Final answer:
Langston Hughes' poem 'Harlem' compares a deferred dream to various objects like a raisin, a sore, a smell, sugar, and a heavy load, demonstrating the different negative outcomes of delaying or forgetting dreams.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the poem "Harlem" by Langston Hughes, the object that is compared to a raisin, a sore, a smell, sugar, and a heavy load is a deferred dream. The poem utilizes a series of similes and metaphors to evoke the frustration and emotional toll that arises when a person's dreams are delayed or forgotten. Each comparison conveys a different aspect of what happens to a deferred dream: it may dry up, fester, stink, become sweet and then turn bitter, or weigh someone down, respectively.