Point of View

The majority of the poems in this volume make use of the omniscient narrator—that is to say, someone who is not necessarily the author himself is the principle speaking subject. However, there are a number of selections which reflect a specific character's perspective. For example, in the section "Madam To You," the principle speaker is Alberta K. Johnson (known to those outside her family and close circle as "Madam"). By using a specific voice, Hughes is able to give the reader an insight into that subject's inner workings rather than simply telling the reader about a specific character. This is most effective, in that it allows the reader to enjoy the author's talent for assuming a variety of voices. Also, the selections which are "narrated" by a particular character add a depth to the collection overall and give the entire volume a kind of...