Langston Hughes

“The Bitter River” is a poem dedicated to two fourteen year old boys who were lynched together beneath a bridge in Mississippi in October of 1942. He writes about “a bitter river/ flowing through the South” (lines 1-2) which is interpreted as segregation and the prejudice African American’s endured in the South during this time.  Hughes goes on to write that he has drunk from such a river before, and this river “strangled his dreams” (line 16).  This can be construed to mean that he has been a victim of prejudice and although no one is literally stopping him from pursuing his dreams, the racist thoughts of others are disabling him from following his dreams.  The lines “The book studied—but useless,/ tools handled—but unused,/ knowledge acquired but thrown away/ ambition battered and bruised.” (lines 16-20) sum the troubles some African Americans, including Hughes, have suffered through.  Although they have pursued an education and have the necessary tools required to succeed or simply do a job does not matter; they are still mistreated by the white society, and their ambitions, goals, and dreams are thrown away.  The “bitter river” washes such things away.