Poetry
Who is the author of the poem Dreaming Black Boy?
James Berry
What does the speaker wish to achieve with his education and earnings in the poem?
The speaker wishes to earn good money and avoid degrading work.
In the poem, what does the speaker wish for the "torch throwers of night" to do?
The speaker wishes that instead of contributing to turmoil, that they would use their influence or actions to bring about positive, peaceful, or more favorable circumstances
Identify the personification that the poet employs in the poem.
I wish life wouldn’t spend me out opposing.
What does the persona wish his teacher would do?
The persona wishes that his teacher would hug him/acknowledge him for his achievements
Where does the speaker wish to go without facing hindrances from people or powers?
The speaker wishes to travel on "every crisscross way of the globe."
What is the speaker's perspective on how people treat him, as expressed in the poem?
He desires acceptance and the ability to belong in society without being treated like an alien (treated harshly because of his race)
The poet employs repetition in the poem. What phrase does he continuously repeat and what does it mean?
The poet repeats the phrase "I wish" because he yearns, is desperate even, for the basic things that life has to offer.
What does the act of "licking boots" symbolize in the poem?
Licking boots serves as a symbol of submission and humiliation.
Who does the speaker wish to emulate when it comes to his voice and inner vision?
The speaker wishes to emulate Paul Robeson
What does the speaker wish in relation to the burden he carries?
He wishes that others would not have to suffer in the same way he has