Uzbek state world languages university

Theme 7: LANGSTON HUGHES, JOHN STEINBECK, ERSKINE CALDWELL

Plan:

1. 
   Langston Hughes.
   
2. 
   John Steinbeck.
   
3. 
   Erskine Caldwell
   

LANGSTON HUGHES (1902-1967)

Langston Hughes is an outstanding Negro poet. He was born in Missouri, in the family of a storekeeper. After school he went to Columbia University for a year, and in 1929 graduated Bachelor of Arts from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania.

Langston Hughes lived in many American cities, in Mexico, traveled far and wide in Europe and Africa, finding everywhere various employments and jobs.
In 1925, in Washington, he met the popular poet of that time, V. Lindsay, who helped him publish his first book of verse “The Weary Blues” 1926 (Грустные блюзы), which was followed in 1927 by the volume “Fine Clothes to the Jew”. Since then Langston Hughes became a professional writer earning his living from literary work and from lecturing.
Hughes’ writing deals with the grief and affliction of his race, as well as with his people’s consoling joys. Endowed with a sharp ear for folk speech and songs he made ample and highly literate use of the popular ballads and the Blues. His best known collections of verse are – “The Dream Keeper” 1932, “Shakespeare in

Harlem” 1942, “One-way Ticket” 1949.

Hughes is also the author of several novels in which he describes the painful lot of Negroes in the USA. In 1932 Langston Hughes visited the former Soviet Union. His admiration for the achievements of the people in the country found expression in the book “A Negro Looks at Soviet Central Asia” 1934, and two volumes of

verse “Good Morning, Revolution” 1933 and “A New Song” 1938.

During WWII Hughes wrote poems and essays pervaded with hatred of German fascism. In post-war years, along with other representatives of Negro intellectuals,

L. Hughes dedicated his creative work to the struggle for peace and democracy. He ranks among the most progressive public figures and writers in the USA.

	Laughers
1. Dream singers, Story-tellers, Dancers,	2.	Jazzers, Nurses of babies, Loaders of ships,

Loud laughers in the hand of Fate – Rounders,

My people. Number writers,

Dish-washers, Comedians in vaudeville Elevator-boys, And band-men in circuses –

Ladies’ maids, Dream singers all - Crap-shooters, My people.

Cooks, Story-tellers all -

Waiters, My people.

3. Dancers! -

God! What dancers!

Singers! –

God! What singers!

Singers and dancers,

Dancers and laughers.

Laughers?

Yes, laughers… laughers… laughers… -

Loud-mouthed laughers in the hands of Fate.