In life, we are often challenged with borders that are created by society and ourselves. In our partial understanding of what those borders represent, we find ourselves restrained by our personality. Racism and prejudices have afflicted society for many years. Many of us have been judged and attacked for expressing our true selves. In the short story, “On the road” by Langston Hughes we can visualize this racism and prejudice that Sargeant is dealing with. This story uses scenic symbolism and imagery. Hughes offers a gift to the readers: Open your heart and life will provide boundless abundance. Hughes uses nature to demonstrate a distinctive relationship among the blacks and whites. The snow and the night allows the story to be less disturbing and more interesting to everyone that reads the short story. The main character, Sargeant, is left doubting the goodness of life. The white people have overpowered the black population for almost two hundred years. Sargeant was tired of fighting, tired of surviving, tired of hoping, and most of all tired of the white people who have overpowered and harassed his life. Hughes uses anger and survival in this short story as well. When these two things are combined they can be a powerful force when it comes to taking action against the destruction of society. Limiting our expression of ourselves often leads to anger. Once anger kicks in, then our survival mode kicks in, and that is when we become more separated from God then at any other time. We can clearly see that Sargeant is struggling for survival. He is rejected a number of times for a place to stay but then he finds himself at the front door of the church with hope that he may enter and stay warm overnight. There he is rejected again but this time at the feet of a white church. Sargeant was a very strong-minded man. He was starving and tired but he certainly felt that at least the church should offer him a comforting, relaxing place to stay. I think that Sargeant isn’t only trying to survive but he was also holding onto his faith. Hughes uses Jesus Christ as a metaphor for how we experience life. For Christians, Jesus was a savior who carried the burden of our sins and troubles to show us that God loves his children. In this story, Sargeant is similar to Christ in a way that he must carry a heavy burden as well. Once the church fell down we are given the image of Sargeant walking down the street with the stone pillar on his shoulder, this is very much like Christ as he carried the cross. When the church came crashing down so did all of its values, beliefs, and ideas. Once the church fell Jesus was freed from the cross. It symbolizes the same for Sargeant because he was freed from his burden of being overpowered by the whites and standing up for his own needs. Traditional church values conflict with each other when it comes to the acceptance of every human being. Christ is described as a man of peace and love, who pursued to invite anyone regardless of race or sex into the kingdom of heaven. In this story Hughes challenges Christianity by showing how judgmental and self-righteous the church has been throughout the years. Through the Great Depression America struggled enormously. This story opens our eyes to unconditional love and respect for humanity. Hughes pays a special thanks to people like Jesus and Sargeant who have made our world a better place. This is a very touching story because we should do unto others as we would have them do unto us.
"Analysis of Langston Hughes' On the Road." Web. 23 Mar 2011
"Analysis Of On the Road by Langston Hughes - Essays - Cmcain." Free Term Papers, Research Papers, Essays, Book Reports | OPPapers.com. Web. 23 Mar. 2011.
"On the Road by Langston Hughes Essays." MegaEssays.com - Essays, Essays and Term Paper! Web. 23 Mar. 2011.
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