This poem is incredibly thought to provoke as it puts to shame any prejudice that one may experience. Being human means that we have judged someone probably unreasonably for something they could not change (like the narrator’s skin color in the poem). Hughes puts into perspective the experiences of being on the receiving end of judgment. Moreover, when that person or group of people, becoming much stronger than those judging them, finally achieve their pedestal, it puts everyone to shame. The poem is also empowering in that sense, pushing the message that despite being in a desperate situation, one must find the strength to prevail.
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