Langston Hughes was an American poet who was famous for his incredible contributions to literature during the Harlem Renaissance. He was an important figure in this movement as he wrote poems that spoke to the injustices and triumphs of African Americans in the early 20th century. One of his most well-known and oft-cited works is the poem “Salvation” which was written about his experience in a Pentecostal church as a child. In the poem, Hughes expresses his disappointment and confusion about being told by the church that if he didn’t accept Jesus as his savior he would be destined for hell. This piece speaks to his own conflicting emotion surrounding his faith as well as his broader commentary on the institutionalized religion that sought to restrict various black beliefs and lifestyles.
In looking at why Langston Hughes wrote “Salvation” one has to look back to his childhood. Hughes was born in 1902 in Joplin, Missouri to two strict Christian parents. He was raised in a household that practiced traditional faith, but Hughes himself was not religious. Nevertheless, his parents were firm believers and sent him to a Pentecostal church when he was just a young boy.
It was during Hughes’ first evangelist revival that he had his “salvation experience”. Hughes was strongly stubborn when it came to his faith, often challenging the beliefs and practices surrounding his christianity. At the end of the service, the pastor called out for all children who had not accepted the bible to come up and be “saved”. Hughes held off, claiming that he would accept Jesus when he was given proof, yet ultimately he conceded. This was Hughes’ salvation experience, a moment that ultimately shaped his entire journey to faith.
In analyzing why Hughes wrote “Salvation”, one can see that he was a man struggling to find his faith in a tumultuous time. The economic pressures, racism and uncertainty he faced as a young black man were compounded with the extreme doctrines of institutionalized Christian faith. Writing “Salvation” was Hughes’ way of grappling with his experiences, sharing his innermost thoughts on organized religion and finding redemption within his own faith.
In “Salvation” Hughes powerfully articulates his initial disbelief towards Christianity and his eventual acceptance. Through the poem, he expresses his innermost struggle between his faith and his identity. He also focuses on his own personal growth as he reflects on the experiences leading up to his “salvation”. There are various themes in the poem, from shame and disappointment to growth and acceptance. In the end, Hughes finds himself in a place of understanding and peace with his faith and is able to finally find his own “salvation”.
Overall, Langston Hughes wrote “Salvation” to process his own struggles within his faith and reflect on his own experiences. It is a powerful condemnation of institutionalized religion and a powerful testament to the strength of personal faith. It is a poem that speaks to the human struggle of reconciling ones beliefs with their identity and speaks to the power of faith and redemption.
The Theme Of Shame
The poem “Salvation” is filled with themes of shame and disappointment. Hughes speaks of his initial disbelief in Christianity and his resistance to being “saved”. He reflects on the shame he felt while he was sitting in church, waiting to be “saved” and his fear that his family would not accept him if he did not embrace the faith. He is ashamed of his own doubt and uncertain of his own salvation, which is evident in the poem’s title.
Through the poem, Hughes expresses the shame and disappointment he felt about his own struggle between faith and identity. He is torn between belief and doubt, between what society tells him he should believe and his own personal convictions. He expresses his shame at his inability to accept faith and his fear of social scrutiny and judgement if he does not. Through the poem, Hughes is able to process his own shame and disappointment and ultimately find acceptance and peace with his faith.
The Power Of Faith
The poem “Salvation” speaks to the power of faith and redemption. In the poem, Hughes speaks of the power of faith to overcome any circumstances, to find peace and redemption in the most trying of times. He speaks of his own transformation as he begins to find acceptance with his faith and to accept his own belief in the power of faith.
The poem speaks to the power of personal faith in a time when organized religion was often restrictive and detrimental to many different people and lifestyles. Through his own words, Hughes is able to find strength in his own beliefs and to embrace acceptance and peace with his faith. He is able to reconcile his own struggles with his faith and to find solace in the power of faith and redemption.
The Struggle Of Faith
The poem “Salvation” is filled with feelings of struggle and ambiguity. Hughes speaks of his own conflicting emotions regarding his faith and his struggle to reconcile his beliefs with his identity. He speaks of his doubt and uncertainty of his own salvation and his fear of not being accepted by his peers and family if he does not accept the faith.
The poem speaks to the struggle to find faith in a time when organized religion often required harsh and restrictive beliefs and lifestyles. Hughes speaks to the difficulty of finding personal faith in a society that often criticized any divergence from the norm. Through his poem, Hughes is able to process his own struggle and find a place of understanding and solace with his faith.
The Journey Of Faith
The poem “Salvation” speaks to the journey of faith and growth. Through the poem, Hughes lays out his own struggles and speaks to his own growth and transformation. He reflects on his experience of doubt and refusal to “accept” the faith and speaks to his eventual acceptance and understanding. He speaks of his own personal journey to understanding and peace with his faith.
The poem speaks to Hughes’ own journey to faith, one that was filled with anguish and confusion but ultimately one that led him to redemption. Through the poem, Hughes illustrates his own journey and speaks to the power of faith and acceptance. He speaks to the power of growth and redemption and the strength of personal faith.
The Impact Of Religion
The poem “Salvation” speaks to the impact of institutionalized religion on one’s faith. Hughes speaks to the restrictive nature of organized religion and the strict codes and doctrines that sought to control and limit various lifestyles. He speaks of the economic pressures and racism that African Americans faced and how these were further compounded by the oppressive and harsh beliefs of organized religion.
Through the poem, Hughes expresses his own condemnation of organized religion and his belief in the power of personal faith. He speaks to the struggles that African Americans faced and his own critiques of the oppressive structures of religion. He speaks to the power of personal faith and the strength of belief in oneself and in one’s faith.
The Strength Of Belief
The poem “Salvation” speaks to the strength of belief. Throughout the poem, Hughes speaks to his own struggle between faith and identity and the strength that comes from believing in oneself. He speaks to the power of personal faith, the ability to find peace and redemption even in the most trying of times. He speaks to the power of faith to overcome any circumstances, to persevere and find peace in the midst of struggle.
The poem is a powerful testament to the power of belief and the strength of personal faith. Hughes speaks to the power of belief to overcome any obstacles and to find peace and redemption in the most challenging of times. He speaks to the strength of belief and the power it has to bring solace and understanding.
