A Dream Deferred

Harlem

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up

like a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a sore--

And then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?

Or crust and sugar over--

like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags

like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

Rewrite the poem correctly in your notebook.

Analyze the poem according to TP-CASTT, answering the questions below:

  1. How does the poem relate to the time and place in which it was written?

  2. What is the speaker's gender? Age? Class? Can this be known?

  3. Is the speech fragmented or grammatically complete? What effect does the grammar or spacing have on the poem?

  4. Does the speaker observe, persuade, meditate or fantasize? (Cite specific lines in the poem)

  5. What is the speaker's emotional state and how does it change throughout the poem?

  6. What is the main subject the speaker talks about?

  7. What does the poemn imply but not mention explicitly?

  8. Does the poem have a consistent rhythm, or does it change?

  9. Does the poem have a climax and if so, what is it?

  10. Does the poem contain any similes or metaphors? If so, what are they? What is being compared and to what effect?

    1. Does the poem employ imagery? Give examples.