Final answer:
Langston Hughes may have chosen the term “darker” over “dark” to set up a comparison, suggest a progression, or highlight themes related to the African American experience. Word choice in poetry is deliberate, with each term contributing to the tone, meaning, and potential interpretations of the work.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question you're referring to seems to be asking about the word choice in a poem by Langston Hughes. Specifically, why Hughes chose the comparative term “darker” rather than “dark” in the second line of one of his poems. In poetry, word choice is critical as each word carries weight and contributes to the overall meaning and tone of the poem. The use of the comparative form “darker” suggests a relationship or comparison. It implies that whatever is being described is not just dark in isolation, but darker than something else, perhaps setting up a contrast or highlighting a progression from dark to even darker.
This could symbolize deepening emotion, worsening circumstances, or an intensification of whatever theme Hughes is exploring. Given that Langston Hughes often addressed themes related to the African American experience, the use of “darker” may also carry racial connotations, suggesting not just literal darkness, but the weight of racial injustice or the richness of African American identity and culture compared to Eurocentric norms. The comparative term “darker” enriches the poem's texture and opens up multiple layers of interpretation, which is why poets like Hughes choose their words so deliberately.