The article “Paradoxes of American  Individualism” states that in  American culture, the source of action, meaning, and responsibility is in the control of the individual rather than the group.  America preaches one thing but ultimately ignores any flaws so that their sense of image isnt interrupted.

From Whitman’s poem, I interpret him explaining how America is a great example of everyone being equal in terms of being able to rise up in status. He claims that men and women are equal in the first line but today, there are still certain underlying barriers between genders. He then goes on to say there are a perennial amount of freedom, love, and laws. This opposes Hughes’s poem in which he highlights the bad thing about America that Whitman overlooks and generalizes.

A line from each that grabs my attention is when Hughes says“Who said the free?  Not me?Surely not me?  The millions on relief today?“ and “The millions which have nothing for our pay—Except the dream that’s almost dead today“ which contradicts Whitman statement about America being full of freedom, love, and law. This grabs my attention because to relate it to the modern-day. Many minorities live in poor neighborhoods in turn making it harder for them to leave their impoverished situation. The set of readings make the United States a contradiction. It started with the ideas/beliefs of freedom and equality, however, the nation was built on the suppression of groups of color.So many of this country’s laws and policies, which should be fair all across the country, for all races, were instead made to prevent people of color from going up the ladder.

I believe that Whitman was referring to people like him who could relate. This excluded colored people because the path they had to walk was different. They were not equal among white people and America was anything but fair to them.