“Theme for English B” was published the American poet Langston Hughes in 1951, toward the end of Hughes’s career. The poem is a dramatic monologue written in the voice of a twenty-two-year-old black college student at Columbia University in New York City. His professor gives an apparently simple assignment: to write one page that is “true” to himself. But for the speaker, this assignment raises complicated questions about race, identity, and belonging. As he puzzles through these difficult questions, the speaker arrives at a powerful argument against American racism: white people and black people are not (and should not be) separate or distinct. Instead, they are “part” of each other.

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• “Theme for English B” Summary

• “Theme for English B” Themes

  • 

    Race, Identity, and Belonging

    Where this theme appears in the poem:

    • Lines 1-41

• Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis of “Theme for English B”

  • Lines 1-5

    The instructor said, ...
    ... will be true.

    

    

    

    

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  • Lines 6-10

    I wonder if ...
    ... in my class.

    

    

    

    

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  • Lines 11-15

    The steps from ...
    ... write this page:

    

    

    

    

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  • Lines 16-20

    It’s not easy ...
    ... York, too.) Me—who?

    

    

    

    

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  • Lines 21-26

    Well, I like ...
    ... are other races.   

    

    

    

    

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  • Lines 27-30

    So will my ...
    ... of you, instructor.

    

    

    

    

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  • Lines 31-33

    You are white— ...
    ... That’s American.

    

    

    

    

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  • Lines 34-36

    Sometimes perhaps you ...
    ... are, that’s true!

    

    

    

    

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  • Lines 37-41

    As I learn ...
    ... for English B.

    

    

    

    

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• “Theme for English B” Symbols

  • 

    The Hill

    Where this symbol appears in the poem:

    • Line 9: “hill”
    • Line 11: “hil”

• “Theme for English B” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language

  • End-Stopped Line

    

    

    

    

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    Where end-stopped line appears in the poem:

    • Line 1: “said,”
    • Line 3: “tonight.”
    • Line 4: “you—”
    • Line 5: “true.”
    • Line 6: “simple?”
    • Line 7: “Winston-Salem.”
    • Line 9: “Harlem.”
    • Line 10: “class.”
    • Line 11: “Harlem,”
    • Line 12: “Nicholas,”
    • Line 13: “Y,”
    • Line 15: “page:”
    • Line 18: “you:”
    • Line 19: “page.”
    • Line 20: “who?”
    • Line 21: “love.”
    • Line 22: “life.”
    • Line 24: “Bach.”
    • Line 26: “races.”
    • Line 27: “write?”
    • Line 28: “white.”
    • Line 30: “instructor.”
    • Line 31: “white—”
    • Line 32: “you.”
    • Line 33: “American.”
    • Line 34: “me.”
    • Line 35: “you.”
    • Line 36: “true!”
    • Line 37: “you,”
    • Line 38: “me—”
    • Line 39: “white—”
    • Line 40: “free.”
    • Line 41: “B.”

  • Enjambment

    

    

    

    

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    Where enjambment appears in the poem:

    • Lines 2-3: “write /       a ”
    • Lines 8-9: “here    / to”
    • Lines 14-15: “elevator    / up”
    • Lines 16-17: “me    / at”
    • Lines 17-18: “what / I”
    • Lines 25-26: “like / the”
    • Lines 29-30: “be / a”

  • Caesura

    

    

    

    

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    Where caesura appears in the poem:

    • Line 5: “Then, it”
    • Line 7: “twenty-two, colored, born”
    • Line 8: “there, then Durham, then”
    • Line 12: “park, then”
    • Line 13: “Avenue, Seventh, and”
    • Line 14: “Y, where”
    • Line 15: “room, sit down, and”
    • Line 17: “twenty-two, my age. But”
    • Line 18: “hear, Harlem, I”
    • Line 19: “you, hear me—we two—you, me, talk”
    • Line 20: “York, too.) Me—who”
    • Line 21: “Well, I,” “eat, sleep, drink, and”
    • Line 22: “work, read, learn, and”
    • Line 24: “records—Bessie, bop, or”
    • Line 28: “me, it”
    • Line 30: “you, instructor”
    • Line 32: “me, as”
    • Line 36: “are, that’s”
    • Line 39: “older—and”

  • Alliteration

    

    

    

    

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    Where alliteration appears in the poem:

