While reading this unit’s literature, I really broadened my understanding of the writing from the Harlem Renaissance era. While i thought I had an idea before, reading the works of artists such as Langston Hughes and Claude McKay gave me a deeper understanding about the writing that occurred during this era.
One thing in specific that this unit taught me is the differences in writing during this era. I assumed that it would all seem the same and be written the same, I was under the assumption that it would all be written from an African-American point of view, with the slang of their culture being used- but I was wrong. In fact, certain artists chose not to write in this way, just to make even more of an impact and giving a deeper meaning to their works.
I learned this by comparing the works of these artists, particularly comparing them for the discussion questions. Through comparing two artists directly (Hughes and McKay) I saw this difference and really noticed it, and therefor was able to analyze their works differently and from a more educated point of view. I really believe that this will be useful in the next unit, as I will continue to read each artists work individually, noting any differences between the artists work and then asking myself what the impact of this is and why the artist may have chosen to do this.
sydney poynter 