Harlem Renaissance Themes present in the Film and Now

The film Brother to Brother, follows the troubled life of a young gay black art student named Perry. His parents have kicked him out of his house because of his homosexuality and he is going through hard times.  There are innumerable connections to be made between the contemporary film, Brother to Brother, and the Black community today.

The film obviously demonstrates identification with race, because it is about what life is like for a black man, living in New York City, to be gay. Marcus, Perry’s friend, who is also a poet, identifies with being black when he rejects a white man who tries to relate to his struggles that Marcus talks about in his poetry. The entire film is reflecting on what it was like for blacks to be gay, to be artists, to be musicians. This theme definitely has carried on in the black community until present day. Life for black people is still different than the lives of whites or other races. Blacks most certainly still indentify with their black culture and are still aware of their position in society as a black person. They consider why their life is different than someone else because of their race.

The film also demonstrates anger at racism. When Perry sleeps with Jim, a white student who goes to class with Perry, Jim remarks upon Perry’s “sweet black ass”. Perry is immediately incensed and gets up and leaves Jim in a dramatic way. Later Perry describes the incident to his black friend Marcus; saying that he’s angered by the way that Jim was using him for his black attributes. The way that Perry expresses anger towards Jim’s racism is a theme that is still perpetuated through black culture today. Because racism is still present today, it is not surprising at all that anger at racism is still a present theme.

The most important theme in Brother to Brother is the desire to reconstruct the meaning of “negro”. Perry, and many other gay black characters depicted in the film, is ridiculed by the black community because of their homosexuality. Perry is jumped by a homophobic classmate of his and his friends because of the arguments that Perry and this kid have about homosexuality. Bruce Nugent and his friends are yelled at and spit upon by other members of the black community due to their homosexuality. When Perry’s friend Marcus expresses his anger towards white people, Perry remarks that that anger is the same anger that the black community feels towards him because of his being gay. Basically, the black gay characters in the novel are not respected and receive no acknowledgment for their achievements because of their homosexuality. So these characters wish strongly to reconstruct the meaning of “negro” or more, add on to how other blacks are redefining this word. They want it to include all that is amazing about black culture, but to also include homosexuality. So that the all the music and art and food and dance that is encompassed in black culture can be equally appreciated when created by a gay person. This theme most definitely carries on into the present because homophobia is still very prominent in black culture and there are, of course, still gay members of the black community. And these gay blacks have the same sorts of wishes that Bruce Nugent, and Perry had a long time ago.

Into Bondage 

by Aaron Douglas

       The art piece is depicting people being stolen from their homes and the jungle-like landscape they live in, and placed on large ships and into slavery. The piece could be recalling upon the horror of this atrocity in history or commenting upon today's society. Perhaps declaring that we still live in a form of slavery.  

        Many aesthetic aspects of the piece are very prominent and stick out to me in particular. The color scheme of the piece is almost entirely shades of blue, which conveys a tone of sadness. The blue flora which is depicted in a lush and bountiful manner suggests the beauty that was being left behind as well as the melancholy emotions that would accompany such a monumental loss.

          Another salient part of the piece is the circles of light, expanding from the horizon, as well as the single shaft of bright yellowish light striking through the face of one of the captured slaves. These shapes of light are potentially describing how there was a higher power in command during this awful event, and maybe the shaft of light through the mans face represents his anger and despair at this situation. It symbolizes how victimized and unlucky these people were. It represents the horrifying shock they must have experienced when being snatched out of all they've ever known so violently.

           An obvious HR theme that is present is identification with race. The people depicted in the piece are all colored in a dark hue, and the face of the illuminated man possesses distinctly African features. Another HR theme that can be gleaned from the figures in the piece is pride. The bodies are all muscular and erect and they are depicting these people as a mighty and powerful race. Anger at racism is another present HR theme because of the man that is on his knees, raising his arms in a desperate and pained request for mercy from whatever higher powers might come to his assistance. 

Minstrel Man by Langston Hughes

Because my mouth

Is wide with laughter

And my throat

Is deep with song,

You do not think

I suffer after

I have held my pain

So long?

Because my mouth

Is wide with laughter,

You do not hear

My inner cry?

Because my feet

Are gay with dancing,

You do not know

I die? 

           The poem is discussing the racism that is felt by blacks every day. It is talking about how white people view blacks and how they expect them to behave. It is addressing how the act of the minstrel man is grotesque and filled with suppressed emotion. It is even saying that the black man has internalized racism and so exudes a facade of joy of happiness and stupidity to please white people, whom they may truly consider as better than themselves through years of derogatory offenses and conditioned self-hatred. The poem is also acknowledging how for blacks to get anywhere in this world, this is especially true for Langston Hughes, they had to bend to the ways of white people. So they acted happy and as whites wanted them to, but in actuality, they were dying from rage and sorrow on the inside.
         Identification with race is a present theme because Hughes uses the possessive, "my" throughout. Because the title is "Minstrel Man", a character usually played by a black person, and Hughes uses, "my" he is demonstrating that he identifies with the struggles of the black minstrel man. Exploration of Negro heritage and history is also a theme "explored" in the poem. In the lines: "Is deep with song" and "Are gay with dancing" Hughes is commenting on the musical nature of black culture. Also Hughes is maybe commenting on how, in black culture, these celebratory actions can help to alleviate the pains and struggles of the black people. 
    In the poem Hughes employs the use of numerous types of poetic devices such symbolism and imagery.  Hughes describes his mouth as, "wide with laughter", his throat as, "deep with song"  and his feet as, "gay with dancing". Hughes describes the actions depicted in the poem, such as laughing, dancing, singing, in a vivid manner that allows the reader to conjure up a striking image of these actions. In the last line of the poem Hughes combines the use of symbolism and punctuation to puzzle the reader and cause them to really consider the meaning of this line, (as I just did). Hughes poses his death as a question, which conveys to the reader that not only is the minstrel character driven to the point of sorrow and rage where they encounter death but also they are so crazed with grief and confusion that they can't discern reality from illusion and are asking others or themselves: "I die?"
            I enjoy this poem because of the masterful and delightful way that it contrasts two extreme emotions, happiness from dancing and singing and the desolation of death. The poem is incredible also in that it seems to sum up a huge amount of feeling and emotion in so few words. 


