“Dinner Guest: Me” by Langston Hughes is rebellious and speaks volumes of how blacks were viewed by Americans after their release from slavery. In the first lines Langston bluntly describes himself as America views him, a problem. Even though blacks are no longer slaves they are not equal to whites and are now just a nuisance. He is creating a picture of himself through the harsh eyes of Americans, more specifically whites. This negative limelight put upon the blacks show Americans aren't to sure of what to do with the after effects of their actions, which was freeing the slaves. Langston makes this poem rebellious by calling out high and mighty white folk who pretend they want to pay reparations for all the horrible times blacks faced. They entertain him and are polite to his face, but they are from two different worlds. And as they sit together and all know something must be done, no one makes a move "Solutions to the Problem, Of course, wait." They have reduced him to an inconvenience and he is aware of it. But the tone does not give way to one of urgency or that he is demanding something be done, so it seems he is enjoying himself and the ride the "white people" are taking him on.
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