“Dreams” by Langston Hughes
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow
1. Read the poem above, "Dreams" by Langston Hughes, and interpret what it means to you.
2. Given your interpretation, how do you think the poem relates to Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck?
3. Read another person's post and make a comment about what s/he wrote.
What the poem dream means to me is that I think it speaks of never giving up on your dreams because when you do there's no point in living anymore. This relates to Of Mice and Men because George and Lenny go around the country tramping around looking for jobs so they can follow their dream to own land, and live on a farm with a couple of rabbits for Lennie
ReplyDeleteI think the interpret the poem and the book the same way you do. I believe their life is so harsh that without their dreams there really is no point to continue living.
DeleteDreams are what makes you get out of bed for the next day. It motivates you to continue living life to the fullest. If all that is naught, life becomes bleak and pointless. John Steinbeck elaborates upon this idea because his characters Lennie and George endure all the circumstances for their dream. Without these aspirations they kind of trudge through their suffering trying to survive.
ReplyDeleteI agree b/c without any dreams or goals you want to achieve, life starts to become dull and meaningless. At that point you're just living just for the sake of being alive.
DeleteThis poem tells me how our dreams are what drives us but if we don't have any set goals then we just end up nowhere. This poem relates to "Of Mice and Men" in how all George and Lennie want is someway to make money so that they can get by peacefully for the rest of their lives. If they give up, the only thing that would await them is their death.
ReplyDeleteI agree. George and Lennie are able to not give up on life because they have a dream of having their own farm.
DeleteThe poem is telling us that we have to hold on to a dream and work towards it. If we don't have a dream, life would be meaningless because you do not have a goal. In Of Mice and Men, George and Lennie have a dream of having their own farm and having rabbits for Lennie. They are willing to work with a guy like Curley because it helps them towards their dream.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Even though George dislikes Curley, he is still willing to work for their dreams.
DeleteThis poem is saying to never let go of your dreams. When dreams disappear, life becomes meaningless, and people will not have motivation to do anything. The poem relates to "Of Mice and Men" since George and Lennie are willing to do anything to make money, even if they have to work with people they don't like.
ReplyDeleteI agree. They seem to be willing to find work anywhere because of their dreams.
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ReplyDeleteThe poem means that dreams give motivation to peoples' lives. Without dreams, no one has incentive to do anything. "A broken-winged bird That cannot fly" represents a person without any dreams, who has no direction in their life. It relates to "Of Mice and Men" because it shows how they have a dream and are willing to pursue it. Even though George and Lennie can't seem to keep a job, they are still willing to go everywhere in search for one in order to achieve their dream.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on both your interpretation on the poem and the one on how it relates to Of Mice and Men. George and Lennie have big dreams of settling down in the future and in the present they are willing to work long hours wherever they can find work just so they can pursue this dream.
DeleteLangston Hughs is trying to say that you should should hold on to your dreams because they help motivate you to keep going in life. Without dreams life is pointless and meaningless because you have nothing you are working towards and you are living each day with no goal. Without dreams or goals life feels empty and it is hard to stay motivated. In Of Mice and Men, Lennie and George talk to each other about their dreams to live on a farm together where they settle down and own a garden with rabbits. This is what they are working towards. Part of reaching this dream is working hard and moving all the time, but Lennie and George are good with this because they have hope for achieving this goal.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Lennie and George seem to work hard to try and achieve their goal.
DeleteI also think that the poem dreams tells the audience to hold on to their dreams and never give up on them. George and Lennie work hard and move a lot to achieve their goal
DeleteLangston Hugh's poem is about dreams and how without them, life is pointless. This relates to Of Mice and Men because although Lennie and George are walking around aimlessly and trying to find jobs, they both hold on to the dream of one day having enough money to start a farm and raising rabbits. This dream gives them purpose in life.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Edison. Lennie's and George's dreams can even be seen as the map to guide them when they are aimlessly wondering through the countryside.
DeleteDreams are what make life worth living and what motivates us to get out of bed in the morning. Without dreams life really isn't worth living, because like a broken wing, without dreams it is impossible to get anywhere. This poem relates to Of Mica and Men because Lennie'a and George's dreams are what keeps them going and motivated to work on the ranch.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you because without their dream, Lennie and george wouldn't have anything to work for or look forward to
DeleteThe poem Dreams tells the audience never to let go of dreams and to keep believing and never quit on them. In the perspective of George and Lennie roam around California looking for jobs and eventually living their dream of owning land.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you
DeleteI agree with Arunav. Dreams are what kept George and Lennie together and work hard. They did not give up their dream.
DeleteI agree with you
DeleteDreams are what make the life better, without dreams, life is missing a part. Don't give up your dreams, or else life would be boring. In the book Of Mice and Men, George and Lennie never give up their dreams even though they are poor. They try to find a job and work hard. Them still dreamed about one day having their own farm, and their dream is what motivated them to work.
ReplyDeleteFor the most part, I agree with your analysis of the poem and its connection to Of Mice and Men. I do believe, however, that Langston Hughes does not merely say in his poem that life without dreams is merely missing a part. Instead, it seems (through his use of symbols) that he was trying to express that it would be utterly broken and without any value.
DeleteI think that this poem is just telling the reader to never give up on your dreams because if you do then you won't have any motivation to do what you want in life. Keeping your dreams will give you something to look forward to and keep striving for. I think think this poem relates Of Mice and Men beacause George and Lennie ahve their own dreams of living together on a farm with a garden full of rabbits. Without this dream they woouldn't have something to work for or strive for.
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ReplyDeleteLangston Hughes' poem "Dreams", though short, embodies a profound message with deeper connotations. In both stanzas, Hughes reveals a truth to us: life without dreams is pointless. This becomes evident when the images in the stanzas are examined more closely. Birds are special only because they fly, and a bird who has unable to do so is basically utterly hopeless. Likewise, fields are useful only in the production of crops; one that is barren and frozen is of no value whatsoever. Essentially, Hughes communicates to us that dreams (i.e. hopes, especially for the future) are what give life its meaning.
ReplyDeleteJohn Steinbeck certainly plays with this theme in his own novela, Of Mice and Men. Main characters George and Lennie search for a place to work in California, with their only motivation being the hope of a better life. Without dreams to guide them, it is likely that neither George nor Lennie would have a reason to work. In essence, their entire lives would be pointless -- thus, through them, Hughes' insightful message is clearly reflected.
I thought that your review of the poem was very thorough and I agree with what you think the poem and the book is trying to tell us.
DeleteLangston Hughes is trying to tell us that our purpose in life is to accomplish our dreams. If we lose our dreams we lose our purpose and life becomes hopeless. A bird with a broken wing is as good as dead, it's life is hopeless as it's unable to repair its wing without outside help. A barren field covered in ice is useless land as nothing can grow without freezing to death.
ReplyDeleteJust by reading the summary on the back I can tell that Lennie will lose track of his dream and what he wants to accomplish. Life will become meaningless to George as his dream is to live off the land with Lennie. Without Lennie, George is friendless, lonely and unable to live life with meaning.