delivering the message that this is about aunt sue and the african american's history with oppression and slavery. i feel that the story aunt sue's stories is quite clear in presenting the idea that the story aunt sue's story is about aunt sue and her stories, aunt sue's stories to be exact. she is telling her stories, aunt sue's stories, to the audience to portray her hardships with her african american history, whcih specifically include those of hardships and african american slavery. While it is not a significantly deep poem, this poem holds deep significance in the message that it delivers.

    TREASURE, I don't think your ideas were right, but I can't say they were wrong either. I actually don't get your analysis out of the poem at all, except partially I do, so I suppose I do understand after all, or do I? I think that ALLIE is more accurate in saying that the poem is more of a poem about aunt sue and her stories, aunt sue's stories, or actually perhaps not. maybe if? actually, drop that thought. I do see how you could infer that the author is an african american, but it is completely evident.

    Sicko M.
    P6

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