Dreams Analysis

ANALYSIS
A very beautiful, short poem by Langston Hughes. It comes with a very powerful message in
it’s two stanzas. The poet has highlighted the significance of dreams in one’s life. According
to the poet, dreams are a person’s goals important for his growth. The aims that a person sets
in his life and works hard to achieve them, the aims that help us stay focused. Giving up on
your dreams means giving up on your life. These are not the dreams that you experience
while sleeping, when your consciousness is travelling to the multiverse. Rather, these are the
goals that you set for yourself during this life and the hard work you do to achieve them is
what keeps you alive and energized.
In the beginning of both the stanzas, the poet urges the readers not to give up on their
dreams. He repeatedly used the words, “Hold fast to dreams” in both of the stanzas. He is
actually emphasising the reader to hold onto his/her dreams and to chase them or else they
might lose their life. As in, a life without purpose is meaningless.
In the first stanza he has used metaphors, he has compared dream less life with a broken
winged bird. A bird in literature is usually a powerful symbol of freedom and flight. A broken
winged bird means a bird that cannot fly, and a bird that cannot fly in the sky is like a
meaningless dead being, because birds are free beings. They can walk on earth as well as
when they feel like they can fly up. Therefore, according to the poet, if you do not hold onto
your dreams you are like a broken winged bird that cannot fly and n/po flight means near
death for the bird. If you lose your wings there is no hope left in life. The wings are the hope
and if the hope dies, there is no life left in the bird.
In the second stanza the poet uses another metaphor i.e. barren land. This means that when
you give up on your dreams you become like some bad, infertile lands that cannot produce
anything for anyone. Your days become dark, gloomy, winter days unlike the bright, sunny,
summer days. There must be something in your life that keeps you going or else you will
become like a good for nothing land. Your purposeless life is useless for your own self and
the world. The barren field and snow represent dullness and demise of the soul. As a barren
field is unproductive so is a person who’s living a purposeless, dreamless life. Such a person
spends an unsatisfied, colourless and miserable life.
So, basically the poet inspires his readers to follow their dreams and to never ever give up on
their dreams. One should recognize their aims and objectives and then leave no stone
unturned in the pursuit of their objectives. One of the fundamental principles of life is that
you get what you strive for, so keep going. Keep working to achieve your goals. Stay
focused, live a life full of energy and zeal so that you enjoy every single second of it. This
sends a motivational message to readers as well i.e. If you hold onto something, you
continuously struggle to achieve it without any stop. In such a journey you enjoy to the fullest
and finally get the thing you have desired for. Consistency is the key. You get what you work
for. There must be some inspiration that you follow, the one dream that is also very sacred to
you and you continue to have it. You got to do whatever it takes to get there. Dreams give
you hope to move forward, to move towards progression and self growth. Dreams make your
life purposeful, rich in experiences. A life like this is a life lived well. This is continually
adding to your growth, where you do things without any fears of failure to reach heights, you
enjoy your journey to your dreams. Only if you live a fruitful and successful life yourself,
you can help others too. So, spend a colourful life full of ambitions and struggle consistently
to get what you want and prevent yourself from hopelessness, lifelessness and become a
better being. Do something that makes a difference, that inspires others to grow further.

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ANALYSIS

what keeps you alive and energized.

might lose their life. As in, a life without purpose is meaningless.

and if the hope dies, there is no life left in the bird.

spends an unsatisfied, colourless and miserable life.

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