American Literature(poem)

 Re-read the following stanza from Hughes’s “I, Too”: Tomorrow, I’ll be at the table When company comes. Nobody’ll dare Say to me, “Eat in the kitchen,” Then. In an essay between 500 and 700 words, discuss how these lines capture the poem’s modernist attitude toward the new and the future: toward what is to come culturally, socially, and, perhaps, even emotionally. Indeed, what is about to happen in these lines? Consider, in particular, the role of line breaks in the production of such meaning. What effects regarding the new and the future does Hughes achieve by breaking off his lines and starting them where he does? Note: In this class, blog posts are an informal genre of academic writing serving the purposes of virtual class discussion, so don’t worry about making an argument and supporting it at every turn. Instead, focus on developing interesting observations based on my prompt that others can respond to—observations that can be speculative and loosely connected. In short, blog posts, like your comments during class discussion, are examples of thinking aloud.