Student Lesson 2, Understanding Theme:

The below poem by Langston Hughes explains one of the themes the Lorraine Hansbury uses in the play. Let's read the below poem and answer the questions with a partner to consider the idea of The American Dream.

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

--Langston Hughes

*Vocabulary: dream, deferred, raisin, fester, sore, run, rotten, syrupy, sweet, sags, load

*Grammar: “dream deferred”

*Theme: The American Dream:

*Assignment:

Read the poem with your partner and discuss it. You may have questions, so we can discuss these as a class.

After we understand the poem. Write a paragraph for each question below:

1) Why do immigrants come to America?

2) How is America supposed to be different than the rest of the world?

3) Why is money important to Americans?

4) What kind of future do young Americans hope for?