    • Line 6: “i,” “i”
    • Line 7: “t,” “t”
    • Line 8: “th,” “th,” “th”
    • Line 9: “th,” “th,” “h,” “H”
    • Line 10: “c,” “st,” “c”
    • Line 11: “st,” “h,” “H”
    • Line 15: “r,” “wr”
    • Line 16: “n,” “kn”
    • Line 17: “tw,” “t,” “w,” “I,” “I”
    • Line 18: “I,” “h,” “H,” “h,” “y”
    • Line 19: “h,” “y,” “h,” “m,” “t,” “y,” “m,” “t”
    • Line 20: “h,” “Y,” “t,” “M”
    • Line 21: “l,” “l”
    • Line 22: “l,” “l,” “l”
    • Line 23: “l,” “p,” “p”
    • Line 24: “B,” “b,” “B”
    • Line 25: “b,” “m,” “m”
    • Line 26: “o,” “o”
    • Line 28: “B,” “b”
    • Line 29: “B,” “b”
    • Line 32: “p,” “p”
    • Line 34: “p,” “w,” “p”
    • Line 35: “w,” “p”
    • Line 36: “w”
    • Line 37: “fr”
    • Line 38: “l,” “fr”
    • Line 40: “f”

  • Assonance

    

    

    

    

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    Where assonance appears in the poem:

    • Line 2: “o,” “o,” “i”
    • Line 3: “a,” “i”
    • Line 4: “a,” “ou”
    • Line 5: “i,” “i,” “ue”
    • Line 6: “I,” “i,” “i,” “i”
    • Line 7: “I,” “i,” “i”
    • Line 8: “I,” “o,” “oo,” “e,” “e,” “e”
    • Line 10: “I,” “e,” “y,” “a”
    • Line 11: “i,” “i”
    • Line 12: “a”
    • Line 13: “I,” “Y”
    • Line 14: “ Y,” “I,” “a,” “a”
    • Line 15: “o,” “oo,” “i,” “i,” “a”
    • Line 16: “ea,” “y,” “o,” “ue,” “ou,” “e”
    • Line 17: “y,” “o,” “y,” “I,” “I”
    • Line 18: “I,” “ee,” “ee,” “ea,” “ea,” “ou”
    • Line 19: “ea,” “ou,” “ea,” “e,” “e,” “o,” “ou,” “e,” “a,” “o”
    • Line 20: “ea,” “oo,” “e,” “o”
    • Line 21: “I,” “i,” “ea,” “ee,” “e”
    • Line 22: “I,” “i,” “o,” “ea,” “a,” “a,” “i”
    • Line 23: “I,” “i,” “i,” “e,” “e”
    • Line 24: “e,” “e,” “ie,” “o,” “a”
    • Line 25: “ei,” “e”
    • Line 27: “y,” “I,” “i”
    • Line 28: “e,” “i,” “e,” “i,” “i,” “e,” “i”
    • Line 29: “i,” “i,” “e”
    • Line 30: “ou”
    • Line 31: “ou”
    • Line 32: “a,” “o,” “a,” “o”
    • Line 34: “ou,” “o,” “e,” “e”
    • Line 35: “o,” “a,” “o,” “e,” “ou”
    • Line 36: “e,” “ue”
    • Line 37: “I,” “ea,” “o,” “ou”
    • Line 38: “I,” “ou,” “ea,” “o,” “e”
    • Line 39: “ou,” “o”
    • Line 40: “ee”
    • Line 41: “i,” “i,” “i,” “B”

  • Consonance

    

    

    

    

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    Where consonance appears in the poem:

    • Line 1: “tr,” “t,” “r”
    • Line 2: “m,” “t”
    • Line 3: “p,” “t,” “t”
    • Line 4: “t,” “p,” “m,” “t”
    • Line 5: “t,” “t”
    • Line 6: “w,” “t,” “t”
    • Line 7: “t,” “w,” “t,” “t,” “r,” “r,” “n,” “n,” “W,” “n,” “s,” “t,” “n,” “S,” “m”
    • Line 8: “n,” “t,” “t,” “th,” “th,” “n,” “m,” “th,” “n”
    • Line 9: “th,” “ll,” “th,” “h,” “ll,” “H,” “l,” “m”
    • Line 10: “m,” “l,” “c,” “l,” “t,” “m,” “c,” “l,” “ss”
    • Line 11: “st,” “s,” “m,” “h,” “ll,” “l,” “d,” “d,” “H,” “rl,” “m”
    • Line 12: “r,” “r,” “k,” “c,” “r,” “ss,” “S,” “ch,” “s”
    • Line 13: “th,” “v,” “v,” “th,” “m”
    • Line 14: “r,” “m,” “r,” “r,” “r”
    • Line 15: “m,” “m,” “t,” “wr,” “t”
    • Line 16: “n,” “t,” “t,” “kn,” “w,” “wh,” “tr”
    • Line 17: “t,” “tw,” “t,” “t,” “m,” “t,” “m,” “wh,” “t”
    • Line 18: “h,” “r,” “H,” “r,” “m,” “h,” “r”
    • Line 19: “h,” “r,” “h,” “r,” “m,” “t,” “m,” “t”
    • Line 20: “h,” “M,” “wh”
    • Line 21: “ll,” “l,” “k,” “l,” “k,” “l”
    • Line 22: “l,” “k,” “rk,” “r,” “d,” “l,” “r,” “d,” “r,” “d,” “l”
    • Line 23: “l,” “k,” “r,” “r,” “s,” “s,” “r,” “s”
    • Line 24: “B,” “b,” “B”
    • Line 25: “b,” “c,” “d,” “d,” “n,” “t,” “m,” “k,” “m,” “n,” “t,” “k”
    • Line 26: “k,” “k,” “r,” “r,” “r”
    • Line 27: “r,” “t,” “w,” “r,” “t”
    • Line 28: “B,” “t,” “t,” “b,” “t”
    • Line 29: “B,” “t,” “t,” “b”
    • Line 30: “rt,” “tr,” “t,” “r”
    • Line 31: “r,” “t”
    • Line 32: “t,” “p,” “rt,” “m,” “m,” “p,” “rt”
    • Line 33: “m”
    • Line 34: “m,” “m,” “p,” “r,” “p,” “n,” “t,” “n,” “t,” “t,” “p,” “rt,” “m”
    • Line 35: “N,” “r,” “f,” “t,” “n,” “nt,” “t,” “rt,” “f”
    • Line 36: “t,” “r,” “t,” “tr”
    • Line 37: “l,” “r,” “fr,” “m”
    • Line 38: “l,” “r,” “n,” “fr,” “m,” “m”
    • Line 39: “l,” “r,” “l,” “r,” “wh,” “t”
    • Line 40: “m,” “wh,” “t,” “m,” “r”
    • Line 41: “s,” “s”

