Essay Questions

How does Hughes depict the economic struggles that the African-American community in Harlem has to deal with in the poem?

Langston Hughes paints a vivid picture of the economic struggles faced by the African-American community in Harlem. A family who recently lost their beloved son is unable to pay for his funeral and burial, signaling that they are struggling immensely. The narrator repeats a question throughout the poem: "Who was it sent the wreath?" This illustrates how economically poor the community the family lived in was; very few had enough money to send a wreath, an expensive gesture, to the boy's funeral. Similarly, the narrator questions who paid for the "undertaker" for the boy and the boy's "coffin," further illustrating the difficult economic conditions many faced in Harlem.

How does this community support play a vital role during times of grief?

In the poem and in real life, it is clear that community plays a vital role during times of grief. Even though the family at the center of the poem doesn't have much money and isn't able to have a funeral for and bury their child without help, the community bands together to support them. Hughes describes a procession of old men and boys at the funeral who are there to support the family; he also describes the bellowing sound of drums and the preacher. All of them are there to support the family during their difficult time. When one member of their community dies, a little piece of the community dies, too, and they want to honor that. Even in times of adversity, the community comes together to provide support, comfort, and unity. Finally, the poem's reference to "old women" mourning and the children and men walking in the procession exemplify a shared sense of grief and solidarity.

How does the situation involving the young boy reflect the experiences of the African-American community in the United States more broadly?

While "Night Funeral in Harlem" focuses on a single event—the funeral of a young black boy who died too soon—it reflects the broader experiences and challenges of the African-American community in the United States.

The death of the young boy is reflective of a common problem in the African-American community throughout history and in the present day: the premature end of many Black lives due to systemic issues like poverty, violence, limited access to healthcare, and racial discrimination (like slavery and Jim Crow laws which have made it hard for Black people to survive).