tarting to see the first historic break away from slavery. Abe Lincoln was one of the first people to get the ball rolling and speak against slavery. The river turning muddy to golden could theoretically be the start of hope and realization that a better tomorrow is possible. In his last line the speaker says, My soul has grown deep like the rivers. I am convinced that anyone having seen and witnessed all that has been described would have had to develop a very deep soul.The issue of slavery played a strong role in Hughes life. At an early age, Hughes was forced to come to terms with the fact that his grandfather had been lynched. A quote of Hughes clearly demonstrates his feelings towards this issue, I swear to the Lord I still cant see, why Democracy means everybody but me. In other poems written by Hughes the issue of slavery again arises. For example, in Negro Hughes states that hes been a slave, and reminds us of when Belgians were so cruel to the slaves while occupying the Congo. At Hughes funeral the people recited The Negro Speaks of Rivers. This clearly demonstrates how truly important the issue of slavery was to him and how his life had become symbolized by the poem.This poem at first seemed straightforward to me. As I read it more closely and thought about it more I began to put bits and pieces together. I think Hughes has done a wonderful job of describing the slave experience, from the beginning of his narrative to the end, which is when he starts to realize that a brighter future might exist. The way it was written made me really think about what it was Hughes was trying to say. This poem made me realize that a great many people suffered as slaves. These people lived their whole lives in this capacity, most without hope of any change of status. I felt like I was putting together a jigsaw puzzle and it was a good feeling when I finally saw what I believe Hughes wanted me to see....