  • Metaphor

    

    

    

    

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    Where metaphor appears in the poem:

    • Line 4: “And let that page come out of you”
    • Line 18: “Harlem, I hear you”
    • Line 20: “(I hear New York, too.)”
    • Line 27: “So will my page be colored that I write? ”
    • Line 28: “Being me, it will not be white.”
    • Lines 29-30: “But it will be / a part of you, instructor.”
    • Lines 31-32: “You are white— / yet a part of me, as I am a part of you.”
    • Lines 34-35: “Sometimes perhaps you don’t want to be a part of me.    / Nor do I often want to be a part of you.”

  • Anaphora

    

    

    

    

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    Where anaphora appears in the poem:

    • Line 6: “I”
    • Line 7: “I”
    • Line 8: “I”
    • Line 10: “I”
    • Line 21: “I like”
    • Line 22: “I like”
    • Line 23: “I like”

  • Repetition

    

    

    

    

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    Where repetition appears in the poem:

    • Line 8: “then Durham, then here  ”
    • Lines 17-19: “But I guess I’m what / I feel and see and hear, Harlem, I hear you: / hear you, hear me—we two—you, me, talk on this page.”
    • Line 21: “I like”
    • Line 22: “I like”
    • Line 23: “I like”
    • Lines 25-26: “I guess being colored doesn’t make me  / not /   / the same things other folks like who are other races.”
    • Line 25: “like”
    • Line 30: “a part of you”
    • Lines 31-32: “You are white— / yet a part of me, as I am a part of you.”
    • Line 34: “a part of me”
    • Line 35: “a part of you”
    • Lines 37-38: “As I learn from you, / I guess you learn from me—”

• “Theme for English B” Vocabulary

  Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.

  • Page
  • Colored
  • Winston-Salem
  • Durham
  • This College
  • Harlem
  • St. Nicholas
  • Eighth Avenue
  • Seventh
  • Y
  • Records
  • Bessie
  • Bop
  • Bach
  • English B
  • (Location in poem: Line 3: “page”; Line 4: “page”; Line 41: “page”)

• Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “Theme for English B”

  • Form

  • Meter

  • Rhyme Scheme

• “Theme for English B” Speaker

• “Theme for English B” Setting

• Literary and Historical Context of “Theme for English B”

• More “Theme for English B” Resources

  • External Resources

    • "Theme for English B" Read Aloud — The playwright Jermaine Ross reads "Theme for English B" aloud.

    • Hughes's Life Story — A detailed biography of Langston Hughes from the Poetry Foundation.

    • Poetry and the Civil Rights Movement — A collection of poems and resources from the Poetry Foundation focused on the poetry of the Civil Rights Movement.

    • An Introduction to the Harlem Renaissance — A detailed introduction to the African American literary movement, with links to important poems and poets.

    • Early Black Students at Columbia University — An article by Paulina Fein on the way tha first black students to attend Columbia University were treated.

  • LitCharts on Other Poems by Langston Hughes

    • As I Grew Older

    • Aunt Sue's Stories

    • Cross

    • Daybreak in Alabama

    • Democracy

    • Dreams

    • Dream Variations

    • Harlem

    • Homecoming

    • I Look at the World

    • I, Too

    • Let America Be America Again

    • Mother to Son

    • Night Funeral in Harlem

    • The Ballad of the Landlord

    • The Negro Speaks of Rivers

    • The Weary Blues

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