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"Democracy" by Langston Hughes

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    Discussion questions for Langston Hughes' "Democracy"
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  • How does the first stanza of the poem introduce the speaker’s message?
    It suggests that democracy is won through principle and struggle.
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  • "I have as much right/ As the other fellow has/ To stand/ On my two feet/ And own the land." Select two words that describe the speaker’s tone in this stanza.
    Forthright and Ardent
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  • In lines 11 and 12, the poet uses
    alliteration to create a sense of monotony
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  • "I do not need my freedom when I’m dead. I cannot live on tomorrow’s bread." In these lines the speaker is stating that —
    it is no good to wait for change in a vague future when change must happen now.
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  • What is the speaker’s tone in this poem?
    serious
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  • In lines 15–18, the author uses a metaphor to show —
    that freedom is a desired state many people require to thrive
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  • Which two phrases from the poem rely on idioms?
    To stand / On my two feet ((AND)) Tomorrow is another day.
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  • In Langston Hughes's poem "Democracy," what does the speaker suggest is the nature of democracy?
    A harmonious system
    An active, engaged process
    A static and unchanging ideal
    A cold and distant concept
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  • What does the poem "Democracy" suggest about the government's treatment of African Americans during the time it was written?
    They were treated with respect and fairness.
    They had a significant influence on policy.
    They were marginalized and excluded.
    They were given equal opportunities.
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  • What is the central theme of Langston Hughes's poem "Democracy"?
    Patriotism
    Racial inequality
    Economic prosperity
    Political freedom
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  • Which literary device does Hughes use in the line "Democracy will not come today, this year" to emphasize the delayed arrival of democracy?
    allusion
    personification
    repetition
    alliteration
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  • In "Democracy," what is the tone of the poem as the poet discusses the delayed arrival of democracy?
    Apathetic and indifferent
    Joyful and optimistic
    Bitter and frustrated
    Confident and assertive
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  • How does the poem "Democracy" conclude in terms of the possibility of democracy arriving?
    It ends by suggesting democracy has already arrived.
    It ends with a call to action for change.
    It ends on a pessimistic note with no hope.
    It ends with a celebration of progress made.
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  • What is the speaker's attitude towards democracy in the poem?
    Reverent and hopeful
    Confused and uncertain
    Indifferent and apathetic
    Hostile and critical
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  • When the speaker says, "Democracy will not come / Today, this year / Nor ever," what figurative language is used to emphasize the idea?
    Alliteration
    Metaphor
    Personification
    Allusion
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  • Langston Hughes was a prominent figure in which literary and cultural movement?
    Transcendentalism
    The Great Awakening
    The Harlem Renaissance
    Surrealism
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