IndexLiterary Role of Marxist Technique in the PoemConclusionWorks CitedThe period from 1919 to 1929 saw a change in the history of the United States of America. The Great Migration was underway with an influx of blacks moving from the South to the North in search of better opportunities. Many settled in Harlem, Manhattan, New York, their enthusiasm and energy transformed into a creative fusion giving rise to the Harlem Renaissance. Harlem Renaissance was the phenomenon. literary from which poets such as Langston Hughes emerged. "Harlem" by Langston Hughes has a Marxist significance as this era influenced Hughes' writing skills. Say No to Plagiarism. Shouldn't it be banned? Get an original essay The critical theory technique of Marxism is a criticism of society that combines political economy and ideology, found in literature and art. There were an impressive number of black poets who were known to be Marxists throughout their careers based on the way they presented their views in their writings. The use of Marxism allows the author/poet to communicate his or her views, whether cultural, economic, or political, in a context that allows the reader to gain perspective of the social context at the time the work was performed. Langston Hughes was among the few black poets who applied this technique in his work. Literary role of Marxist technique in the verse of the poem "Harlem" opens with a question; “What happens to a dream postponed?” The American Dream became a reality in the 1920s. Blacks were moving north to escape segregation and the widespread lynching that was still prevalent in the South. They saw an opportunity to have a better life in the North, where slavery had been abolished. The “American Dream” was the hope of many and their families. The use of the word "deferred", which means to postpone or delay, gives the idea that although there was a dream to be chased, in some way, it was delayed. “Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun / Or is it supposed to be like a plague – And then it runs away?”. The comparison between one's dream and that of a dried raisin and a rotting sore is not only dramatic but also disturbing. A dream meaning raisins can be permanently suspended; however, the longer you wait before taking the necessary action, the more difficult it becomes to accomplish it. At the time this poem was written, Harlem was reduced to what it was in the early '02s, at the birth of the Harlem Renaissance, in a town of squalor and poverty. The Great Depression forced investors to retreat, and with them went jobs and a thriving entertainment industry. The dreams of many were diminishing as the citizens of Harlem now lived in desperation and deprivation. Furthermore, Hughes was a master at his craft, the use of similes, imagery and metaphors does not go unnoticed. “Does it smell like rotten meat? The image of rotten flesh was perhaps used to indicate the social change that followed. Harlem was now "cramped, extremely poor – overall, the unemployment rate in Harlem would be double that of New York overall – Harlem was an unhealthy place to live." Or crust and sugar on top, like a syrupy dessert? has a negative connotation as sugary food hardens over time. The dreamer who puts it off also means that the dream is lost. With the changes that occurred during that era, Harlem has lost the opportunities it once had, leaving its residents frustrated as the dreams they once nurtured must be abandoned. Give up the dream they held on to for so many years must.