Questions and Activities

* What do you think Langston Hughes is doing with his poem?

--Write briefly (or at length) about what associations you can make with the different rivers Mr. Hughes lists in his poem.

* Is there a place, a location, a type of landscape (rivers, oceans, mountains, plains, cityscapes, gardens, basketball courts, freeways, etc.) that holds a special meaning for you?

--Write about this place in such a way that the reader can come to understand a little bit about how you feel about this place. Write about this place using images rather than just telling the reader what you feel.

* Langston Hughes uses images and sounds to create an environment in our minds. He also helps us make connections between ideas, history, people, and places. What movies, TV shows, music, songs, or other creative expression can you think of that created an environment through images and sound? What about sporting events? What about shopping malls?

--Write about the ways in which different kinds of creative expressions can be used to create an atmosphere or environment.