An Analysis of 'Dreaming Black Boy'

This poem focuses on the wishes of a black boy. He is facing discrimination and he dreams that his quality of life would not be determined by the colour of his skin. He does not like the fact that he is prevented from realizing his dreams and expressing himself freely because of his race.

He wishes for recognition from his teacher. He looks forward to being hugged (commended) when he kicks a goal. He also wishes that whenever he has the answer in class he does not hold back. He makes reference to the fact that he is not 'a wood chopper like all ancestors'. This means that he is not a slave and as such he should not be afraid to speak or assert himself.

He further wishes for the opportunity to receive the best education and earn 'good money'. He does not want to degrade himself by doing demeaning things in order to receive favours. He uses the term 'licking boots' to highlight that he does not want to have to be subservient to people in order to get ahead. He wants to achieve a certain standard of living that demonstrates his abilities. Clearly, he hate his inferior position in society. This boy recognises that he cannot explore the world freely and wishes he is able to do so without someone at a hotel turning him back because of his colour.

Many blacks had to spend their lifetime protesting against their social situation but he wishes that he does not have to spend his life speaking out against prejudice. This indicates a need for equality among races. Additionally, he wants to enjoy the benefits of living a meaningful life or being alive instead of wasting time protesting against practices that are unacceptable and should never have been conceived. He hopes that the individuals who throw torches would instead burn their light for a worthy cause and that plotters in pyjamas would pray for themselves (or find something better to do) instead of praying for the eradication (destruction of a race. He wishes people would not treat him as if he is from a different planet - Mars - giving the impression that he does not belong.

He wishes that only boys are scared behind a show of bravery instead of grown men. If this is the case, then he could suffer or he could endure his circumstances. However, as alarming as the thought of grown men (black men in this case) pretending to be brave may be, this is the reality.

The poem ends with a final wish. He does not wish anybody would want or experience his life or the burden of discrimination he has to carry. He does not perceive his life as one that is meaningful because he is deprived of so many liberties.

NOTE: James Berry's poem fittingly captures the experience of a black boy during the 1950s or 1960s in America when racism was rampant.

Tone: frustration, dissatisfaction, longing, yearning, despondence

Themes: dreams and aspirations, racism, discrimination, childhood experiences

Literary Devices

• repetition - Note the constant repeating of the phrases 'I wish'
• allusion -  1. Reference is made to Paul Robeson who was an African American civil rights activist who achieved much in spite of the difficulties he faced. 2. Reference was also made to 'torch throwers' which are really the Ku Klux Klan (a white supremacist group that sought to restrict black people's advancement.)
• imagery - He uses certain phrases that create specific images in the readers' minds. These images reveal his wishes but also show the opposing forces against these wishes.  For example: 'sink to lick boots', 'go on every crisscross way of the globe', 'would have me stretch, and hold high, my voice', 'torch throwers of night' and 'plotters in pyjamas' 
• contrast - There is a contrast between the life the black boy wishes for and the one he is forced to endure.

Questions to Consider

1. Why does the poem use repetition? Why is it effective?
2. Does the dreaming black boy's problems leave us feeling sympathetic? Justify your answer.