I have discovered in life that there are ways of getting almost anywhere you want to go, if you really want to go.
America never was America to me And yet I swear this oath - America will be!
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote expresses a disconnection from the ideal of America as it currently stands, while also stemming a hopeful determination for a better future.
In this poignant statement, Langston Hughes articulates his feelings of alienation from the American dream, reflecting on the disparities between the ideals of the nation and the lived experiences of marginalized individuals. Despite feeling that America has never truly represented him, he remains committed to a vision of a future where America lives up to its promises of equality and justice for all, embodying a blend of disillusionment and hope.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used during discussions about social justice movements.
More from Langston Hughes
All quotes βMy writing has been largely concerned with the depicting of Negro life in America.
I tire so of hearing people say, Let things take their course. Tomorrow is another day. I do not need my freedom when I'm dead. I cannot live on tomorrow's bread.
An artist must be free to choose what he does, certainly, but he must also never be afraid to do what he might choose.
The calm, Cool face of the river, Asked me for a kiss
The only way to get a thing done is to start to do it, then keep on doing it, and finally you'll finish it.
Similar quotes
The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults.
Often a noble face hides filthy ways.
It would be possible to describe everything scientifically, but it would make no sense; it would be without meaning, as if you described a Beethoven symphony as a variation of wave pressure.
One must not judge everyone in the world by his qualities as a soldier: otherwise we should have no civilization.
God is not upset that Gandhi was not a Christian, because God is not a Christian! All of God's children and their different faiths help us to realize the immensity of God.
The easiest rationalization for the refusal to seek the truth is the denial that truth exists.