The premise of Bop is that human
beings are often sculpted by their racial struggles. The essay was crafted
by Langston Hughes, a historical poet, novelist and playwright
who had a huge impact on people as his writing made him the leading voice
of the 1920's Harlem Renaissance. The story takes place in an urban area
on the stoop of an apartment as the narrator and another man, Simple, listen to
be-bop music and spark a discussion about exactly what it is trying to convey.
It was the late 1940’s, a time when be-bop and jazz were generally popular. Hughes
uses Simple to explain that be-bop isn’t just a variety of crazy noises and
random words, it’s a release of intense emotion black people have kept bottled
up about unfair treatment and abuse from whites. Hughes is able to effectively
make his point clear by giving the character, Simple, a strong voice on the
topic. While the narrator does not understand the difference between “re-bop” and
“be-bop”, Simple has no problem distinguishing the two apart. His passion
toward the topic is definitely expressed as he explains to the narrator that
re-bop is merely a knockoff created by white people, of the true, soulful,
intense outbreak of emotion converted into music known as be-bop. The settings
and characters really help solidify Hughes point. The way that they speak to
one another, causal, but firm on their stances toward the topic, make it feel
real and help the reader understand how racial struggles can greatly effect a person’s
actions and opinions. This expression is even taken a step further as Hughes
allows Simple to put ourselves in his shoes and see what it was like being an
African American in that day and age. Simple describes an average situation
where he may be in a certain area and run into a few police officers. He
explains that they would question him simply due to his race, he would have to
answer, and he states “…if my answers to not satisfy them, BOP!” (Hughes 191), trying to
express that they would beat him. Hughes successfully conveys his purpose by
allowing the characters to speak their minds as well as their experiences and by
additionally creating a realistic environment and mindset.
 "Release" Image Source: Positive Music Imperative |
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