Overview
Langston Hughes was born in 1902 and is highly regarded as one of the greatest poets of the twentieth-century literary movement, known as the Harlem Renaissance. He characterized the period with his lyrical and meaningful poems, short stories, and plays. The period is often characterized by a mix of street talk, nostalgia, symbolism, jazz and blues, and everyday American-style conversation. “Salvation” was first published as a part of Hughes’s first book, The Weary Blues, which was published in 1926 while Hughes was living in Dover, Delaware.
Thesis
“Salvation” is a piece that exemplifies Hughes’s journey from naiveté to knowing in his young life. While addressing the well-known religious theme of salvation, Hughes’s poem is centered around primarily finding the truth about himself. The story is autobiographical and begins with Hughes as a young boy searching for God but ends by revealing his true knowledge and enlightenment.
Context
The poem “Salvation” is Langston Hughes’s narrative of his experiences as a young child trying to find religious salvation in the church. Hughes was only 12 years old when he wrote “Salvation”, which was placed in the middle of his debut collection of poems, The Weary Blues. At this time, Hughes was enrolled in the prestigious Central High School in Cleveland, Ohio. “Salvation” is a powerful poem, as it details the complexity of faith in an astonishingly vivid recollection of youthful innocence, spiritual awakenings, and a young man’s struggle against the “old-time religion” of Christianity.
Analysis
The poem portrays the classic struggle that youth often have between faith, traditional religiosity, and questions of one’s identity. Hughes himself struggled with religious traditions from his childhood, so “Salvation” serves as a personal reflection of those struggles. It draws on the theme of ignorance easily lost in the face of knowledge as Hughes discovers what salvation actually means. He begins his journey believing salvation is a one-time experience, physical in nature, and based on a moment of overwhelming emotion–the same type of experience staged in a Black church every week.
Expert Opinions
English professor and literary expert, Elizabeth Jones, believes that Hughes’s “Salvation” serves as a prime example of how young people come to understand religion on their own. According to Jones, “The poem serves as a criticism of the adult world’s powerful and sometimes hypocritical role in shaping the beliefs of young people. It also reflects the author’s own journey of self-discovery as he begins to challenge traditional religious beliefs.”
My Insight
In essence, “Salvation” is a poem that speaks of the need for knowledge: knowledge of the truth behind conventional wisdom and knowledge for the truth about oneself. In the end, Hughes is persuaded by his aunt’s enthusiasm that he experiences a spiritual awakening and an epiphany of sorts. The question of whether this moment of “enlightenment,” however brief, was genuine or merely the result of the preaching of those around him, is left open-ended. But Hughes’s journey illustrates the difficulty in finding a path to true knowledge and self-discovery, something that many people still relate to today.
Critical Analysis
In “Salvation”, Hughes depicts an experience that many readers can easily relate to, especially those who are individuals of faith. This is because the poem speaks to the emotional turbulence and clash one feels between personal beliefs, religious teachings, and the expectations of one’s elders. “Salvation” is written in a simple yet powerful way, conveying an internal struggle between the expectations of society and the expectations of the individual. It conveys the reality of the individual’s journey of finding himself, his truth, and his understanding of salvation.
Symbolism
In “Salvation”, Hughes uses multiple symbols to convey his feelings and foster understanding in his audience. Thematic and symbolic images are crucial parts of this poem, as they help solidify Hughes’s struggle. Symbols such as his visions of a white Jesus, the spectacle of the three sisters praying, and the Jesus statue in the church all point to a larger theme Hughes is conveying: the power of faith in an individual’s life. The symbolic nature of the poem allows the reader to both connect to the experiences of Hughes and reflect on their own experiences.
Style
The poem “Salvation” is a powerful piece of literature due in large part to its use of language and imagery. Hughes uses strong verbs, adjectives, and metaphors throughout the poem to create powerful visual images in the minds of readers. This use of language helps the readers understand the world Hughes is trying to create. Additionally, Hughes uses simple and straightforward language to effectively express his views without having to resort to overly flowery language or convoluted metaphors.
Interpretation
At the heart of “Salvation” is a narrative of personal discovery and growth. The poem speaks to the perplexing journey to understanding that many of us make in life. It speaks to the power of knowledge, understanding and faith, and conveys the idea that sometimes our search for the answers we seek can lead to the answers we already knew. “Salvation” is a powerful and poignant poem, and it continues to be widely read, discussed and interpreted by both scholars and readers alike.
