Langston Hughes published "Harlem" in 1951. Based on what you know about how Harlem changed between 1920 and 1950, why might he think of Harlem neighborhood as a place where people's hopes and dreams were deferred?
Look back at your chart of similes from the previous lesson. Most of the similes Hughes uses describe things that sound bad --things stink and fester. Why might he use all these similes to describe a deferred dream?
If Hughes had the chance to give people advice on how to live, what do you think he would tell them about following their dreams? Make sure your answer includes a reason from the poem.