In the excerpt from Langston Hughes book, “When the Negro Was in Vogue from The Big Sea,” the informal language given in the article provides a comfortable read and shows that Hughes’ intended audience was any person interested in learning about the colored people’s view of Harlem. She uses a casual tone to show her purpose of educating the audience in a way that provokes their attention.
Device
o “Flooding the little cabarets and bars where formerly only colored people laughed and sang, and where now the strangers were given the best ringside tables to sit and stare at the Negro customers--like amusing animals in a zoo.”
In this excerpt the author appeals to ethos by stating that the bars once populated by colored people, minding their own business, are now filled with white people being amused by mocking the original attenders of the bars. This appeals to the readers ethics because they are forced to decide whether they believe that the white citizens should have done this or not. Even though these attendees gained the bars a large amount of business, they were treating the colored people extremely badly. It causes the reader to decide their thoughts on the matter in order to continue reading the excerpt on the topic.
o…show more content… But everything goes, one way or the other.”
In this excerpt, Hughes in appealing to the readers emotions. She is stating that everything comes and goes and creates a personal connection that most people feel of nostalgia from the past. Because this appeals to pathos, the audience is willing to open up, since the tone of the excerpt is extremely casual, the reader is given the chance to let their guards down and truly connect with Hughes on her views. By saying, “Everything goes,” Hughes is personally connecting with each person reading and reaching their emotions in a way they otherwise would not have