 

Southern trees bear strange fruit

Blood on the leaves and blood at the root

Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze

Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees

Pastoral scene of the gallant south

The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth

Scent of magnolias, sweet and fresh

Then the sudden smell of burning flesh

Here is fruit for the crows to pluck

For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck

For the sun to rot, for the trees to drop

Here is a strange and bitter crop.

     The song is discussing the race terrorism and lynching in the South. The strange fruit represents black bodies that have been hung. Identification with Race is a present H.R. them because of the line: "Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze." Also Anger at Racism is a present theme because of the grizzly way that Holiday describes the lynching taking place. Because she describes it in this fashion it indicates that Holiday is implying the extreme injustice behind the lynching, which implies that Holiday is angered at these atrocities. 

     I chose this song because of the vivid and gruesome image that the song conjures up for the listener. This song is not pleasant or what most would consider appealing so I admire the boldness that it must have took for Holiday to write and publicize the song. 

     Also Holiday contrasts the ways in which the South is glorified: "Pastoral scene of the gallant south" with gruesome descriptions of horrible deeds committed by Southerners. So in this sense Holiday is criticizing the South and proclaiming that although the, "Scent of magnolias" may be, "sweet and fresh" in the South (so to speak) it doesn't make up for the horrible racism that existed there.   

 

Though you haven't many toys 

You don't envy any boys 

Every day's a work day,

Your work is just a game

I'd like to sing your praise

But I don't know your name

You're just a shoe shine boy

 You work hard all day

Shoe shine boy

Got no time to play

Every nickel helps a lot

So shine, shine, shoe shine boy.

You find joy in the things you do

Shoe shine boy seldom ever blue

You're content with what you've got

So shine, shine, shoe shine boy.

People look at you with scorn

'cos your clothes are worn and torn

Still you never whine

You keep looking up and down the street

Pleading with each one you meet

Brother can you spare a shine.

Oh, Shoe shine boy soon the day will come

Shoe shine boy soon a tune you'll hum

Every nickel helps a lot

So shine, shine, shoe shine boy.

            
        The song is capturing the hard work and struggle that is everyday life for the poor working class American. The song is appreciating those work very hard and never really live in luxury, but are still happy and keep and optimistic outlook, those who stick on the "sunny side of the street" (to quote another of Armstrong's legendary tunes). It's acknowledging those who really lead a simple life, that involves mostly labor and doesn't really have any rewards. It's congratulating this so-called Shoe Shine Boy for the way that he can push on, and possess a hopeful, innocent and kind attitude towards life and keep striving for whatever it is he desires.
          In a sense the HR theme, determination to fight against oppression is present in this song. The song is describing this boy, who represents working class America, who works hard and shines shoes every day in the hopes that someday he will elevate himself out of his  repetitive job and his lacking situation. So this Shoe Shine Boy is fighting against his position in society, trying hard to change things and reach a desired status of wealth.
            I chose this song because it's very catchy and it really draws you into the emotion and sadness that this hard-working boy experiences. I enjoy this song because I can experience the sorrow that is describing this boy's bleak life, and I find that experience or feeling to be a profound and interesting one. Also the trumpet is very dreamy and sad, and I do love magical trumpet sounds.      

Juke Box Love Song by Langston Hughes

I could take the Harlem night
and wrap around you,
Take the neon lights and make a crown,
Take the Lenox Avenue busses,
Taxis, subways,
And for your love song tone their rumble down.
Take Harlem's heartbeat,
Make a drumbeat,
Put it on a record, let it whirl,
And while we listen to it play,
Dance with you till day--
Dance with you, my sweet brown Harlem girl.

            The song is capturing all of the liveliness and soul of Harlem during this period of time. It also seems to be dedicated to a certain "Harlem girl" who encompasses all that Harlem represents to Hughes and others. From the lines, "I could take the Harlem night and wrap around you" Hughes shows that he is embodying all that Harlem symbolizes for him, and taking all of the culture and vitality of Harlem and presenting it to someone, someone with an outside perspective, someone not caught up in it all, who can truly cherish all of the beauty and life of Harlem.
            Exploration of Negro heritage and history is a present theme in that Hughes is embodying many aspects of black culture in his poem. In fact he is discussing taking these parts of black culture and concentrating them, presenting a simplified version of these things. He is describing the process of considering all that these aspects of black culture represent, and then taking all that and then manipulating the form of these things, condensing them into a "crown" or a "record".
            Hughes uses imagery, personification, and rhyme to enhance the tone and feel of his poem. He uses imagery in the way that he describes the numerous facets of Harlem nightlife. He creates a vivid picture of a bustling, glowing scene of cars, lights, dance and music in the mind of the reader. Hughes uses personification in that he is taking inanimate concepts such as "the Harlem night" and wrapping it around somebody as if it were a blanket. He discusses taking "Harlem's heartbeat", and then playing that as a record. Hughes uses this technique to create a certain profundity to the things he's discussing. By talking about them in this abstract way Hughes is depicting them as magical and wondrous. Lastly, Hughes uses rhyme to give his poem an upbeat feel and to cause the words to flow elegantly and gracefully, as a night in Harlem might.