TOW #2 - "Bop" by Langston Hughes (Written Text)

"Bop", written by Langston Hughes, is an essay that consists mainly of dialogue between two characters, the narrator and a man named Simple. Simple informs the narrator of the origins of Be-Bop, a type of music invented by African Americans as a result of the prejudices they face in society. In this example, the harsh treatment is through police brutality. The narrator was clueless about the topic, believing that it was not much different from the other forms they mention, but Simple elaborates that while Re-Bop and Be-Bop are similar, Re-Bop is a mere imitation of what white people think Be-Bop to be. Langston Hughes was an African American poet, novelist, and playwright. He was a major contributor to the Harlem Renaissance and one the first poets to experiment with jazz poetry. His essay serves to bring the effect racial inequality has on a group’s culture to attention for all Americans. He especially wants to grab the attention of the white Americans who are clueless to the harm the prejudice behaviors bring to a people based on differences they may have from the majority.

Hughes implements colloquialism into his writing as a way to show the contrast between how groups communicate. For example, Hughes wrote, “Bop comes out of them dark days. That’s why real Bop is mad, wild, frantic, crazy—and not to be dug unless you’ve seen dark days, too. Folks who ain’t suffered much cannot play Bop, neither appreciate it” (Hughes 191). While the narrator rarely, if ever, use slang, Simple uses a much more abundant amount of it. It is insinuated that the narrator is either white or is in a group not as exposed to the racism, expressing the difference between the two.

            The author also uses juxtaposition as well in his essay, offering a clear understanding of the behavior towards the minority in comparison to the majority. These lines spoken by Simple reads, “White folks do not get their heads beat just for being white. But me—a cop is liable to grab me almost any time and beat my head—just for being colored” (Hughes 191). This prejudice that lead to increased police brutality against African Americans is what lead to the invention of Be-Bop, showing how the difference in treatment began to show in African American culture.

Using colloquialism and taking advantage of juxtaposition, Langston Hughes was able to bring to attention the racial inequality that constantly affects our cultures for all groups.