The Negro Speaks of Rivers

How does the repeating structure of this stanza (I + verb) contribute to the meaning of the poem?

• By connecting the speaker to historical rivers

• By describing how rivers have changed over time

• By showing why the rivers can cause people to dream

• By explaining why the speaker has abandoned the rivers

Which phrase uses vivid imagery?

• My soul has grown deep like the rivers

• I've seen its muddy bosom turn all golden in the sunset

• I've known rivers

• When Abe Lincoln went down to New Orleans

Langston Huges wrote "The Negro Speaks of Rivers"...

• for his mother who worked very hard

• in Mexico with his father

• over several years in Harlem

• on a train heading to Mexico

How does the poet develop this theme?

• By warning about the force of different rivers

• By connecting humanity and rivers to different periods of time

• By describing different trips one can take around the world

• By arguing for a different understanding of historical events

One major theme of this poem is...

• memories are important

• connection through heritage, culture and ancestry

• rivers are symbolic of death

• our past is more important than our future

What does the river symbolize in the poem?

• Metaphor for eternal love

• Passage of time and inevitability of change

• Symbol of purity and innocence

• Representation of power and authority

Explain the significance of the Mississippi river in the poem.

• The Mississippi River signifies the importance of family bonds

• The Mississippi River symbolizes the protagonist's journey to self-discovery

• The Mississippi River represents the passage of time, the flow of life, and the inevitability of change.

• The Mississippi River represents the struggle for freedom and equality

How does the phrase turn all golden relate to the word muddy?

• It shows the destruction by fire of nature’s beauty.

• It shows how both the earth and the sun are ruined.

• It shows how both the earth and the sun are celebrated.

• It shows the transformation to something beautiful.

The speaker feels a deep connection to...

• the future

• the rivers

• the ancient cities

• the earth

Another theme of this poem is...

• the past can only drag us down

• we are connected through our heritage, culture, and ancestors

• getting older makes you think of rivers

• our past is more important than our future