Dignity. During Langston Hughes's time, African American readers thought that the poet's writing directly examined their lives, hopes, anxieties, past, and dreams, as opposed to the opaque modernism of poets like T.S. Eliot. Thus, they felt personally connected to his work. Hughes used this authentic connection with his audience to express concerns about racial injustice, discrimination, and stereotypes that were prevalent in America at the time. He did so by portraying black people as valiant, honest, pure, intelligent, and beautiful, even though these qualities are often associated with white people. Furthermore, Hughes used metaphor and allusion to reveal deeper meanings about race and identity. For example, he could have said "blackness" instead of "dignity" to emphasize how blacks were viewed as less than human by many whites at the time. However, by choosing dignity, he was also implying that there is a higher purpose for being black in America, which is why it is important to fight against racism. Finally, Hughes wanted to convey the idea that no matter how far you come, what kind of person you are, or what your accomplishments are, others can always find something to criticize or ridicule. This can be seen in the last line of the poem where Hughes says "the world is full of fools". Thus, the theme of this poem is dignity.