Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumThe New Negro Movement and Cultural Debates

Read the excerpt from Langston Hughes's autobiography *The Big Sea* (1940) and answer the question that follows.

"She wanted me to be primitive, and know and feel the intuitions of the primitive. But, unfortunately, I was not Africa. I was Chicago and Kansas City and Broadway and Harlem. And I was not what she wanted me to be."

Based on the excerpt, which of the following best describes the cultural debate or tension that Hughes is addressing?

  1. The conflict between satisfying the exoticized expectations of white patrons and asserting authentic, modern Black identitiesAnswer
  2. B
    The division between activists advocating for immediate emigration to Africa and those seeking full citizenship in Northern US cities
  3. C
    The rivalry between W.E.B. Du Bois's elite-led political activism and Marcus Garvey's mass populist nationalist movement
  4. D
    The economic pressure of choosing to remain in the rural South versus migrating to find industrial jobs in the urban North

Answer

The conflict between satisfying the exoticized expectations of white patrons and asserting authentic, modern Black identities
The correct answer is correct because Hughes's reflection on his patron's desire for him to be 'primitive' illustrates the widespread pressure exerted by white patrons on Black artists to conform to essentialist and exoticized stereotypes. By contrast, Hughes asserts that his authentic identity was shaped by modern, urban American environments like Chicago, Kansas City, and Harlem, highlighting the struggle for creative autonomy during the New Negro Movement.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the source text to identify the subject of Langston Hughes's conflict.
Hughes describes a patron ("She") who wanted him to be "primitive" and represent "Africa" rather than his actual modern urban experiences in Chicago, Kansas City, and Harlem.
Identifying the core subject of the quote is necessary to understand the specific debate being addressed.
2
Relate the conflict to the broader cultural debates of the New Negro Movement.
The tension between white patronage (which often sought exoticism or primitivism) and the artist's desire for authentic self-expression was a major cultural debate.
Connecting the text to the historical context allows for selection of the correct interpretive statement.

Key Concept

The conflict between white patronage expectations and artistic autonomy during the Harlem Renaissance.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Rate this question

Topics

The New Negro Movement and Cultural Debates

More questions from this topic