1. When reading this poem, several vivid and sensory images come to mind. The first stanza evokes the image of something drying up like a raisin in the sun. This implies withering, shriveling, and loss of vitality. The second stanza introduces imagery of something festering like a sore, suggesting decay, infection, and unpleasantness. The mention of stinking rotten meat adds to the disgusted sensory experience. The idea of something crusty and sugary, like a syrupy sweet, creates a contrasting image of a hardened and superficially pleasant exterior. The final stanza depicts something sagging like a heavy load, conveying a sense of burden, weariness, and exhaustion. The underlying question of whether it explodes introduces the image of a sudden and violent release of built-up pressure and energy.
2. Hughes asks in this poem about the fate and consequences of deferred dreams or aspirations. He questions what happens when dreams are put on hold, ignored, or suppressed. Through a series of vivid images, Hughes explores the potential outcomes of deferred dreams. He raises the question of whether they simply fade away or lead to more explosive and destructive consequences.